“in short, if adolescents are to become practical theologians in their own right, we have to get them in the pool.  and that means that you and i have to stand in the middle of the pool ourselves, practicing our faith while holding out our hands, inviting the youth we love to jump into the christian community alongside us.”

~ kenda creasy dean in starting right: thinking theologically about youth ministry

From Mark Yaconelli’s Growing Souls: Experiments in Contemplative Youth Ministry.

“Youth, seeking to enter adulthood, are looking for guides or mentors who can show them adult forms of life that radiate with the love of Christ…

In our interviews with youth it became abundantly clear that young people aren’t interested in the words their teachers are speaking as much as the life and soul from which these words arise.  As the adults in our project began to experience transformation, they expressed a deepened desire to be authentic and caring toward the youth in their ministries.  They sought to share their growing spiritual passion with the youth of their church and to provide settings, where the youth could also experience this newfound life.

Suddenly, youth ministry became a place of nourishment and creative exploration.  Ministry was now about exploring experiences of God and activities of faith alongside young people.  These leaders had been freed to become disciples among youth rather than experts transferring religious information.”