Mike King

I'm Loving This Data. I Hope It Silences Some of Our Critics.

Over the last several years, I, and Youthfront have recieved criticism for challenging young people to cooperate with God's Mission in the world to bring restoration and redemption as a significant part of their Christian Formation.  Doing works of mercy and justice have been criticised as being a replacement for evangelism.  I can't begin to tell you how often we've heard a label of "social justice" attached to us as a criticism.  Most of the time, I've, we (Youthfront) absorb the criticism and continue to do what God has called us to do.  But, to be honest, it often stings because it comes sometimes from friends, or former staff of alumni who want things to stay how "they used to be."  For sure, I, we no longer train young people to engage in evangelism that starts the narrative with the fall of humanity into sin.  The story starts with God creating human beings in the image of God and that is good news.  Yes, the story includes the sinful fall of human beings.  We are all broken and in need of the work of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who brings redemptions and ultimately the restoration of all things.  We who know Christ are called to cooperate with God's movement to bring about the restoration of all things - our broken relationship with God, our own broken relationship with ourselves, our broken relationship with others and our broken relationship with the entire cosmos.  Fortunately, those who have been critical because they believe their culturally shaped understanding of Christianity is the "only truth" are being exposed more and more as having a theology that is more nationalistically and politically inspired.  Those who are embracing a more robust understanding of Gospel and the life of Jesus Christ who believe that Jesus didn't come just to get us into heaven when we die but to pick up our cross (not a democrat cross or a republican cross, and certainly not a rich cross or an American cross) and follow Jesus, bearing witness to the good news, to love mercy, do justice and walk humbly with our God. This gospel is one that young people are willing to give their lives to, and YES, they are engaged in evangelism.  Here is the just released data from the BARNA Group.  Take note, "Millennials are the only generation among whom evangelism is significantly on the rise."

All that follows in the rest of this post is from the Barna Group from their report on The Most Evangelistic Generation.

They've been called "the social justice generation," and for good reason—Millennials are actively taking up the cause of the poor, the oppressed, the orphan and the widow. Yet the most common critique leveled at this surge in social compassion is that it comes at a great expense. Sure, skeptics argue, they might feed the hungry and free the captives in this life, but what about the next? According to this view, Millennials are elevating physical needs over spiritual needs and forgoing evangelism altogether. Yet the latest Barna research reveals this is not the case. In fact, in answer to the question of evangelism on the rise or in decline, Millennials are a rare case indeed. While the evangelistic practices of all other generations have either declined or remained static in the past few years, Millennials are the only generation among whom evangelism is significantly on the rise. Their faith-sharing practices have escalated from 56% in 2010 to 65% in 2013. Not only that, but born again Millennials share their faith more than any other generation today. Nearly two-thirds (65%) have presented the Gospel to another within the past year, in contrast to the national average of about half (52%) of born again Christians.

Discussing Youth Ministry and Race: A View from the Pew

My friend, associate and Youthfront board member, Dr. Dean Blevins recently posted a wonderful summary of the Youth Ministry and Race Relations Dialogue we held at NTS. 

"Every once in a while you realize you are in the middle of something really, really special.  I have over thirty-five years experience listening to presentations in varying contexts, first in broadcast television news and later in academic settings. November 12^th was special, as I sat in a pew and was drawn into a panel discussion over the issues of youth ministry and race." Read rest of the post here.

Dr. Dean G. Blevins currently serves as Professor of Practical Theology and Christian Discipleship at Nazarene Theological Seminary. An ordained elder, Dean has ministered in diverse settings and currently also serves at the USA Regional Education Coordinator for the Church of the Nazarene. A prolific author, Dr. Blevins recently co-wrote the textbook Discovering Discipleship and edits Didache: Faithful Teaching, a journal for Wesleyan Education.

Immigrants Need The Church to Stand Up For Them

We hosted around 100 Pastors, Youth Pastors and Ministry leaders yesterday at Youthfront for a focus on Immigration reform.  The event was sponsored by CCDA and featured CCDA's President Noel Castellanos.  Youthfront staff members Kurt Rietema and Amber Booth, along with Mission Adelante staff member Jason Schoff organized this informative event. 

Here is a video of the media coverage of the event.

  "When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God."

Leviticus 19:33-34 ESV

The ALL NEW Immerse Journal

At Immerse Journal, we believe in good and faithful cultural realities. For the past several years this has meant publishing seriously intelligent and creative essays on the topic of youth ministry.

But good things are meant to be shared. That's why we are pleased to announce that as of April 1 we are enlarging our focus to bring the conversation to our friends in the larger church community.

The new Immerse will sound like a person expounding. On the subjects you want. We're writing on more. And we're writing on mission.

What you love about us will stay largely the same: theological sophistication, expert opinions, and thoughtful commentary on church culture and culture overall. We had a hunch that issues impacting youth ministry must eventually be addressed in the broader ecclesial context. We knew there was more to the story, so now we want to go there too—and we'd like to bring you with us.

Beginning this spring, Immerse will publish four journals yearly. Arrangements have been made for the fulfillment of your current subscription. However, for those wishing to opt out, you'll find a refund option available inside your first issue. For the record, we don't think you'll want to leave.

 

 

To subscribe to the new Immerse Journal or find more information, please visit us at our website. Join the conversation.

  

TEAM DAY District NYI Youth Worker Training Saturday, February 23rd

Mark your calendars for this valuable opportunity to come together with other youth workers from around our KC district to learn and grow together!  The cost will be $15 which includes lunch .  Click here to register for this great day of training, resourcing and connection.  Below is the great youth worker line up we have for this year...many of these speakers are people who have spoke at national youth ministry conferences, so it's like attending a national conference at a great local ministry price!  Please invite as many youth workers as you know.  Scholarships are available if you know someone in need - Contact Tom Craig at [email protected] if you or someone you know needs a scholarship to attend.

What a Great Thing to Attend Between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

AND as a SPECIAL BONUS, HANG OUT WITH AYME's DISTINGUISHED CHRISTIAN EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR, KENDA CREASY DEAN.

 

What is the future of Christian proclamation in a society increasingly driven by networked technologies and 140-character communications? What place does preaching to young people have in such a society, and what form might it take? How might we move from mere sermons and “youth talks” into affecting the lives of young hearers?

I'm excited to participate in this important Conference.  COME JOIN US.

You can receive a 20% discount by entering this code - preach

MORE INFORMATION HERE

Only Ten More Spots

There are only ten spots left for this so act now!

Brands and Religion

I was asked the following question.  What research have you come across that would be helpful for youth workers to better understand how the systems and events of this culture are affecting us?

Great question.  A paper entitled Brands: The Opiate of the Nonreligious Masses?, has been published in Marketing Science. [i]  The research team was made up of scholars from Tel Aviv University, Duke University and New York University.  According to their data they claim that religiously minded people are less interested in consumer products that are branded by a major brand name.  In the study those who claim to be non-religious are much more reliant on well-known brand products, especially when they have the financial means to afford major brands. 

The research team theorizes, “Brands and religiosity may serve as substitutes for one another because both allow individuals to express their feelings of self-worth.”

"’Brands are a signal of self-worth,’ Fitzsimons[ii] said. ‘We're signaling to others that we care about ourselves and that we feel good about ourselves and that we matter in this world. It's more than I'm hip or cool, he said: ‘I'm a worthwhile person, and I matter, and you should respect me and think that I'm a good person, because I've got the D&G on my glasses.’"[iii]

The Christian faith is to be lived within a community of practice.  Being connected to a faith community says a lot about who a person is and what they value.  If we don’t know who we are in Jesus Christ and if we struggle to make meaning out of life through faith then, certainly Apple, Juicy Couture, Gap or Urban Outfitters more than willing to help fill the void by providing some sense of meaning or self-worth, right? Some marketers are actually attempting to attach religious overtone to some brands in order to attract consumers looking for meaning, identity and purpose in life – think True Religion.

Andy Root pointed out, at a youth worker training day at Youthfront, that young adults are selecting and creating identities for themselves.  One can create their own profile and craft an identity based on what they buy, wear and consume.  This raises the importance of a renewed and vigorous emphasis on Christian formation and an intentional theological exploration of what it means to help adolescents form an identity rooted in Jesus Christ.  I believe a theology that focuses on what it means to live a cruciform life is essential in the midst of our  consumerist cultural realities.

I think this study is very interesting for those of us who are involved in ministry to adolescents and young adults as we engage in dialogue about what brings meaning to our lives.  The researchers claims that those who are identified as “religious minded” people are less likely to be enslaved by major status brands is encouraging to me.  Embracing an ethos that Jesus Christ is enough will help us counter the script that suggests we find meaning through the creed I consume, therefore I am.

My article was originally published in Slant33.

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[i] "Brands: The Opiate of the Non-Religious Masses?" Ron Shachar, Tülin Erdem, Keisha M. Cutright, Gavan J. Fitzsimons, Marketing Science, articles in advance, Sept. 24, 2010. DOI: 10.1287/mksc.1100.0591

[ii] Gavan J. Fitzsimons; R. David Thomas Professor of Marketing and Psychology; F.M. Kirby Research Fellow; Duke University

[iii] http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2010/09/brandreligion.html

  THOUGHTS?

Three New Resources for Thoughtful Youth Workers

Here are some new resources produced by my friends at the Center For Youth Ministry Training.

It Happens: True Tales from the Trenches of Youth Ministry

by Will Penner

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Hollow Faith: How Andy Griffith, Facebook, and the American Dream Neutered the Gospel

by Stephen Ingram

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Raising Teens in an Almost Christian World

by Dietrich Kirk

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Pastoral Vocation in Youth Ministry

This is a guest post by Laura Larsen. 

Laura Larsen lives in Kansas City, working for Youthfront and Second Presbyterian Church. Currently a DMin student at Fuller, she would be happy spending every afternoon with students and tweeting from @thelauralarsen. Laura is most spiritually disciplined in the fall when she is busy praying and fasting for her beloved LSU Tigers.

Pastoral Vocation in Youth Ministry by Laura Larsen

Finding out about abuse has always been the worst-case scenario for me. Over my years of youth ministry I have slowly knocked bad situations off my list of tough stuff.  Take a kid to the hospital. Check.  Get in a wreck with students in the bus. Check.  Walk closely with a teen through the death of a parent, ask a volunteer to step away from the ministry, deal with high-schoolers smoking dope on a trip.  Check, check, check.

This summer I came face to face with the toughest situation of all as I sat on the porch of a cabin and listened late one night.  I had been bracing myself for this moment for years – waiting for the day that I would hear about the brokenness of this world invading the life of one I loved so dearly. Our conversation ended much differently than I had always imagined, though. I didn’t make a phone call to CPS or give my senior pastor a general heads up about what was going on.  I didn’t tell anyone; actually, because the story of abuse I heard wasn’t from an adolescent in our ministry, it was from a mom.

For a few years now I have wrestled with my identity as a youth pastor.  So much of my training has insisted that my title is youth pastor – adolescent development articles, social media workshops, YouTube tutorials breaking down the steps to the “Hoedown Throwdown” or “Gangnam style”.   Often the implication seems to be that my role as pastor is secondary to my ability to relate to youth culture.

While the larger conversation often wants me to believe that I am a youth pastor, my experience as taught me the opposite.  In almost all of my most significant ministerial moments, I have acted as youth pastor.  When tragedy strikes a family or a teen admits deep existential doubts, no one seems to care if I know the difference between “LOL” and “YOLO.”   In those moments it matters most that I can extend grace, that I can sit in the sacred silence and listen.  My role as youth pastor is as much about pastor than it is about youth.

The conversation on the porch that night was enough to put me over the edge -- it was a deeply pastoral experience that had almost nothing to do with adolescence.  It pushed me to contemplate which word in my title was more important.  My passion calling to be a youth pastor didn’t change, but the way I approached my vocation experienced a significant shift.

I like to think I am still a pretty hip youth pastor but I now make a concerted effort to spend more time cultivating my pastoral imagination than my youth culture relevance.  I still read a little Epstein and Arnett but mostly I’m soaking in Peterson and Buechner and Nouwen.  The responsibility of my vocation is pastor.  Youth is just a helpful adjective to describe those to whom I pastor.