Yesterday I met with other student ministry leaders in my community, the Southwest Connection Student Ministry Network. I love being a part of this network. We poured over an article from Kenda Creasy Dean, Assistant professor of youth, church, and culture in the field of practical theology and Christian education at Princeton Theological Seminary, "Getting out of God's Way Freeing Our Inner Theologian" and it started some great conversations. I love her writing. She articulates what my mind thinks and how my heart feels about student ministry. I can't wait to go to Princeton in April.She is arguing for student ministries to wean themselves from "unreflective pragmatism" and start leading student ministries as practical theologians, "reflection on practices that reflect God."
Here's her summary, "practical theologians approach youth ministry with this question: "Do our actions with young people reflect the self-giving love of God?" This is a very different question from the pragmatic one: "What works to win young people to Jesus (or maybe to us)?" GULP! AMEN!
I am praying for this change to be even greater in 2008 in our student ministry. What about you and your ministry?
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1 comments:
Dan, I think you and your students would really enjoy reading the new book: Brown Like Coffee. I found it at brownlikecoffee.com
I loved it.
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