Three Things that Are Changing in Youth Ministry

> There are now many, many voices.  It used to be there were just a few leaders in the field. Now, via blogs, podcasts, etc there is almost a riotous noise of shared wisdom and experience from countless youth workers (Ahem, including this one!) There is room for your voice, too!
> Emphasis on parent ministry  We are finally beginning to sweat that parents are the primary discipler of their teenager.
> Team-based ministry  Youth ministry was never meant to be done alone!
> a bonus fourth: Church together Youth ministry is no longer an island to itself.

and Three Things that Aren’t Changing in Youth Ministry

> Caring Adult Leaders -Great volunteers have been a part of youth ministry for a long time – and they will continue to be in the future.
> 1-on-1 Time with Students Relational ministry is still most highly valued.  Our churches can do more of it with more Caring Adult Leaders
> Curriculum and Teaching – Scripture and (in our Catholic faith) Tradition at at the center of what we are passing along in youth ministry.
> another bonus fourth: A devoted follower of Jesus leading the group Leadership and gizmos make a difference, but discipleship matters.

As you look towards our shared future, be on of the many voices and comment of what’s changing and what ain’t changing in youth ministry . <image source>

In a statement from the meeting, the European bishop identified evangelization as “the manifestation of the Church’s life and vitality. It should not be understood simply as a pastoral activity, but as the manifestation of its very nature and mission." They identified the "new evangelization" as not just for fallen-away Christians, but for everyone.  "It seeks to proclaim Christ, true God and true man, crucified to bear every human grief, raised from the dead that we might have life," they stated. "Through their baptism, all believers are called to take part in the new evangelization: families; young people who are generally the most open to being missionaries; but also parishes, the movements, and new communities.” (You can read more from the Zenit article)

Meanwhile, a Presbyterian elder and writer for the daily  Kansas City Star’s Faith Matters blog, Bill Tammeus recently advocated that we evolve our thinking from church as not a "place where" but a "people who."

The line oft-accredited to Saint Francis of Assisi is “preach the Gospel at all times… if necessary use words.”  When we are using words we are most often using words within a place where WE feel comfortable.

If all believers are called to take part in the new evangelization…to being missionaries, then the church is to be a people who.

Kenda Dean suggests that we all suffer from ascension deficit disorder…  that the ending of the gospels is a little too special effects-y for us and, therefore, we have a tendency to act as the the future that God has promised is Jesus Christ comes off a little too fairy-tale-ish.  If we suffer from being able to deal with faith, Jesus, Resurrection, and Ascension as truth, our ability to hope is diminished.

And, if that is the case, we find ourselves, as church in the mode of putting up with stuff, I’m just getting by addressing the limits (or the lid)  We should not find ourselves looking towards the skies awaiting the Reign of God.

If we do, we find everything in faith just a little beyond  our reach – holiness, sainthood, Pentecost, and a missionary audacity to respond beyond a "place where" but a " to a call to an evangelization that aspires for us to be a “people who" seeks to make disciples of all the nations.  

Benedict XVI is asking European bishops to be audacious in thinking of new ways to spread the Gospel message. "Places of catechesis and Catholic schools must also be and become ever more places of evangelization. (…) There is also question of seeking new ways to evangelize, such as, for example, new technology, the Internet, and social networking sites. But all this is only possible if, following the example of the Christians of the Acts of the Apostles, we open ourselves up in a new way to the Holy Spirit: ‘There will be no new evangelization without a new Pentecost!’"

Make space in your imagination for a new Pentecost in our Church – or, in the vernacular of a generation or two previous to today’s youth – it’s time to blow the roof off of this joint

Over half a century ago in West Side Story, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim offered a ballad for star-crossed lovers seeking their place in a complicated world. This song, now sung in local high school productions, still reflects the mood of a younger generation. Yet, it no longer seems as harmonic and lovely as it once did.

This February, the cover of Time Magazine profiled “The Generation Changing the World.” Reporting on what we have come to know as the Arab Spring, they profiled the young men and women who were leading Days of Rage. Many of them were novices at political activism and used social-networking and texting to organize and communicate about their protests.

In August, days of rioting broke out in London following the shooting of a black twenty-nine-year-old and the initial protest that followed. Some blamed the riots on a "sense of entitlement" which has been seen among Britain’s youth.

Meanwhile, back here in the United States, our own young adults find much about which they can be frustrated.

In recent census data, 20- and 30-somethings in the United States were shown to suffer with their highest unemployment rate since World War II. They are being disenfranchised from the American Dream. Young Adults in America have a higher risk of living in poverty — nearly one in five – than any other age group. They are delaying marriage and more young adults are living at home than before the recession. The recent Occupy Wall Street protests as well the offshoot protests in Baltimore bring home the discontent of a generation.

The song goes on, plaintively claiming “There’s a time for us, some day a time for us. Time together with time to spare, time to look, time to care. Someday! Somewhere.”

Generations of young people find themselves segregated from adult society in their schooling and in their activities. They are rightly anticipating their place and time. They find themselves, no longer satisfied with the kids’ table, wondering when they will be invited to the adult table in life.

Pope Benedict XVI recently told the young people of his homeland that “We do not live alone in this world. And it is for the important things of life that we have to rely on other people.” A co-worker has been making hospital visits to be with a young adult who has lost his legs in a car accident. She has been praying and singing at his bedside. She has been a source of faith and hope for him in his time of need.

If our young people are to live not alone in faith in the future, we must recognize the value in placing intentional efforts with our youth and young adults now. The work of evangelization is not the sole work of professional church people, nor is it solely the responsibility of parents. They can not go it alone. If we lived Christ’s commission to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” including the younger generations, might we experience a springtime of new faith leading young people to mobilize their peers within their relationships as well as via social-networking awaiting us in the future?

In 1 Peter 3, we are reminded to “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” We as Church must very much have a supportive role in a generation that has had the metaphorical legs cut out from underneath them. We must assure them of our confidence in their ability to change the world in the manner to which they are entitled as they “find a new way of living,… (to) find a way of forgiving. Somewhere.”

It continues to grow more and more challenging as well to be hopeful for the young of today’s world. We as Church must find ourselves to be the path towards the Somehow, Someday, Somewhere that they seek. (This article was featured in the Catholic Review on October 20, 2011.)

Today’s YouTube for You will have an impact on next Tuesday’s YouTube to Use.

Years back, at a Youth Contact Meeting in the ArchBalt, then director Mark Pacione discussed the role of youth ministers as a conductor of talents within the parish.

There is a real beauty to the development of Eric Whitacre’s virtual choir here and I would contend that this is truly the gift of the WORLD wide web and the possibility for us.  How can we, as Church, engage social networking in such as manner as to convey the “you are not alone” in discipleship, that faith can be viral, and that one voce can make a difference and can be overwhelming when joined with others.  This sort of connection will never replace face-to-face incarnational relationships… But, WOW, what a hint towards connection as choir, as Church, as humanity.

A true-life story, it talks about changing the game of tradition laden baseball, especially how talent was evaluated and utilized… not much of the action is on the field  Scouts used to be always on the lookout for a “five-tool player,” one who observably excelled at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding abilities. The movie suggested that scouts looked at other intangibles such as the hotness of the girlfriend as an indication of a player’s confidence. Scout were happy to find a player with two or three tools. It was high praise to find a five-tool player.

Well, the movie tells the story of what happened to the near–successful (as in short of making the World Series) under-paying Oakland Athletics after the 2001 American League Division Series. The A’s were up two games on the New York Yankees, a team with three times the payroll, before losing it all. In the post season, they could not keep Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, and Jason Isringhausen, free-agents who went to higher paying teams.

A’s General Manager Billy Beane has to rebuild the smaller market/ smaller budget team to again be competitive. As a formerly described five-tool player, he well understood the flaws in that system of evaluation and, therefore, latches on to a new system, sabermetrics, which boils down statistics to evaluate players’ value rather the traditional scouting techniques of observation and intuition.

The “Sabermetric Evaluation” of Youth Ministry

Hmmmm, I thunk and thunk to myself after the movie.  In the past few years, we have had book after book of statistics that call for us in re-evaluation of our efforts in youth ministry… If we moved beyond our own observation and instinct, what would be the sabermetric effect for youth ministry?

First off, what is the traditional view of the five tools necessary for youth ministers? (This is a tricky area and I’d appreciate your comments telling me if I’m on target or not…, but) Here’s my best sweeping generalizations…

1.)  Love of Young People –This is where they get their energy.  They enjoy the overnight lock-in, they can hang with kids in the coffee shop, hours matter not… They love kids and are happy to be with them.
2.)  Charm/ Wit/ Charisma -   They have the whole package – the winning smile, the pun-ster humor, an easy-going style (although I do think we have grown pass guitar playing…)
3.)  Committed to bringing young people to Christ – They have Good News to be shared and they are willing to go door-to-door, kid-to-kid attempting to win souls over to the Lord.
4.)  (Sergeant-style) One-on-One relationships with young people – <First a caveat: I am not inclined to use military metaphors for ministry such as spiritual warfare.. Nonetheless…> We are seeking a leader who is connected with and motivates “the troops” of our young people
5.)  Coach/ Leader on behalf of Young People - <I am not disinclined, however, especially after watching a great movie to use baseball metaphors!> We want someone who trains, guides, and leads the team (maybe of young people, maybe a core of adults, or a mix between) towards winning seasons.

Actually, there seem all quite reasonable and they are all certainly better than the five youth ministry stereotypes of messy offices/cars, competitive in sports, too much time spent playing video games, spending time trying to be being cool, and just generally irresponsible. (but, that is just an aside…)

I think we both hire and evaluate based on this traditional view of the five tools necessary for successful ministry.

What are the Tools We Need for the Future?

But, what if we looked at the stats from the NSYR and other sources and re-configured what five tools are necessary for future youth ministry players?  What if we changed the questions for our interviews and evaluations to reflect a different sensibility?

Again, this is my read on it, and I’d appreciate your views (comments) as well.  Further, I’m aware that this might feel like simple point/ counterpoint wordplay, but I do perceive this as a necessary attitudinal shift. How about…

a.)  Love of Church –  Ed Stetzer of Lifeway recently blogged about Do Denominations Matter? and Should "Broader Interests" Preclude Pastoring?  and my initial answers are Yes and No. Church is not a means or necessary evil towards our end of serving with young people… Otherwise go work with the Y or the Scouts. Our end is serving Christ in His Church and the means we have chosen for that is our service with the youngchurch.
b.)  Facilitation – The term facilitation is broadly used to describe any activity which makes tasks for others easy.  The longer and longer than any of us spends time in youth ministry, the more and more we become aware of the continuously growing task lists related to it. We need to collaborate and share the many tasks of ministry and facilitation is becoming a very necessary skill
c.)  Committed to bringing Christ – Adolescence continues to evolve and be re-defined. Yet, Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The gospel of Matthew closes with the commission to make disciples of all nations… not just to the kids who we can personally reach. All the nations…, not to the kids that our church might be able to reach.  All the nations…, not just a age based demographic, but their parents and adults who might partner with us in servicie with young people.Why do we water down “Make Disciples of all the nations…?”
d.)  (Corporal-Style) relationships on behalf of young people – We can no longer be satisfied with a role so closely associated with foot soldiers.  We must take command of the systems that affect the foot soldiers and as well as their more immediate leaders and ensure their training and abilities to respond to the great commission.  We must assume the authority to prioritize, strategize, and implement vision.
e.)  General Manager on behalf of the Church – I recently had a youth minister grumble to me that she did not desire to become trapped into the role of “an administrator.”  They viewed it as a passion-less entrapment to their desk away from “real ministry’ with the kids. Well, from Moneyball, we learn that “winning seasons” are made from more than talented players or coaching decisions.  They are made from passionate leaders, like Billy Beane, who take a look at the whole system – from trades to the club house soda machine – and work the system on behalf of the mission. 
If you are a youth minister and you think the system is the youth group or Confirmation class or core team in need of some good coaching  – then your perspective is too limited. We can no longer be mere Youth Pastors, but we need to be Pastors of the Church with eyes towards the Church’s mission and responsibilities (not ours) with young people. That’s likely to be challenging for some of us as home-run hitters get baseball cards, no-hit pitchers get baseball cards, even coaches get baseball cards… but, ever see a baseball card for a general manager?

Ain’t Going to be Easy

Watching Moneyball, we can see that there will be also sorts of push-back on implementing changes in the game. Billy Beane received laissez-faire support from ownership, confrontation from his scouts, sabotage from his bench manager (responsible for the line-up), and was frustrated by players who were slow to mesh together as team.

It ain’t going to be easy, but to pull a quote from the Billy Beane character in the movie…

If we pull this off, we change the game.
We change the game for good.

We say that we are about discipleship, which strikes me as a very hard question.

Yet, we have a profound slate of hard questions before us and, often, it seems we default to the easy answers of what’s worked for us before…  the significant challenge being, of course, is was it actually working for us before?  And, really, the hard questions weren’t something that has “to do with me, were they… or were they?

And because we allow that in ourselves, one wonders, do we also allow it therefore in those with whom we serve?

In the recent edition of Lifelong Faith, editor John Roberto reminded us all about Switch and Becoming a Change Leader.   (We visited these topics last September, you find the content among the postings on this page.)

Yet, I’m wondering if we (and I) have yet to really figure out how to “Motivate the Elephant” regarding change – - how do we motivate people’s emotional side towards change?

Here’s what is motivating me – - -

> The studies are saying that we have yet to do our very best work in youth ministry – - That kids and their faith are not sticking, that we have not engaged the full community into anything beyond pigeon-hole-ing youth ministry.
> If merged parishes have not yet come to your neighborhood… well, look down the road… It very well might be on it’s way.  An experienced youth minister recently shared with me that he regrets that we will lose many youth ministers in that process. I think it will be Darwinian in nature,  that the strong – those who are competent;  working, training, and leading teams; engaging the whole community –  will survive.  Those ministries that evolve towards the future will survive (yes, religious educators, I’m talking about you, but youth ministers, you are only a fatal step of the lemming march of same old, same old away from extinction.)
> Families are in real need.  Our ministry must expand beyond kid-centricity.

Yet, with many hard questions abounding, we have yet to discern what is the clarion call to action for us.  The John Paul II World Youth Day visit in Denver was “a moment for change” in Catholic Youth Ministry, at least, for us in the States.  I’ve often stated that we needed the next moment like that and needed it now.  Once, a workshop participant feared that is as likely to be church 9/11-ish moment as much as a JP2 moment.

Towards all of this, we must keep dreaming and scheming and be constant in our prayers to the Spirit for intervention.

What is motivating you towards change in youth ministry towards the future?

TC thinks that:

>> A prolonged economic downturn forces churches “to solicit volunteers and let paid youth workers go.” We have to rethink engaging and training “passionate volunteers to reach today’s young people.”

>> The pigeon-holing of youth ministry diminishes, “silos will be abandoned” and we will continue to seeks was to  integrate young people into the full body of the church. Therefore, we will come to the realization that “my” calling is to help equip the church in “her” calling to reach today’s teenagers.

>> We will continue to push for deeper connections for “teenagers living out their faith as Jesus did, meeting the needs of society and showing the love of Christ in such practical ways that it will appear to be commonplace.”  All of this depends, however, on our work with volunteers.

If you are blueprinting out the future, what are the scaffolds upon which you are building? <image source>

This started last Monday – I was at Franciscan University dialoguing on Professor Bob Rice’s youth ministry class about the future of the Church’s mission with young people. I discussed my own sense of a need of our field to have a tipping point, not unlike when John Paul II came to visit the world’s young people assembled in part in Denver, CO in 1993

And, it was noted there that it was entirely possible that such a tipping point could come as much from a negative experience/ a disaster as much as it could come from a positive incident…

such as the love expressed between young people and the Holy Father.

So, despite the notes that I occasionally receive about a perceived pessimistic tone to the blog about our field (which I report from other blogs more than write my own…), I opted to tune into what was being said recently about church (outside of youth ministry) In doing so, I aspire to serve within a Church that, according to Gaudium et Spes, “has always had the duty of scrutinizing the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel…”

It is now being suggested that the on-going sexual abuse crisis being faced in my childhood home in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is quickly becoming Boston Reborn. UPDATED: Los Angeles just broke a story of dozens of former and current priests and religious brothers accused of childhood sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles who now live unmonitored by civil authorities in communities across the state and nation. (and this is just the US side of the story… Ireland and Germany have had their own versions of the scandal.)

The New York Times has already editorialized that “the Roman Catholic hierarchy in this country has promised accountability and justice for children sexually abused by priests. We fear it has a long way to go.” The editor of the Boston Globe which broke open the floodgates of child abuse stories ten years ago recently claimed “that the reverberations of [the Globe’s priest investigation] story are still being felt today; the church is still trying to figure out how to apologize.” God help us if the breaking news in Philadelphia brings us back to the media feeding frenzy, lawsuits, and bankruptcy of the past decade.

This is also occurring in a time when Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Washington DC, and Baltimore (just to name a few…) are in the process of closing schools and merging parish communities.

And, this is occurring as the Church seems, at least from the Vatican perspective, to be in a state of implosion. It seems to those watching that we are near the end of an epoch in which the Vatican represented the religious and moral sentiments of Western civilization and the dawn of a new era in which Catholicism has become a minority subculture.

Meanwhile, we in the United States seem to be declining as empire leaders as well. Clearly, the fight for democracy is on the uptick but there remains the nagging question if America’s best days might be behind us.  Have we replaced the thoughtful concern of Jefferson and Adams with shallow triumphalism purveyed by politicians now? Do we still sense America as a work in progress, an unfinished enterprise that would constantly be in need of change, adjustment and repair.

Do we feel that way about church?

AND, YET I REMAIN POSITIVE AND HOPEFUL.

My e-mail signature still includes Opera Christi Non Deficiunt, Sed Proficiunt.

If we are to be a minority subculture within a declining empire, how does our role change?

>> We are to BOLDLY PROCLAIM our message, not out of pride or a sense of Winning (thanks, Charlie Sheen!), but out of humble service to the Lord.
>> We are to STEP BEYOND the comfort, security, ease of our own table and reach out to the broader food court. (that would be as in Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.)
>> We are to continue to HOLD ON TO THE VISION… not only of the Gospel imperatives… but of a generation that we believe can and should do better than us.
>> We must MAKEOVER the ministry to one with adults empowering them to minister on behalf of their own baptismal call and their church to work with their young people who were never ours in the first place. (and, as my young daughter would exclaim, “End Rant!”)

In your eyes, how does our role as American Catholic youth ministers change for the future???

So, this morning, I find myself in Ohio, visiting Bob Rice’s youth ministry class at Franciscan University in Steubenville.

Usually, this class comes to visit Baltimore in the fall. That didn’t happen (really, it wasn’t changes in staffing in our office!)due to complication of schedules..

So, I jumped at the invitation to come and visit… and since the students were going to miss hearing from our ArchBalt youth ministers (who are truly the awesomest!), I gathered some FUS alumni for a lunch and a quick video shoot.

We talk about the FUS experience, the first months as a youth minister, and we make a recruitment pitch for the ArchBalt.

If you are thinking about moving, catch the last third of the video… we would love to have you. And, feel free, to  contact me about what is available!

Oh, and there is a bonus clip telling a Bob Rice story!

While he has suggestions as to how to avoid this in your local church (and cites good youth ministry as a preventative,) I’m wonder how the local church might better empower (and “franchise”) leaders to facilitate change…? <image source>