Youth ministry is a womb, an incubation ward for potential God-bearers as they ponder and struggle with the news that God is crazy in love with them, would die for them, and in fact, has. What youth need more than gung-ho adults are Godbearing adults, people whose own yes to God has transformed them into messengers of the gospel. - Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster, "The Godbearing Life"
If youth workers could ever have ignored popular culture, they no longer have that luxury. Professional and lay youth workers find themselves trying to communicate with people from an alien culture. Youth ministry has become a missionary activity to an adolescent subculture shaped by the media and other popular culture. - Quentin Schultze
Our churches are marked by a pervasive generational discontinuity that encourages adults and adolescents to live in distinct cultural enclaves. The sociocultural magnetic pull to remain in generational groupings is so strong that only the most intentional efforts lead to authentic intergenerational relationships. Dramatic cultural shifts, as described throughout this chapter, accelerate the widening gap. Adults and adolescents not only have fewer shared experiences but also have fewer common categories for interpreting experiences. The millennial generation is more experiential, synthetic, syncretistic, visual, diverse and intercultural than its modern predecessors. Churches, homes and organizations that include adults spiritual caregivers and adolescents are truly bicultural contexts.
The spiritual caregiver and adolescent relationship should thus be considered an intercultural as well as intergenerational friendship.
Particular of note, the elements of cross cultural mission in the quotes above. If you could, say a quick prayer for us as we spend all weekend with some awesome kids from this alien culture... Alien or not, they are going to make an impact on the world.
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