wfn.org | Church leaders envision renewed emphasis on youth ministry

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TITLE:Church leaders envision renewed emphasis on youth ministry 

Oct. 13, 1999 News media contact: Linda Green·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{537}

By Kelly Holton*

ATLANTA (UMNS) -- The United Methodist Church should not go this year
without a renewed focus on youth ministry, according to some of the
denomination's leaders in this field.

Meeting with the Shared Mission Focus on Young People at Simpsonwood
Conference and Retreat Center in Norcross, youth ministry practitioners and
representatives from both theological and undergraduate schools from around
the country discussed the challenges surrounding effective ministry with
youth. 

The meeting, held Oct. 8-10 and facilitated by Kenda Dean of Princeton
(N.J.) Theological Seminary, gave the different groups involved with youth
ministry the opportunity to share and learn from each other and to connect
for future ministry.

"I know that there were partnerships formed between local churches and
seminaries," said Linda Bales, director of the Shared Mission Focus on Young
People, with offices in Dayton, Ohio. "It is my hope those will be strong
and dynamic and creative partnerships ... to work in ways to respond to
young people."

Shared Mission Focus on Young People was authorized by the 1996 General
Conference as a response to the United Methodist Church's effort to make
young people, ages 12-30, a priority, enhance resources for them in the
denomination and celebrate their achievements.

Many discussions during the weekend meeting revolved around training youth
ministers, regardless of whether they are seminarians. Several United
Methodist seminaries offer courses directly related to youth ministry. 

At Drew Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, for example, the Rev. Lynne
Westfield works to dispel the myth that people work with youth because they
like them. She emphasized the importance of a calling in youth ministry. 

"Youth are part of the body of Christ," she said. "That's why we work with
them."

Along with course offerings, seminary students explore ministry with youth
in field education assignments. At Duke Divinity School in Durham, N.C., 50
percent of students in field education are "engaged with youth in some way,"
said Janice Virtue, a Duke representative.

Several seminaries, including Perkins at Southern Methodist University in
Dallas and Wesley Seminary in Washington, offer youth ministry certification
that is available to people not enrolled in degree programs.

Another common element among many of the seminaries is programs that target
youth themselves. The seminaries bring young people to campus -- some for
summer class sessions, others for confirmation retreats or seminars -- to
introduce them to the possibilities that theological education offers.

The group also learned about strong undergraduate programs in youth ministry
offered by Oklahoma City University and Pfieffer University in Misenheimer,
N.C., and other United Methodist-related schools.

Though important, seminary and undergraduate programs in youth ministry are
inadequate for reaching the majority of people working with youth, said the
Rev. Mike Selleck, pastor of North Springs United Methodist Church in
Roswell and former North Georgia Annual Conference youth director. Youth
education must be stealthy and must reach those youth workers who will never
attend seminary, he said.

"Somehow we have to start another train," he said, "and it's a subversive
train. I call it 'cloaked youth ministry.' "

The key to this kind of training is for seminaries to equip pastors to train
laity to be youth workers, Selleck said. Though all clergy may not wish to
be directly involved with youth ministry, they should have the skills to
train others who are called to such work, he said.

Most United Methodist churches have fewer than 200 members and no resources
for hiring trained youth workers, he noted. "Pastors need to be competent
enough to train laity. It's our reality. It's what we have to do."

Soozung Sa, director of youth and family ministries at Covenant United
Methodist Church in Fond du Lac, Wis., said her church hired her because she
had a passion for youth ministry and did not have a seminary education.
However, her benefits include a housing allowance and retirement plan
similar to what a clergyperson receives, which shows Sa that her ministry is
a vital and valuable part of the church.

Covenant United Methodist Church is not making Sa figure out youth ministry
on her own. "There is no way I could (do what I do) without my spiritual
mentor," she said, "and that is my senior pastor."

Certification programs also offer ways to train lay volunteers for ministry
with youth. 

The Rev. Stephen Gallaher, director of Salt & Light Ministry in
Mechanicsburg, Pa., said this grassroots ministry is able to "connect with
volunteers who never intend to go to seminary but need training." The Salt &
Light staff offers certification programs and provides follow-up to local
churches engaged in youth ministry. Staff members routinely spend up to
three months in churches modeling effective youth ministry and helping the
church implement it.

The Shared Mission Focus on Young People will request continuation of its
mandate from the 2000 General Conference, which meets May 2-12. If continued
for the next quadrennium, the group will develop a churchwide comprehensive
plan for ministries with young people. 

In the meantime, consultation participants identified areas in which to
concentrate their energies. They will:
·	keep issues of youth ministry at the forefront at both United
Methodist-related undergraduate campuses and seminaries;
·	hire people to work with youth academies;
·	continue to train laity and listen to youth;
·	foster connections between higher education institutions and local
churches;
·	explore licensing school for youth workers;
·	encourage pastors to support youth ministry;
·	probe the possibility of endowed chairs of youth ministry at
seminaries;
·	develop curriculum about the integration of youth ministry into
congregations;
·	offer long-term support for youth ministry;
·	equip people at all levels for youth ministry;
·	continue youth focus in curriculum; and
·	remember that young adults have significant contributions to make as
leaders in the church.
# # #

Editor's note: A full report from the theological consultation will be
available from the Shared Mission Focus on Young People, (937) 227 9400.

*Holton is associate editor of the Wesleyan Christian Advocate, the weekly
newspaper of the North and South Georgia Annual Conferences.

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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