Four Views of Youth Ministry and the Church: Inclusive Congregational, Preparatory, Missional, Strategic

INTRODUCTION A little hectic to read at first, Four Views of Youth Ministry is a thorough look at the "Inclusive Congregational", "Preparatory", "Missional" and "Strategic" approaches to reaching and discipling students. With rebuttals from each viewpoint offered at the end of the sections. This work does what others have not attempted in that it has respected men in youth ministry openly critiquing each other's philosophies. If there were an ESPN for academic youth ministry, this would be a prize fight observed by many wondering spectators eager to see which is the last philosophy standing. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE TEXT? It is clear from the amount of attention shown by each of these men that the message of this text is two-fold; first, the current state of youth ministry is failing this present generation in evangelism and discipleship. Second, the current state of ecclesiology is failing youth ministry by not incorporating younger Christians into the work of the body. The goal of the text is to address these concerns in an intellectual dialogue using scriptural principles and cultural relevance. HOW WAS I CHALLENGED? There is no question that each of these principles is scripturally based. There is also no doubt that each of these men is spirit-led and has a heart for reaching and equipping students. There was plenty to be challenged with from each of the four philosophies. First, from the "Inclusive congregational" approach, Malan Nel challenges the church to see youth as the church of today gifted for today's service, rather than as a separate body of believers that are disconnected. In an answer to our dilemma about youth ministries not being unified with churches, Nel says "The problem is not our youth ministry, the problem is our church."(2) Nel's challenge for the church to see teens as viable resources for ministry using their gift of teenagers rather than considering that gift a burden is refreshing. Wesley Black presented the "Preparatory" approach to youth ministry. The key challenge I took from this section was to view youth ministry more as an apprenticeship program. The focus here was one preparing teens for future service. There is a definite conflict here with Nel's philosophy and that is the subject of some discussion in the rebuttals, but if taken for face value, one could see that the middle ground on each of these is beneficial to the development of teens and to the growth of the local church. The "Missional" approach, in my opinion is likely the most pure in regards to biblical ministry. The focus that Chap Clark puts on students as a people group is enlightening. The recognition that youth workers are really just reaching another culture is refreshing. The expectation that we should be able to reach them because "they are ours" is out the door. The understanding is that they are their own and they will make spiritual decisions for themselves. Mark Senter contributed the final approach to youth ministry called the "