Randolph 101
The “Teenage Mystique”
12 March 2008
The “Teenage Mystique”: Definition
Mystique — an air of mystery and deference surrounding a thing that gives that thing special power
Examples:
Bill Brewer, 29 Dec 07 2
The Cowboy Mystique
The Kennedy Mystique
The Feminine Mystique
The “Teenage Mystique”: Definition
Mystique — an air of mystery and deference surrounding a thing that gives that thing special power
Examples:
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The Teenage Mystique
Why this subject? Secondary traditions often fail …
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Why this subject? Secondary traditions often fail …
A Mars Hill Interview with Mark DeVries Mark DeVries is an 18-year
veteran of youth ministry
DeVries has trained youth workers across the U.S., as well as in Russia, Canada, Uganda and South Africa, teaching courses or guest lecturing at Princeton, Vanderbilt, David Lipscomb University, and many other well-known colleges and universities
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DeVries is also founder of Family Based Youth Ministry, an organization dedicated to advancing one of the most successful models for youth ministry in America
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Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NASB)
“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up”
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Some Major Events in Youth Ministry 1800 1900 2000
Explosion of the Missionary Movement
1st Sunday SchoolsEngland
N. America
Sunday School Union Formed
Christian Nurture – Bushnell
YMCAsEnglandN. America
Origin of the Species – Darwin Public funds to high schools
“Christian Endeavor” formed
Religious Education Assn formed“Great Britain
Evangelistic Campaign”
“Young Life” in Britain
Compulsory education
International Council of Religious Ed
Scopes Trial“Christian Youth” campaigns
Youth radio“Miracle Book Club”
“Campus Crusade”
Collapse of denominational support
Integration into seminary &
academic studies
“Youth Specialties” founded
Group Magazine
Rise of local & entrepreneurial ministries
Youth Ministry Educator’s Forum
“Christian Youth Fellowship”
Teenage Christian Magazine
U. Of Michigan Bible Chair Fallout from discipling movement
Bible Chair Journal
WWIIWWI
“Young Life”“Youth for Christ”
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Hall’s Theory of Human Development
G. Stanley Hall1844-1924
Australopithecus
Ramopithecus
Cro Magnon
Neanderthal
Homo Sapiens Sapiens
Adolescence 9 Bill Brewer, 29 Dec 07
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Teen Species
G. Stanley Hall1844-1924
Four Views of the Youth Ministry
1. The Preparatory Approach
2. The Missional Approach
3. The Strategic Approach
4. The Inclusive Congregational Approach
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Modeling the Four Approaches
14
NOW
LATER
DEVELOPMENT
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Church of the present
Church of the future
Modeling the Four Approaches
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COME GO
F E L L O W S H I P / M I S S I O N Bill Brewer, 2008
Fellowship Mission
The Preparatory Approach is a specialized ministry to adolescents that prepares them for participation in the full life of existing churches as leaders, disciples and evangelists– Four Views of the Church by Mark Senter III
Four Views: The Preparatory Approach
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Four Views: The Missional Approach
The Missional Approach views youth ministry as a mission. Young people and youth ministers are viewed as missionaries whose calling is to communicate the gospel to their generation– Four Views of the Church by Mark Senter III
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Four Views: The Strategic Approach
The Strategic Approach prepares the youth group to become a new church (in other words, a church plant), with the youth pastor evolving into the pastor of a new church– Four Views of the Church by Mark Senter III
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Four Views: The Inclusive Approach
The Inclusive Approach integrates young people into congregational life by treating them as full partners in every aspect of the faith community– Four Views of the Church by Mark Senter III
19 Bill Brewer, 2008
Modeling the Four Approaches
20
Missional
Strategic
Inclusive
Preparatory
COME GO
F E L L O W S H I P / M I S S I O N
NOW
LATER
DEVELOPMENT
Bill Brewer, 2008
Missional
Strategic
Inclusive
Preparatory
Some observations and conclusions…
Youth ministry professionals themselves have doubts about the wisdom of conventional (segregated) youth ministry
Youth ministries prosper primarily due to parental demands
In terms of actual outcomes, parental confidence in traditional youth ministries can be misplaced
Conventional youth programs can easily contribute to the problems they are intended to fix
A basic issue is the choice between …– A relational, biblical model of faith and human development (the
Hebrew ideal)– A secular efficiency model (the Greek ideal)
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Some observations and conclusions… (cont.)
Powerful economic and political forces have huge incentives in maintaining and expanding the isolation of young people from adult community
Government
Public Schools
BusinessPolitical Parties Bill Brewer, 2008 22
The Media
Some observations and conclusions… (cont.)
The church should not acquiesce to or cooperate with a secular conception of young people that …– Distorts and reduces their real needs and capabilities– Transforms them from tremendous resources into significant
liabilities– Locks them into a subculture that delays and obstructs their
spiritual and physical maturity within the church and larger society
– Is hostile to the “parodosis” (the handing over of Christian tradition) to the next generation
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Appropriate speech Freedom of speech
Right relationships Right rulesVirtue Values
“Right” to be known Right to privacy
Church as Contrast Community
"Will of God" "Will of the people"
Generational solidarity
Generational alienation
Secular World The Church
Affirmation of religious authority
Denial of religious authority
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Covenant Contract
Backups
25
Reminders
Purpose of “Randolph 101”– Unity– Renewal
Purpose of adult Bible class– Edify (build up) the church– Not a substitute for personal Bible study