tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248409639419948026.post6370694619706817660..comments2007-05-15T15:44:36.651-06:00Comments on Jeremy's Book Club: Practicing the Presence of Jesusjmyershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12778413713637872257noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248409639419948026.post-46869844710931537042007-03-04T20:52:00.000-06:002007-03-04T20:52:00.000-06:00Matt,You are asking a very serious question. Many ...Matt,<BR/><BR/>You are asking a very serious question. Many of our practices do drive a wedge between the generations. We (meaning those of us who make a living off of this thing called youth ministry) seem to benefit from this gap. As long as the gap exists and there is anxiety between youth and adults then the church will need those of us who can either bridge the gap or attempt to exist in a pseudo-authentic way on both sides of the chasm. <BR/><BR/>The wounds of the church do run deep and our youth are not oblivious to them. They have their own wounds as well, which make them hesitant to be around more pain, especially the institutional version. Luckily the gospel promises us enough healing to go around.<BR/><BR/>God's peace.<BR/>Jeremy Myersjmyershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12778413713637872257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248409639419948026.post-37353925365629577262007-02-15T14:10:00.000-06:002007-02-15T14:10:00.000-06:00Yaconelli argues that we don't know how to be, and...Yaconelli argues that we don't know how to <I>be</I>, and he breaks it into three categories: we don't know how to be with our kids, ourselves, and with God. This plays out as a lack of relationship with others, leaving us to be with ourselves and fostering individualism and isolation. In theory, a contemplative approach to ministry helps us cultivate the ability to just <I>be</I>. Or to put it another way, it gives us a way to have authentic relationships. <BR/><BR/>I found myself nodding along with Yaconelli as I read, but thought that the problem was larger in scope (which he gets to in chapter 1). The way I see it the problem is not necessarily confined to youth ministry, but the problem is with the church. The church functions in such a way as to encourage this sort of way-of-life in teenagers and in our ministries. I am convinced that we cannot band-aid youth ministry while leaving the gaping ecclesiological wounds in the broader Body. I think of Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 12:26: "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it". We don't just need youth ministers to learn how to be with their kids, we need the church to learn how to <I>be the church</I>.<BR/><BR/>Yaconelli gets at some of these issues of ecclesiology in chapter 1 when describing youth ministry as a result of the fear and anxiety within the various age levels of the congregation. I feel like I don't have a whole lot of insight to offer in this area, because the way youth ministry is done today may just be because "that's how you do youth ministry" rather than as a way to combat any anxiety. I've never been a part of a church that has formed a youth ministry from scratch, so I don't know the thought process that could go into it. Anxiety could obviously be a driving factor. I think most churches today are just following the lead of other churches who claim to have "success" by doing youth ministry adhering the prevailing model. The better question to ask instead might be, "Does the way we currently practice youth ministry fuel the anxiety teens and adults have for one another by separating these generations from each another?"<BR/><BR/>The last questions need some more thought from me, perhaps I will come back and post some thoughts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com