Review – A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry

Earlier this year I received a Facebook notification pointing me to a review of A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry by MikeMcGarry. I read the review and bought the book. Now I wish I could buy a bundle more to give to others. Here are five reasons you should read this book if you are in pastoral ministry (not just if you’re a youth leader).

1.       It teaches us what the Old Testament has to say about young people in the faith community

To appreciate what we find about ministry to youth in the Bible has a whole, we need to step back from our current understanding of youth ministry. This is particularly so when we read the Old Testament. McGarry writes, “There is no verse that explicitly commands youth ministry, but the family and the community’s mandate to raise up the next generation in the fear and obedience of the Lord is overwhelming.” (p19)

This chapter leads us through some history and some texts that make clear what happens when the faith isn’t passed on to the next generation, and the Biblical imperatives to make sure it is. And when we as parents feel overwhelmed in this task, he reminds us that the task belongs to the whole community of faith.

“Parents are consistently affirmed as the primary disciple-makers of their children, but the Psalmist’s example clearly shows the commitment of the community to the young.” (p30,31) You can read Psalm 71:18 and 78:1-8 to see what he means.

2.       It teaches us what the New Testament has to say about young people in the faith community

  

McGarry picks up the theme of discipleship in this section. In no way does he contradict what he sees in the OT as the role of the family and community in teaching the beliefs and standards of faith. Instead he tightens the focus a little recognising that this is now the other side of the crucifixion and resurrection and now all Christians have a Messiah to follow. So we are to be disciples of Jesus no matter who our human teacher might be.

One interesting aspect McGarry raises is the age of the disciples. Perhaps they were young adults who Jesus trained and through them he has changed the world. How much do you expect of young adults today?

The place of children and youth in the life of the early church is also raised here, and that’s important today because of the place – or lack of place – that this age group has in the faith community. Paul wrote letters to churches and clearly believed the children would hear what he had written. This means that these age groups would be together. (But I’m jumping ahead of myself here.)

“Rather than viewing children and youth as ‘members in waiting,’ the biblical witness consistently affirms their value and reflects a shared commitment by the community of faith toward the next generation. Pastors and Christian leaders today who overlook the young are in blatant disregard of the biblical pattern of ministry.” (p56)

3.       It shows the place of youth in the faith community

Following from the previous point, have a look at Titus 2:2-6

2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.

See the different age groups mentioned there? Older men; older women; younger women; young men. You can also look at Ephesians 5:22-6:9 and see the age groups listed there and realise that when the letter was read to the church, all these age groups were together. Is your church like this?

McGarry doesn’t have to work hard to show what the Bible is teaching about the place of youth in the faith community – it’s where they belong.

“Christians are the people of God, and there is no age restriction mentioned.” (p87)

“When each member is serving the head of the Church with their individual gifts, the members are united together through the bond of Christian fellowship as the body of Christ works in harmony.” (p89)

How are the youth of your community of faith using their gifts?

4.       It shows the importance of the community in the faith of youth

McGarry quotes Wayne Rice, co-founder of Youth Specialties. It’s uncomfortable, but worth hearing:

“I have all the respect in the world for youth workers in the church, but I’ve become more and more convinced over the years that God never gave t youth workers the responsibility for making disciples of other people’s kids. . . What we have today is not really a youth ministry problem. It’s a church problem. Truth is – it has always been a church problem.” (p73. Emphasis his)

It’s really easy for me to complain about the youth in our church, or to blame the parents when the youth leave. But in reality, that’s just a cop out. If I’m part of that church, then I’m invested in the spiritual life of that child. If that teenager leaves, do I even notice? Do I know his name? Do I know what she is doing at uni? Or have I assumed that’s the youth leader’s job.

The biblical model of church life doesn’t put the young people in one room while the adults are in another room. Instead the biblical model of church life is an inter-generational one with all ages sharing life and worship together. McGarry comments, “ . . . the entire church shares a commitment to nurture the faith of the next generation while seeking opportunities to involve them in the rhythms of the church.’ (p88)

(I’m not suggesting that the age groups can’t have time on their own. That’s valuable. But don’t let that be all they do.)

5.       It encourages me to see the catechism in a very different light

I’ve been involved in promoting the catechism for a few years now, but reading this book has challenged me to see it in a completely different light. You see I’ve always understood that the purpose of the catechism was for parents, and particularly the father, to use this list of questions and answers to teach the children. I expect I’m not alone in this thought. McGarry points back to Luther and comments that in the catechism Luther provided a resource whereby the parents received doctrinal instruction even as they taught their children. (p62)

I nearly dropped the book when I read this. One of my concerns about using the catechism is that it expects parents to understand the doctrines of Christian faith, and maybe they don’t. But now I can see it is possible that in using the catechism consistently, both the parents and the children are being instructed in faith. Brilliant!

He also comments on the place of the church to support and equip parents in this task.

“Parents were the primary disciplers of their children, but the church leaders were the primary spiritual leaders of the family.” (p63)

I wish I’d written this book.

Some years ago a bloke I know held up a book and said to me, “This is the book I wish I had written.” I feel much the same about McGarry’s work. A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry will be a great encouragement to those involved in youth ministry, it’s true. But more importantly, I think it’s a book that should be read by elders and pastors as they take the responsibilities given to them.

At 164 pages, it’s not a long book. Get it and read it.