Introduction
Adolescent Development
Implications for Parish Ministry
Diocesan Initiatives
Resources
Introduction
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor. Luke 2.52
Faith development begins at birth and continues through our entire lives. The uniqueness of adolescence calls for particular understandings and strategies as we engage with young people through this stage of their life in Christ. At the same time, we need to stop isolating young people from the other generations present in our churches. It is important to build relationships between children and youth and young adults and adults and seniors. For more thought on this point, please see Intergenerational Ministry below. Youth ministry is a ministry which every member of the congregation can and should be involved in!
What do we mean by the term “youth”. This word describes three stages of life, encompassing young adolescence (ages 10-15), middle adolescence (ages 14-19), and young adulthood (ages 18-30.) All the age descriptors are estimates, as individual young people move through the stages at their own pace. Ministry with young adolescents involves overlap with children’s ministry, while ministry with young adults involves overlap with adult faith development. You will also find resources here to help work with youth in your congregation.
Our call as ministers to youth is to help youth to emulate Jesus- to enable each young person to grow and develop their whole selves: intellectually, physically, in their faith, and in their relationships with people. Luke 2:52, quoted above, is the theological goal of youth ministry!
Back to the top.
Adolescent Development
In order to be effective in ministering to young people, you need to understand the developmental changes that adolescents undergo. Once you understand the changes that occur during adolescence, it is much easier to program for the age group, and you will understand why some types of ministry are much more appealing and effective for youth than others.
Early Adolescent Development. This paper describes the different areas of development that young people experience during adolescence- physical, social, emotional, intellectual, moral, and faith. In addition, seven developmental needs are identified and explained to help you to program effectively to 10-15 year olds. The paper draws heavily on the Early Adolescent Ministry Manual published by the National Church in 1992.
Much of the theoretical basis of developmental theory draws on the work of three pioneers in the field: Jean Piaget on intellectual development, James Fowler on faith development, and Erik Erikson on identity formation. Below, you will find links to good summaries of their theories.
Piaget theorized that people move through four stages of intellectual development: the sensorimotor, pre-operational, concrete operational, and formal operational periods. Adolescence brings the onset of formal operations, which includes the ability to think abstractly (David Elkind calls this “thinking in a new key”), metacognition (thinking about thinking), deductive and inductive reasoning, and reflective abstraction (how we learn abstract concepts like math.) Not all adults achieve formal operations, but Piaget postulates that development in this area is complete by 14 or 15 years of age. For more information on Piaget’s theory, see http://evolution.massey.ac.nz/assign2/MH/webpage.htm.
Fowler breaks down people’s faith journeys into 6 stages, the third of which (synthetic-conventional faith) is generally achieved in adolescence. This stage is characterized by conformity to the beliefs of the faith community and of significant others (parents, mentors, and as- adolescence continues- peers.) It is important to note that parents are the number one source of influence on adolescence with regards to matters of faith through young adolescence and well into middle adolescence. People in this stage of faith development have not stepped outside their ideology to examine it and form their own judgments about it. In stage 4, the individuative-reflective stage, reached in late adolescence or adulthood (if at all), one takes responsibility for one’s own beliefs and actions. The tension between individuality and belonging to a faith group is managed successfully in this stage. Individuals are able to practice critical reflection about their own identity and worldview. In youth ministry, we seek to guide young people through the synthetic-conventional stage into the individuative-reflective stage. For more on Fowler’s views, see
http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/fowler.htm.
Erikson expanded on Freud’s stages of development to include 8 stages that are experienced through life. Each stage is defined by a psychosocial “crisis” which can have a positive or negative result. Adolescence involves stage 4 (7-12 years of age), where one develops the capacity for industry or experiences inferiority, stage 5 (12-18) involving ego-identity or role-confusion, and stage 6 (20-30) involving the capacity for intimacy or falling into isolation. The primary focus of youth ministry is on those involved in stage 5. The task in this stage is to answer the question “Who am I?” and to form a cohesive sense of identity. Identity formation is made easier by having good adult role models, clear rites of passage, and by a psychosocial moratorium, or time-out from the fast-paced world we are bombarded with daily. The negative result for this stage is role confusion, leading to uncertainty about where one fits into the world. In youth ministry, we have many opportunities to offer mentors and significant adult relationships with youth, rites of passage including confirmation, and time and space for identity formation removed from the secular world. The benefit to youth who successfully navigate this stage is the development of fidelity- not blind loyalty, but the ability to live within our society and its norms, imperfect as they may be. For more on Erikson, see
www.learningplaceonline.com/stages/organize/Erikson.htm.
Back to the top.
Implications for Parish Ministry
Intergenerational Ministry
One of the most dangerous traps that our society has fallen into with regards to youth is in isolating teens from other generations. We assume that teens only want to be with other teens, and not with adults. Often the teens are relegated to the basement or some other out-of-the-way location in the church building. While there is benefit to spending time in segregated groups, when all our ministry to and with youth involves age-specific groupings, we are contributing to the “youth ghetto.” The ghetto-ization of youth leads to a widening of generational gaps. The Church is a community for people of all ages, and all ages must spend time together in prayer, worship, service, and fellowship! Galatians 3:28 says “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” If we are all one in Christ Jesus, we should be able to reflect that in our parish life!
Effective intergenerational ministry involves opportunities for adults and young people to interact in meaningful ways. This can be as simple as working together washing dishes after a parish luncheon or decorating the church for a festival, or as intentional as an Intergenerational Bible study group designed to foster these relationships. All these interactions need to be meaningful and mutual- all parties must be respected and must be encouraged and allowed to participate fully in the process.
Intergenerational ministry needs to be a whole-parish ministry. Everyone of us, by dint of our baptism, is a minister of God. Every one of us must have opportunities to live out our ministries. This means that youth ministry, particularly if it is done intergenerationally, cannot be done by one person or a small group. It is the task of the entire congregation.
Involvement in youth ministry doesn’t have to mean playing basketball every Friday night. Christian Smith, coauthor of Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, says:
“[An] important general way religious congregations may better engage youth is through simple, ordinary adult relationships with teenagers. Adults other than family members and youth ministers could be intentionally encouraged to make better efforts to learn teens’ names, to strike up conversations with teens, to ask meaningful questions of youth, to be vulnerable themselves to youth in various ways, to show some interest in teens, to help connect them to jobs and internships, to make themselves available in times of trouble and crisis, to work toward becoming models and partners in love and concern and sacrifice.” (The Princeton Lectures on Youth, Church, and Culture, 2005)
Examples of how adults can get involved in youth ministry in the parish include:
- Sending birthday cards to youth
- Acting as a mentor to a young person in confirmation (www.mentoring.org has many resources to help an organization get involved in mentoring.)
- Drive youth to and from events
- Invite youth to join your church committee, then help them understand what is happening and support them in doing the work
- Pray for youth, particularly at the beginning and end of school years and during exam times
- Lead a Church school class or Bible Study for teens or teens and adults
- Prepare food for a youth event
For more information and opinions on intergenerational ministry, see the following:
Inclusion of youth in parish life
An important aspect of intergenerational ministry is providing opportunities for children and youth to be active in ministering to others, and not just being ministered to. Many churches involve youth as servers in their worship services. This is a good beginning to including youth in the life of the parish, but there are many more ministries youth can be involved in. Virtually any ministry that lay people do can be done by youth. Reading, intercessions, communion ministry, chancel guild, outreach projects, preaching, greeting, counting collection, and more.
- Invite them personally. Identify young people in the parish who have the gifts to do particular ministries and invite them to be part of that ministry. “Jane, I think you would make an excellent reader on Sunday mornings! I heard you performing in the Christmas pageant last week, and you spoke beautifully.”
- Invite them to bring a friend. Most ministries can be done effectively in groups. Youth are much more likely to get involved in ministries like helping the chancel guild or working with the outreach group if they are not the only young person present. Identify two youth to sit on the advisory board rather than just one.
- Train and support them. Youth, like adults, are afraid of failing and being embarrassed in public. When a young person is recruited for a particular ministry, they need to be taught how to do it and supported in the work. Help readers with the pronunciation of names and places, teach them how the microphones work and when to come up to the front, remind them of what to say before and after the reading. Then make a point of telling them when they have done the job well.
For more information on lay involvement in the congregation, see the Equipping People section of the site at /index.asp?navid=182.
Involvement of youth in decision making
Young people have a strong desire to be involved in decisions which affect their lives. Youth Synod 2005 passed the following motion (for more on Youth Synod and its motions, see below):
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
(a) the church promote greater youth involvement at all levels of church leadership by appointing and electing more youth delegates to Diocesan Synod and other church bodies;
(b) the church should have proportional representation of young and old at all levels of church leadership; and
(c) the Diocese of Toronto provide training for youth leaders so that they support and guide youth as well as helping to organize intergenerational activities for both young and old.
Youth Synod 2006 passed a similar motion:
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
a youth position be included on major committees which directly affect them at both the parish
and diocesan levels.
Under Canon 14, all youth aged 16 and up are eligible to be members of the parish’s vestry, providing they are able to make the following declaration:
Canon 14.1: Declaration
“I solemnly declare that I have been a member of the Anglican Church of Canada and of this
congregation for at least three (3) months, that I have attended regularly scheduled services of
worship with this congregation at least three (3) times in the past year, that I am of the full age of
sixteen (16) years and that I have not voted as a member of any other vestry during the previous
three (3) months, nor do I intend to vote in any other vestry during the ensuing year”. (1994)
As members of vestry, they are eligible to be involved in almost any parish ministry that lay people may be, except to be a churchwarden:
Canon 15.1: (1) A person to qualify as a Churchwarden shall:-
(a) be not less than twenty-one (21) years of age;
(b) be a Lay Member of the vestry of the church in question;
(c) have received the Sacrament of Holy Communion at least three (3) times during the previous year;
(d) not be the spouse of the Incumbent or any assistant, associate or honorary Cleric of the parish who is in receipt of remuneration for services rendered.
This means that there are no barriers within the rules to prevent youth aged 16+ from participating in vestry, synod, advisory board, or other decision-making bodies. Youth in this age group need to be encouraged to become involved with these groups, and supported in their work. With regards to youth under 16 years of age, they can be involved in leadership on any body which does not require one to be a member of vestry to participate. These can include parish selection committees and advisory boards. Additionally, youth may be present for vestry meetings, and may (with the permission of vestry) address this body, although they cannot vote.
Some parishes hold a “youth vestry” during the vestry meeting which discusses the issues that the youth feel are important to the church in the coming year, and then presents these to the vestry during their meeting.
Youth Synod motions
Youth Synod 2005 and 2006 passed many motions requesting action by parishes. They are listed below:
Youth Synod 2005
1. Every parish should be encouraged to hold programs to enable the youth and adults to compare and contrast their ideas on Bible passages, and to share stories of how faith is active in their lives, and that the Youth Ministry Working Group consider how best to develop and disseminate resources.
2. This Youth Synod request Diocesan Synod to require parishes to donate funds and/or send people to a new initiative and/or a pre-existing program which the individual parish feels would best address the issue of youth violence while building ties within the community, acknowledging that each parish must work within their means and ensure that proper training occurs.
3. That:
a. the church promote greater youth involvement at all levels of church leadership by appointing and electing more youth delegates to Diocesan Synod and other church bodies;
b. the church should have proportional representation of young and old at all levels of church leadership; and
c. the Diocese of Toronto provide training for youth leaders so that they support and guide youth as well as helping to organize intergenerational activities for both young and old.
4. This youth synod encourages all Anglicans involved in the Same Sex blessings debate to be respectful to those of different beliefs and sexual orientations.
Youth Synod 2006
1. that each parish encourage prayer and teaching through workshops and speakers surrounding different religious and cultural celebrations.
2. that a youth position be included on major committees which directly affect them at both the parish and diocesan levels.
3. that each parish be encouraged to participate in and/or hold multicultural fairs and activities and invite parishioners to share their heritage and learn from each other.
4. that the Diocese strongly recommend each church to establish committees for greeting and welcoming new comers. Part of this program should be training for youth to welcome and integrate new young people into the community. The purpose being to incorporate all members of new families through personal contact and welcoming, thus breaking through barriers such as discrimination.
Youth groups and models of youth ministry
The youth group is still the first thing most people think of when we discuss youth ministry. Youth groups have their place in the life of the parish, but they cannot and should not be the only ministry available for and by young people.
Below are some links to sites describing a myriad of models of youth ministry:
http://batteriesnotincluded.digitalorthodoxy.com/?page_id=11 is a paper which describes philosophical models of youth ministry, including church-centered, society-centered, and middle ground. This article also links to more articles on models of youth ministry.
http://youthministryteams.org is a site with an excellent overview of team ministry in youth ministry, and includes samples of different roles that can be taken within a team ministry.
http://www.sonlifeafrica.com/model/main.htm is a site dedicated to the Son Life model of youth ministry. This site has lots of useful information beyond just looking at the Son Life model as well, including articles for youth ministers, program ideas, articles about youth, and more!
http://www.directionjournal.org/article/?1265 is an article describing four models of “postmodern” youth ministry taken from Mark Senter’s Four Views of Youth Ministry and the Church (2001, Zondervan: Grand Rapids) . These four models are based on the idea of fellowship and mission.
http://www.tomorrowtoday.biz/mindthegap/thesishonours/ch4.htm is a section of Graeme Codrington’s thesis detailing his Spiritual Growth model of youth ministry.
http://www.youthministry.org.nz/?sid=42 is a page with articles describing several models of youth ministry from New Zealand and around the world, including the Riverslea model, the Wedge model, the Young Life model, the Comprehensive model, and the Nucleus model.
Resources
Web Sites
www.generation.anglican.ca The national church’s new web site for young Anglicans contains a variety of things including forums, blogs, resources, and artwork of interest to youth.
http://justgeneration.ca The PWRDF's youth initiative offers resources for young people interested in expressing their baptismal covenant to strive for justice and peace.
www.geezmagazine.org/ The web site for Geez magazine, an alternative Christian magazine calling itself “Holy mischief in an age of fast faith”.
www.anglicansonline.org/resources/youth.html Anglicans Online’s Youth Ministry links page has lots of useful places to visit.
http://www.youthspecialties.com/articles/ Youth Specialties website has forums, free resources, as well as their Youthworker Journal
http://www.askandimagine.org/ Ask and Imagine is an Anglican project of theological and leadership training run through Huron College for high school and university aged youth. Their website has current useful information, details of their program, and resources.
http://www.youthministry.com/ This site is owned by the people who publish Group magazine. It contains Bible studies, discussion starters, and other useful resources, as well as forums, book lists, and other useful things.
http://www.textweek.com/movies/movies.htm Text Week has an excellent section that fits movies into themes for use in ministry. For example, the site details how the movie "Erin Brockovich" can be used to talk about affirmation.
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/ Relevant magazine is a resource for those looking to understand how we can be Christians in modern culture. It can be an excellent site to point young people towards, particularly those with an interest in popular culture.
Books
The Great Adventure. Exploring Christian Faith with Young People, by Patricia Bays (1997, ABC Publishing: Toronto).
Link
Reaching a Generation for Christ, Richard Dunn and Mark Senter III general editors (1997, Moody Press: Chicago).
Link
Choosing Church, by Carol Lytch (2004, Westminster John Knox Press: Louisville).
Link
HELP (Heads-up, Easy, Low-cost, Purposeful) Series of youth ministry books. Link
Soul Searching the Millenial Generation, by David Overholt and James Penner (2002, Stoddart: Toronto).
Link
Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry, by Doug Fields (2002, Zondervan: Grand Rapids).
Link
The Godbearing Life. The Art of Soul Tending for Youth ministry, by Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster (1998, Upper Room Books:Nashville).
Link
Practicing Discernment with Youth. A Transformative Youth Ministry Approach, by David F. White (2005, Pilgrim Press: Cleveland).
Link
Back to the top.
