1 establishing and developing youth work in a post-modern context “the emerging journey”...

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Establishing and developing youth work in a post-modern context

“The Emerging Journey”

Models??

Developing Critical dialogue& analysis

Cultural differences in the New Testament church

You have to think for yourself

Church on the edge

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What is Your Start point?

What is Youth Work?What is the Gospel?How do you view Jesus?Do you approach faith as a journey?

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Informing Themes

Is youth work about Social or Spiritual change?

Is Youth Ministry more linked to social control or social change?

Youth and/or Community?Orthodoxy and OrthopraxisDo you have any holy cows? Eg Church

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The Emerging JourneyBack to our roots

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Em

erging Church

Missiological Youth Work

Church Planting

Evangelical Youth Work

Mission S

haped Church

The Overview

Relational Expressions

Cultural Plants

Youth Worship

Alternative W

orshipY

outh Congregations

Fresh E

xpressions

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Incarnational in natureWholisticConcern for the marginsKingdom centredCounter CulturalParallel approach

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Church Planting (verb)

o The transfer of part of a The transfer of part of a congregation into an area of congregation into an area of need with the evangelistic need with the evangelistic expectation that new people expectation that new people will find faith and the will find faith and the renewal of their spiritual renewal of their spiritual lives….lives….

(Archbishop George Carey (Archbishop George Carey 1988/1991)1988/1991)

o Creating new communities Creating new communities of faith as part of the of faith as part of the mission of God to express mission of God to express His Kingdom in every His Kingdom in every geographic and cultural geographic and cultural context.context.

(Bob Hopkins)(Bob Hopkins)

0510152025303540

78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96

Anglican Church Plants '78 - '97

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Your thoughtsWell resourcedCreativeAttractionalProselytisingSub cultural

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From Missiological Youth Work to Relational Expressions of church

Same values pervaded Drawing from BEC’s, and

local theology Arising from effective

work and efforts to remain parallel.

Failure of church planting in UPA

Examples include fast game, road, relational meetings

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From Church Planting to Cultural plants

Several successful churches establishedPart of the response to decade of

evangelismMost successful where planted into similar

cultureFailure of church planting in UPAExamples in most denominations in UK

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Evangelical Youth Work to Youth Worship

Attractional in naturePre soul survivor Watford, event rather

than church focussedOften linked to large MC churchGlobal village influencedChorus and song always key part of EYWExamples inc SS, The Mix, The Path

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Em

erging Church


Church Planting


Mission S

haped Church

The Overview

Relational Expressions

Cultural Plants

Youth Worship

Alternative W

orshipY

outh Congregations

Fresh E

xpressions

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3 Approaches to Church

Attractional Church = COME! Engaged Church = GO! and

invite to COME!

Emerging Church = GO! and stay … see what

ARISES

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Emerging Church

A world wide conversation about the future or church in a post modern paradigm.

Local communities, learning, living and contextualising and conceptualising the gospel, geographically, culturally, socially.

Missionally holistic, with a robust humilityChrist and Kingdom centred

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Emerging Church

Pro churchPro culturePro participationGenerous Orthodoxy

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Mission Shaped Church

A missionary church is …..

- Focussed on God the Trinity

- Incarnational

- Transformational

- Makes Disciples

- Relational

Mission shaped Church p81-82

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Fresh Expressions (noun)

Institutional ordering of the conversation and missionary impetus

Language without the commitment Lack of openness Some Positive structural changes Important advocates Resourcing and communication to

existing and traditional structures creates space

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What is church?

Your thoughts “Community of Jesus’ disciples mandated by God to

reproduce and fill the earth towards the return of Christ.” (George Lings)

“I suppose that wherever the presence of the risen Jesus takes on community form… I’d have to call that church.”(Rowen Williams when in Wales)

“Church is what happens when people encounter the risen Jesus and commit themselves to sustaining and deepening that encounter in their encounter with each other.” (Rowen Williams Mission Shaped Church p vii)

“A Jesus community of disciple-making disciples.” (Bob Hopkins)

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What can we learn from this history?

In front not out fromChurch is less fixedYouth work and church are linked but in a

different way

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NextSession

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Models???? – An introduction to and reflection on church and missions centered

models of youth ministry.

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What is Youth

Ministry?

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Church Centred Models

Inside Out Outside In

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Semi FormalNon Formal

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Church centred Models (semi formal)

Willow Creekhello

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Church centred Models (semi formal)

Purpose Driven Youth Ministry

fundamental purposes YM

- Evangelism- Discipleship- Fellowship- Ministry- Worship

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Church centred (non formal)

The Message Trust- World wide message

tribe- Eden

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What impact does post modernity have on these models?

- Suspicion of meta-narrative- Mistrust of institutions- Bricolage and Intertextuality- Truth is less fixed

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Mission Centred Models

Youth work rooted approaches Relational rooted approaches

‘In working with young people, do not try to call them back to where they were, and do not try to call them to where you are, as beautiful as that place may seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have ever been before’

Donovan, Vincent Christianity Rediscovered: An epistle from the Masai SCM Press 1982

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Relational Centred approach- Christian relational care (Pete Ward)

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Youth Work Rooted Approach- Empowerment- Informal Education- Participation- Equality of Opportunity

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Mission Centred Models (youth work rooted)

Detached youth work is the process of building mutual relationships with young people on the streets, in the park, or other areas of the community where young people are, in their free time. This process offers a distinct context where relationships are free from traditional notions of adult power, offering a unique environment and opportunity to engage in long term holistic youth work underpinned by the values of informal education, empowerment, participation, equal opportunities and a theology characterised by humility and orthopraxis.

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Mission Centred Models (youth work rooted)

Evangelistic Activity Ministry Activity Detached Activity--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conversion focussed Street based evangelism e.g. Street preaching/ drama

Evangelical outreach seeking to encourage young people to attend clubs or church e.g. summer activities. May also include short term projects such as The Noise.

Youth Ministry based Streetwork responding to young people’s needs and interests with a clear end point of conversion and then integration to established churches e.g. Eden Project

Social Christian Engagement Longer term service to the local community in variety of ways e.g. Street pastors, Mobile projects

Christian Relational care, engaging with young people on the streets in long term relationship or volunteering for secular detached projects.

Missiological Incarnational work seeking to engage with young people responding to their needs and interests and where appropriate grow communities of faith with young people in their context

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What impact does post modernity have on these models?

- Suspicion of meta-narrative- Mistrust of institution- Bricolage and Intertextuality- Truth is less fixed

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NextSession

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Developing Critical Dialogue and Analysisin a post modern landscape

Deconstructive eg Derrida and Foucault

Constructive eg Stiver- a critique of

modernism- a paradigm shift- a ‘sketch of the future’

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The Bible

The CultureTradition

Developing Critical Dialogue and Analysis

Spirit led

As other

The Pattern

Within community

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The Bible



Spirit led

Local Belief Mosaic

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The Bible



Cultural Creators

Engendersmeaning

Critical andConstructive

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The Bible


as theology’s norming norm

theology’s hermeneutical context theology’s particular and historical context


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Developing Critical Dialogue and Analysisin a post modern landscape

Conclusions- 3D use of framework- Local Balance- Truth is less fixed

The Bible


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Theological reflection as model for dialogue

The event Christian Tradition

Context Text

Learning from the Context

Learning about God

Theological critique

How will you now address the issue?

What broader lessons can be learnt?

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NextSession

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New Testament ChurchRole Play

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NextSession

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You Have to think for Yourself!

An Introduction to Youth Ministry and Contextualisation

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You Have to think for YourselfYouth Ministry and Contextualisation

1. Sex before marriage is wrong 1 2 3 4 5

2. Youth workers should hand out condoms 1 2 3 4 5

3. Soft drugs should be legalised 1 2 3 4 5

4. All drugs are bad 1 2 3 4 5

5. You should allow young people to verbally abuse you 1 2 3 4 5

6. The Gospel is always good news 1 2 3 4 5

7. Violence can be used in a healthy way 1 2 3 4 5

8. Swearing and offensive language offends you 1 2 3 4 5

9. It is wrong to be homosexual 1 2 3 4 5

10. I would receive stolen goods as a thank you present 1 2 3 4 5

11.Censorship on films and videos is outdated 1 2 3 4 5

All sins are the same in God's eyes 1 2 3 4 5

1 Agree with stand on chair with hands high

5 Disagree Crouch low with hands on floor

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Philosophy of Youth Ministry

In working with young people do not try to call back to where they were and do call them to where you are as beautiful a place as that may seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have ever been before.

Vincent Donovan Christianity Rediscovered

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Youth Ministry

• Responding to the Needs and Interests of young people

• Underlying values- Educative- Designed to promote equality of opportunity- Participative- Empowering- Incarnational

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Empowerment

Supporting young people to understand and act on the personal, social and political issues which affect their lives, the lives of others and the communities of which they are a part.

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Participation

Through a voluntary relationship with young people in which young people are partners in the learning process and decision making structures which affect their own and other young people’s lives and their environment.

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Equality of Opportunity

Through the challenging of oppressions such as racism and sexism and all those which spring from differences of culture, race, language, sexual identity, gender, disability, religion and class; and

Through the celebration of the diversity and strengths which arise from those differences.

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Educative

Enabling young people to gain the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed to identify, advocate and pursue their rights and responsibilities as individuals, and members of groups and communities locally, nationally, and internationally.

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Educative

Formal – Control over Physical and Social environment. Set Syllabus Time frames

Non Formal – As above but Curriculum notions rather than set and looser time frames.

Informal – Little or no control, conversation or experience orientated, value informed rather than curriculum based.

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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need

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Philosophy of Life

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Self Actualisation also calledGrowth motivation or Being needs

Self Actualised People are :-

Reality-centred Problem-centred Different perception

of means and ends.

Other keys: enjoyed solitude, deeper personal relations autonomy. They resisted enculturation, had an un-hostile sense of humour. acceptance of self and others, humility and respect, a strong sense of human

kinship

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Identifying Development Needs

What were the needs of the disciples at:

-the outset of their time with Jesus

-the crucifixion

-prior to PentecostHow were these needs met?

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My Core Values

Learner learnerProcess of becoming fully humanGood news not “the” good newsShalom, restorative kingdom theologyKey 4

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You Have to think for YourselfYouth Ministry and Contextualisation

What would you say are the key scriptures for youth work in your context?

Write a sentence to sum up your philosophy of youth Ministry?

What are your key values?

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Aims and Objectives

Aim

Where are you going?Objectives

How are you going to get there?

SMARTA

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Limited, Agreed

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Contextualisation

Theology as Translation

Theology as Presence

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From translation and presence to contextualised communication

Resources- Tradition- Imagination- Young people- Community- Bible

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Beyond Contextualisation

The incarnation as rupture

Theology of faithful betrayal

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NextSession

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Church on the Edge

An Interactive case study

Exploring the connections between, Ambiguous Evangelism, Christianity

Rediscovered, and Meet Them Where They’re at and missiological implications for engaging with young people on the

edge

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Church on the Edge

Ambiguous Evangelism Bob Mayo with Sara Savage and Sylvie Collins SPCK London 2004

Christianity Rediscovered Vincent Donovan SCM Press London 1982 (2nd Edition)

Meet Them Where They’re At Richard Passmore SU Milton Keynes 2003

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Ambiguous Evangelism

Research into worldview of Gen Y via the popular arts

Lack of knowledge and Generally happy and positive (p33)

Did not connect spirituality with images (religious or otherwise)

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“The assumption here, however is that the content of the message will be understood if it can be got across in an appealing way. Our conclusions from the research findings, however were that this is not the case; the lack of underpinning religious narrative means that people are not going to recognise the Christian message for what it is – however well it is presented.” p 7

Early stage unconscious ignorance to conscious ignorance

How is it possible to share the Christian message in the cultural context in a way that will get over the barrier of ignorance and enable people to interpret what they are hearing?

“The son is the only way to the father, but there are many ways to Jesus Christ.” (Fung,2002:3) p9

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Current Context People are broadly sympathetic to Christian beliefs and church. Majority of population Unchurched (never been in contact) or

Dechurched (been but not longer) Christian Faith does not have a conscious impact. Generally people give little thought to the matters of the ultimate or

transcendent on a day to day basis but live their lives more in terms of the immediate realities.

YP framework more from friends and family and pursuit of self fulfilment

“when matters of ultimate concern, such as birth and death, occasionally penetrated normal life and more immediate loci of meaning were insufficient to explain events, the young people generally turned to Christianity as their back up system; but there was little sense of the faith tradition which lay behind the beliefs and practices to which they turned – there were just echoes of a memory” p28

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The Claims of Christ can be presented:Playfully appealing to imagination rather

than intellectThrough story so people can appropriate

the concepts into their own contextIn an understated mannerThrough dialogue

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Christianity Rediscovered

Best summed up by the quote

“In working with young people do not try to call back to where they were and do not call them to where you are as beautiful a place as that may seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have ever been before.”

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To approach each culture with the respect due to it as the very place wherein resides the possibility of salvation and holiness and grace.

To approach people of any culture or nation, not as individuals, but as community.

To plan to stay not one day longer than is necessary in any one place.

To give the people nothing, literally nothing, but the unchanging, supracultural, uninterpreted gospel before baptism.

To help them expand that gospel into a creed and a way of life after baptism.

To enable them to pray as Christians. To leave them the bible towards the day when they can

read it and use it as a living letter in their lives.

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To insist that they themselves be their own future missionaries.

To link them with the outside church in unity, and the outside world in charity and justice.

To agree with them that baptism is indeed everything; that the reception of baptism is the acceptance of the total responsibility and the full, active sacramental power of the church, the eucharistic community with a mission.

To encourage them to trust in the Spirit given at baptism, and to use the powers and gifts and charisms given to the community by the Spirit.

The final missionary step as regards the people of any nation or culture, and the most important lesson we will ever teach them – is to leave them (page 162-163)

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Meet They Where They’re at

Drew from a number of years detached practice in a range of contexts

Author committed to relational, incarnational Youth work

Model translates to a variety of contexts and value bases

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Meet They Where They’re at1. SURVELLENCE -Working out which geographical areas or groups of

young people to engage2 COLD CONTACT. Visual stage where we acknowledge the groups3 COLD CONTACT. Introductions where we introduce ourselves and the

project

4. AREA BASED WORK This is when starting in an area or patch and a wide variety of contacts are being made.

5. PEER GROUP WORK This happens as the work becomes more defined and consists of natural groupings of young people. This stage is often where larger groups are identified usually around a shared interest. e.g. football or hanging out and may be too many work with or inconsistent attendance.

6. BASIC SMALL GROUP WORK As key young people are identified the work should be forward to this stage. This group is made up from the groups that exist within the larger peer group.

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Meet They Where They’re at

7. RISKY SMALL GROUP WORK This is about taking calculated risks to move the work and relationships forward such as 1-1 work, a relaxing , perhaps having a meal with the young people etc. However this is not about putting yourself or the young people at risk.

8. EXPOSURE AND EXPLORATION OF SPIRITUALITY Young people should be introduced to aspects of Christianity in practical supportive ways. It can range from events to raise their consciousness of Bigger things, e.g. watching the sunrise, exploring creation, to going to an event. The worker should explain some of the things that may happen at events and translate what is happening at the event and use the opportunity to explore spiritual issues in a supportive way.

9. RELATIONAL BASED EXPRESSION OF CHURCH This refers to supporting the young people in local churches or relevant groups, and developing new groups based around the young people developing their own expression of a discipleship group with the worker.

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Church on The Edge

BackgroundResearchGood practice and missiologyNo holy cows

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Church on the Edge

regular contact, mutual support

activities and tripsresidential experiences ,

ActionResearch

Detached andMobile work

Rite of PassageWildernessexperience

ConnectingStories

A ContactingCommunity

A Connected

Community

An Explorin

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Community

An

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regular contact, mutual support

activities and tripsresidential experiences ,

ActionResearch

Detached andMobile work

Rite of PassageWildernessexperience

ConnectingStories

A ContactingCommunity

A Connected

Community

An Explorin

g

Community

An

Ecc

lesi

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Co

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Church On the Edge

1. Contacting Community

2. Growing Community

3. Connected Community

4. Exploring Community

5. Ecclesial community

1-3 SURVELLENCE and COLD CONTACT.

4. AREA BASED WORK5. PEER GROUP WORK

6. BASIC SMALL GROUP WORK

7. RISKY SMALL GROUP WORK 8. EXPOSURE AND EXPLORATION OF SPIRITUALITY

9. RELATIONAL BASED EXPRESSION OF CHURCH

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Church on the Edge

How does Donovan sit alongside this process?

What are the key questions Donovan would raise about the project?

What are the implications of the findings from Ambiguous Evangelism for the project?

What resources could Ambiguous evangelism provide for the project?

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Church on the Edge

Drawing from the previous answers review the alignment of the detached plan and five stages identifying key tension points and solutions?

1 establishing and developing youth work in a post-modern context “the emerging journey”...

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