A little while ago I posted a review of a book by Mike King called “Presence Centred Youth Ministry” and earlier I posted a good number of reviews and thoughts on Yaconelli’s book “Contemplative Youth Ministry” both of which I’ve put up with “Starting Right,” “Practicing Passion,” “God Bearing Life.” “Way To Live” and “4 Views of Youth Ministry and The Church” as far as books on Youth Ministry go. Seriously, these are all phenomenal reads and inspiring ones too.
So, in my role I share a-lot of these thoughts, a lot of these ideas, a lot of these theories and prayers and dreams about a Youth Ministry and Young Adults Ministry that no longer relies on programs but instead on providing mentors, presence, spiritual practices, prayer, but most of all presence over program. Now, people seem to be excited by the ideas, even agree with them whole heartedly, infact a few youth workers and leaders I know are young adults and will reflect that they are here in ministry now, not because of the pool table but because of the people around them.
Yet, (now here’s the crux) when the rubber hits the road programs still win over presence. Even as I type youth leaders are organising their youth group, their skit, their youth talk, even as you read this some young adult worker or university worker is organising another gathering, another program, another event and, as sad as it is I too am organising a program or two because, it’s my job to organise them, it’s in my contract.
So, how do we move from “it’s a great idea, i love what that would mean to our youth ministry” to “let’s do it?” in a culture that has, and still is hell bent on programs and activities? in a culture that has only really known activities? in a culture that has more books about “fun games and short youth talks for your youth group nights” than they do have books titled “How to ‘just be’ with young people” or “500 ideas of how to not run programs in your young adults ministry.”
I note that even Mark has recently written an interesting piece titled “The mess we’re in and the culpability of youth specialties” and, while YS might have accidentally sent a similar message to youth workers here in Australia we have had many many other organisations, groups, para church organisations and consultants who, for years and years and years have (accidentally or on purpose) promoted program based ministry over presence centred ones.
It’s like our heads go “Here’s a group of people I want to minister to/What programs would attract them/That way I can get to know them (assuming they attend)/Then (maybe) I can get them to come to church” rather than “Here’s a group of people I feel called to/where do they hang out and go to to socialise/perhaps I can go there and get to know them/Maybe then they’ll start to trust me and allow me to be a friend.”
*Rant Over*
About djwright
