“Presence-Centered Youth Ministry: Guiding Students into Spiritual Formation” by Mike King

According to author Mike King, there are some questions we can ask ourselves as spiritual guides of youth: (p. 76-79)

· How do we nurture a presence-centered youth ministry that values ushering youth into the presence of God?
· How do we walk faithfully as women and men of God who are serving as spiritual guides to youth?
· How do we encourage youth to join us as spiritual traveling companions?
· How can we be effective as a pastor to youth unless we minister to youth out of the overflow of a life with God?
· What is God showing me today-not ten years ago-but today?
· What is God teaching me this week?
· What has God been convicting me of recently?
· How is God at work in my life now?

We must continually refresh ourselves as spiritual guides. Meditate and pray over these questions! You will feel re-energized!!

“Presence-Centered Youth Ministry: Guiding Students into Spiritual Formation” by Mike King

Mike King calls us to be different youth leaders:

· “As youth workers we must allow the passion of kids to feed on the passion of Jesus’ radical life and message. Adolescents will resonate with it if it is properly communicated to them. Early followers of Jesus turned the world upside down by proclaiming the radical message that Jesus is Lord, not Caesar, our nationalistic idealism, our political party or the American dream ideology. The call to follow this true God is not safe or convenient, unlike much of the feel-good, carefree god-think being modeled to our young people today. The presence of Jesus Christ in the lives of adolescents who are nurtured by the power of Scripture is not safe, but it’s the essence of presence-centered youth ministry. (46-47)

He sees youth workers as spiritual guides:

· “Sharing the good news isn’t a declaration from people who have all the answers and have appropriated all that the gospel conveys. Rather we share as much about God as we have come to understand, and we invite others to join us in our pilgrimage through life.” (68)
· Youth want leaders who are authentic and who demonstrate God-inspired service to others. They are not afraid to see doubt and faith in their leaders, learning from us as we deconstruct our faith, allowing all of us to figure out what we believe about Jesus Christ.
· “Youth ministry is about being with youth, not just as a role model or friend bus also as a spiritual guide and a traveling companion.” (68)
· This will take the effort of the whole congregation of a church!

“Presence-Centered Youth Ministry: Guiding Students into Spiritual Formation” by Mike King

Here are insights from Mike King on what a presence-centered youth ministry would look like....

· Trusting that the Holy Spirit will provide direction, trusting in the Holy Spirit’s timing, and moving away from normally used measurements of success, such as numbers of attendees. Instead, look at the lives of the students, their growth, their mistakes, their stories.
· Facilitate the process by developing a nurturing, sacred environment. It can be natural spaces, a labyrinth, a prayer chapel, liturgy, use of symbols, fire, water, crosses, and so on.
· Connect teens to the story of God by recovering the role of tradition through liturgy, creeds, sacraments, prayer practices, and reading the Bible devotionally, as sacred text, through storytelling and Lectio Divina.

“Presence-Centered Youth Ministry: Guiding Students into Spiritual Formation” by Mike King

Following God can be scary stuff! Author Mike King explains,

· Fear grips youth leaders, kids, parents, the nation…but simply trying to modify behavior in an attempt to ‘fix’ the problems will not work. And following God isn’t safe…but as we figure out how to follow Jesus, the answers and path to follow will come!
· “Presence-centered ministry is about creating an environment where we and those around us are able to come face to face with God.” “The presence of God manifests the love of God, exposing our anxieties and fears.” (53) “The power to turn the world upside down comes when the church connects the passion of the adolescent with the passion of Christ.” (55) Amen!
· “When these two passions come together, the results are not necessarily nice, easy or safe, but they capture the imagination of young people who just might be willing to embrace Jesus’ challenge: “Let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.” Mk 8:34-35 (55-56)
· Today’s teens are radically following Jesus and want to live out a converted life through service. “Young people are seeking guidance and formation from authority figures. This sounds like the basis of a new kind of youth ministry.” (60)

"Presence-Centered Youth Ministry: Guiding Students into Spiritual Formation" by Mike King

There are changes that need to be addressed in youth ministry. I love author Mike King's statement: “Reformed, always reforming should be our mindset.” (30)


Here are some of his suggestions....

· Younger evangelicals want to reexamine what being a follower of Jesus and what being a church is all about.
· Succession of faith and rites of passage should be reestablished in the church.
· Traditions should be reestablished, as youth today are expressing fascination with things like traditions, creeds, and practices of the early church. Explore prayer practices, lectio divina, historic creeds, and liturgy.
· Consider not segregating the church by age. Allow older church members to model to the high school students. This is how we can fulfill the biblical model of younger men and women learning from older men and women.
· Conversion is not a one-stop experience. Decisionism (how someone becomes a Christian) can be replaced with responding in obedience to the call of Jesus, to become a follower of Jesus, allowing students the space and time to understand what this life-changing decision means.
· "We must move away from premature and manipulated decision-making and instead create environments that allow for time and space, where youth are repeatedly ushered into the presence of God. "We must allow transformation to come by the Holy Spirit instead of by gimmickry, tricks and manipulation.” (37)
· And we should consider moving away from ‘hand-raising’ invitations and instead Mike King shares, “I'm focused on allowing young people to see what being a follower of Jesus is all about and trusting the Holy Spirit to transform them when the time is right. Allowing youth to belong in our communities without pressuring them results in authentic decisions to follow Jesus.”(37)

"Presence-Centered Youth Ministry: Guiding Students into Spiritual Formation" by Mike King

Following are trends Mike King notes in his 2006 book, "Presence-Centered Youth Ministry":

· Statistically it has been said that 80% of people who grew up in the church leave it when they hit their twenties, yet we are seeing the interest in spirituality at an all time high.
· More than 80% of college respondents (112,232) of a Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA poll said they are very interested in spirituality, eight out of ten attend religious services, and two-thirds pray.
· “This generation is looking for adult leadership that will believe in them, listen to them, understand them and model being authentic followers of Jesus Christ.” (25) Youth workers as entertainers or program directors should be part of the past, and instead we must be authentic shepherds and spiritual guides.
· “Presence-centered youth ministry is about deconstructing the big business of North American evangelicalism and returning to the missional nature of ministry in the way of Jesus.” (26)
· There is a trend in this country where people hold evangelicals in contempt because of the way the Message is communicated, endorsing a high standard of conduct but not living by it, and how we love to show our piety publically. We are seen as shallow, legalistic, and not normal!
· “More and more church leaders, theologians and historians are concerned that the North American evangelical church is pursuing an agenda that harkens back to the era of Christendom….” (28) I would agree!
· Youth are tired of the McDonaldization of Christianity…just say yes to Jesus and your life will be great.