chap clark fuller seminary youthworkers guide to family ministry
TRANSCRIPT
Chap ClarkFuller Seminary
Youthworkers Guide to Family Ministry
Many claim it’s getting tougher to work with, much less parent, a kid today…
Cultural and Developmental Context
A.History of youth ministry
Even in the CHURCH
C. The structure of the church
B. Philosophy of Discipleship
THE State of the CONTEMPORARY CHURCH LIFE
THE Church’s ministry to families today…Where are we now and why
does it matter to “Family Ministry”?
The State of Contemporary The State of Contemporary Church LifeChurch Life
A.A. Change in child and adolescent Change in child and adolescent developmentdevelopment
The State of Postmodern kids:
• skills needed for successful adulthood
• ongoing adult support and
guidance offered
The State of Postmodern
kids:
• skills needed
• adult support
The State of Postmodern
kids:
“…These two trends have created a serious problem in our country, indeed a crisis.”Dr. James Comer, Yale UniversityCarnegie Corporation’s Commission on Youth Development and Community Programs, 1989
The State of Postmodern kids:
• skills needed
• adult support
The State of Postmodern
kids:
The State of Contemporary The State of Contemporary Church LifeChurch Life
A.A. Change in child and adolescent Change in child and adolescent developmentdevelopment
Yet one thing is certain…it’s hard to be a kid today
Our preparation starts young…
Part 1:The
BACKGROUND
Sticky Faith:
The overall process
Understanding growing up…
Understanding growing up…
A Brief History of
Childhood and Adolescence
Spiritual development
cannot be separated
from human
development
When it comes to STICKY FAITH…
The overall processTiming and duration
Understanding growing up…
Why this matters…
When is someone an “adult”?
Understanding growing up…
Timing and Duration
Puberty Culture
14.5 16Pre-1900
1970-1980s
Today
13 18/20
11/12 mid-20s
Teenage brain
“If you think of the teenage brain as a car, today's adolescents acquire an accelerator a long time before they can steer and brake.” - WSJ, What’s wrong with the teenage mind?“ Alison Gopnik, January 28, 2012
The overall processTiming and durationChanging Stages
Understanding growing up…
Changing Stages14-15
Dependent Interdependent
1318-20
1930s-1990sIndependent
Changing Stages14-15
Dependent Interdependent
12
19-21
1990s-2000sIndependentmid-20s
Changing Stages14-15
Dependent Interdependent
12
19-21
mid2000-TodayIndependentmid-20s
early-30s?
Emerging Adulthood
J. J. ArnettJ. J. Arnett
The overall processTiming and durationChanging StagesSociety’s response to kids
Understanding growing up…
ParenTeen:An exponential loss of Social Capital from those who are necessary in the lives of our kids
Social Capital:Robert Putnam (Harvard):
Social capital refers to the “connections among individuals, [including the] social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness…it is the idea that social networks matter.”
The loss of Social Capital…• Adults used to believe that all
kids were their kids• Adults used to see their primary
role as facilitating children becoming adults
• Adults once saw kids as assets, not liabilities (they were worth the effort)
• Adults used to “be there” for kids
How kids have been treated by adults…
The loss of Social Capital…The rapidly
increasing reality of
“systemic abandonment”
Even in the church…
The State of Contemporary The State of Contemporary Church LifeChurch Life
A.A. Change in child and adolescent Change in child and adolescent developmentdevelopment
B. The fragmentation of the churchB. The fragmentation of the church
The Fragmentation of the Church
Church
Y.M.
Cultural and Developmental Context
Church
Y.M.
The Fragmentation of the Church
Cultural and Developmental Context
Church
Y.M.
C.M.
M.M.W.M.
W.M.
C.M.F.M.
“Church”
Cultural and Developmental ContextThe Fragmentation of the Church
The State of Contemporary The State of Contemporary Church LifeChurch Life
A.A. Change in child and adolescent Change in child and adolescent developmentdevelopment
B. The fragmentation of the churchB. The fragmentation of the church
C. Contemporary approach to C. Contemporary approach to people in the church…people in the church…Individual Individual
discipleship…discipleship…
Cultural and Developmental ContextSTRUCTURE of the CHURCH
4th grader
7th grader
10th grader
Mom Stepdad
"If we preach a gospel that "If we preach a gospel that neglects the welfare of the whole neglects the welfare of the whole in exchange for the happiness of in exchange for the happiness of the individual, then the Church the individual, then the Church as a living, pulsing body is as a living, pulsing body is weakened as is the welfare of weakened as is the welfare of the family. We must recover the the family. We must recover the priority of interrelationships.” priority of interrelationships.” - Dennis Guernsey, A New Design for Family Ministry (99)
Church as FAMILY:
DEFINITION:
“Christ and kids…that’s youth ministry, Jesus and kids”
- Mike Yaconelli, Address at NYWC, 2003
The “Youth Ministry Movement” has a history
GOOD: Focused, compelling, prophetic
PROBLEM: What does it MEAN?
Safety and Gentleness(1 Th 2:7-(1 Th 2:7-8)8)
“Love one another”(John 15)(John 15)
Family Support and Stability
““Do not embitter” (Col Do not embitter” (Col 3:21) 3:21)
Social Capital
What we’re learning about lifelong faith
Comfort, encourage, and urging as a fan(1 Th 2:11-12)(1 Th 2:11-12)
WHERE FROM HERE?WHERE FROM HERE?We need a We need a ROBUSTROBUST
THEOLOGICALTHEOLOGICAL
CHURCH-BASEDCHURCH-BASED
Commitment to ADOPT kids INTO the Body of ChristCommitment to ADOPT kids INTO the Body of Christ
1. Model authentic faith
Developing Adolescent Faith
2. Encourage provocative conversation3. Lead with understand & compassion4. Comfort, encourage and “be a fan”5. Introduce them to Jesus (the real Jesus)
6. Talk about, wrestle with justice
“Sticky Faith” Response to HURTing Kids Connecting “self” to “Justice”
Kids are taught to recognize……that they have gifts/talents to make a difference
…that they have much to learn from others…that they are a lot like othersIN SHORT…grow up believing they have a place in the world
Where from here?Where from here?
1. Allow kids to be kids
3-stage adolescents desperate to know:
– Who they are (Identity)– What gifts they have (autonomy)– They are cherished (belonging)
The life-giving need for “Social Capital”
The need for developing power and voice
Where from here?Where from here?
2. Encourage all adults to “own” every kid
As pastors and leaders, it is our job to:– Equip other adults to “proactively care” for kids– Ensure that every kid is valued and respected– Help the kid know that they are capable and
powerful, and to FLEX their “gifts and callings”
Programmatically remind staff that every kid needs to be seen as a viable, valuable member of the body
Where from here?Where from here?3. Partnering adults helping kids move toward the kingdom
As pastors and leaders, it is our job to:
– Make sure adults are taught how to love a student– HOLD adults responsible for encouraging adolescents– ALL PROGRAMS MUST see adoption as the goal
Where from here?Where from here?
Implications for the church…
(Or, “Hey, Chap, what does this LOOK LIKE?)”
– Share vulnerably, but do not make kids “save” you
– Regularly, intentionally expose kids social justice
– Start slowly, take “Baby Steps,” BUT DO SOMETHING!
Model a Model a Kingdom Kingdom
TrajectoryTrajectory
What we can do…What we can do…