Youth Ministry Resources

It's been many, many years since I was a youth pastor, but I came across this list of youth ministry web sites on Christianity Today's blog site, sites recommended by Mark Oestreicher, president of Youth Specialties.

I trust it's of help to someone.

Catalyst Groups Make a Difference!

Belonging Before Believing?

This is a phrase I've heard quite often in the past five years, and I'd like to take a moment to challenge it, because so much is at stake. And since this blog is all about ecclesiology...

The phrase, "belonging before believing," suggests that unbelievers should feel included in the Body of Christ so as to cause them to be more open to believing. One writer in my own denomination has even suggested that every church board should have an unbeliever on the board. Now, I'm certainly not one to suggest that we should not be extra-nice to unbelievers who come to our worship services, but I would suggest that they should understand that it actually means something to be a Christian, and that passing from death to life is not a line that should be easily blurred.

Now, I don't think I'm a pure contrarian (I'm actually rather committed to non-traditionalism), but I do think it is always fair to question the questioners. I'm afraid there is an attitude out there that some can question everything Christianity has ever held sacred, but they themselves cannot be questioned. Is that arrogance or just immaturity or something else? I don't know, but for some, being positive means questioning everything except those who are questioning everything.

Anyhow, here are some of my questions regarding "belonging before believing":
1. Where is the New Testament biblical support for such an idea? Is the Church not the communion/community of the saints? Did I miss a memo canceling out New Testament ecclesiology?
2. What is the compelling reason for overturning 2000 years of ecclesiology? For example, did Jonathan Edwards get canned in Northampton for no good reason? Were the catechetical schools of the Early Church for nothing?
3. How is this different than liberal Protestant churches who wish to include all regardless of their faith or lifestyle? How effective a strategy has that been for them?
4. If you can't draw the line at ministry, or membership, or 'lay' leadership, where do you draw the line? Ordination? And why?
5. If Willowcreek has now discovered that their "seeker sensitive" strategy has caused a lack of maturation of the saints, how does this strategy not "seeker sensitive" on steroids, and thus doomed to fail even faster?
6. Why do you see corporate gatherings as the primary means of evangelism, when in the New Testament and Early Churches, it was interpersonal and outside the corporate gatherings?
7. If communion is banned from those who fail to "discern the Body of Christ," how does an unbeliever meet the requirement of 1 Corinthians 11?
8. What are the major success stories of this strategy that you would share, particularly in non-urban settings (in major urban settings you can get a group of people together who worship shoelaces).

Just wondering. My questions are 100% sincere. Can anyone help me here?

"An Evangelical Manifesto"

Many in the evangelical world has been abuzz about the newly released collaborative statement, "An Evangelical Manifesto."

Here is the main site, and a PDF file of the actual (long) statement. I count 9 Assemblies of God leaders/scholars among the 77 original signatories.

Any thoughts?

Beauty

Wow!

This is a powerful video from Mosaic Church.

I plan on using it this weekend in my Mother's Day message.
It communicates God's grace and how He adds color to our lives.

Ministries Summit

The Penn-Del Ministries Summit is being held this week in Dover, Delaware at Calvary Assembly of God led by Roland Coon.


Here are a few thoughts from the 7th pew back on the right hand side of the sanctuary:


1. Pastor Coon has a really sweet facility here in Dover. It's always cool to check out other churches in the District.


2. Paul Grabill was just reelected as the Assistant Superintendent. Congrats Paul! We love you man.


3. There are showing tons of videos to promote the C3 and church planting. Good stuff. Church planters rock. My friend just got back from India and he told me that you are not allowed to be part of the AG in India unless you plant a church or pastor a church that plants at least one church a year. That's serious! Perhaps that's why they are turning their nation upside down for Christ.


More to come!

Friends,

I want to make you aware of someone who will be manning a table at the Ministries Summit next week. If you are interested in starting a young adult ministry, it would be worth your time to meet Cindy Janczyk and find out more about her ministry, “The S.O.S. Project” (www.thesosproject.com). She has authored a book and curriculum series on relationships entitled, Finding Intimacy in a Love-Starved World. It’s a great resource for ministers who see the need for reaching twenty-somethings but don’t know where to begin. You should check it out.

Cindy worked on our ministry staff at Freedom Valley, co–founding and directing our marriage ministry for nearly 10 years until God called her to work with young adults before marriage. Currently, she is leading a thriving young adult ministry at our church and holds a 5 year position on the faculty of Gettysburg Master's Commission. Cindy is anointed to write and teach on the Song of Solomon love-model, bringing biblical relevancy to today’s relationship challenges. Her writings reflect years of "inner court" experiences with Jesus Christ and she approaches the sensitive themes of romance with non-threatening finesse, communicating a love that’s tangible for this culture.

I hope you have the pleasure of meeting her.

Gerry Stoltzfoos