Past, Present, Future

A Short History of St. Caffeine, the Father of Modern Youth Ministry By Steve Case

A history of youth ministry—the lighter side.
Back to the Future By Sheila Ahlbrand

"As we look to the future it's important not to forget the past. We should remember and honor those who came before us and paved the way, making it much easier for those of us working in youth ministry today. Yet, paradoxically, we must also forget the past (or at least learn from it)—straining toward what is ahead, trying to reach the goal for which God called us in the life above."
Colonising the Adult Church: Our Part in the Spread of Consumerism and Commercialisation By Pete Ward

Youth ministry has come of age? "I think not," says Pete Ward of Kings College, London. Recounting the recent history of youth ministry, Ward asserts, "Instead of youth ministers helping young people become more adult, the opposite was happening; youth ministers were becoming more like young people."
Enduring Myths of Youth Ministry: Lessons We Can Learn from Our Catholic, Mainline, and Evangelical Past By Tom Bergler

"Many enduring myths of youth ministry...have been around since at least the 1950s. These myths didn't prove entirely true even back then, but that hasn't stopped us from repeating them and making ministry decisions as if they were gospel."
Growing Up Without Selling Out: The Professionalization of Youth Ministry By Mark Cannister

"Youth ministry is coming of age because of the passion that women and men have for passing on the faith from one generation to the next. If that has resulted in research, assocations, journals, seminars, conferences, resources, and academic degress, that's wonderful-but these products are simply the result of a charismatic passion that lives deep within our souls."
Leaning on the Past as We Work towards the Future By Chris Theule-VanDam

Over sixty five years ago, youth pastor Jim Rayburn walked across the street from his church in Gainesville, Texas, in order to reach the kids who didn't come to church. This was the beginning of Young Life, which now annually impacts over one million kids.
Moses, Youth Ministry, and the Summer I Dyed My Hair By Wes Dillon

"My ministry was lacking something for a number of years, because I didn't know how dyeing my hair-and Moses-would affect my ministry."
Post-Relational Youth Ministry: Beyond Youth Work as We Know It By Dave Wright and Dixon Kinser

An incarnational approach to youth ministry, while a pioneering concept 50 years ago, has some fundamental flaws in today's practice. What needs to change in order for us to begin building a biblical foundation for youth work today?
Potential Scenarios: Looking at What Lies Ahead By Mark Matlock

Applying a socioeconomic futurist model, Matlock examines current trends and lays out his forecast for the future of youth ministry.
The Next 20 Years of Youth Ministry

Eleven youth workers share trends they expect to see over the next two decades.
The Tension Regarding Intention By Todd Hunter

As some have become wary of manipulative tactics within ministry, Hunter argues that we can't become completely unintentional in ourefforts, either.
What's History Got to Do with It?: Understanding the Roots of Youth Ministry in America By Jon Pahl

Pahl examines the development of youth ministry as an institution over the past century, offering insights into why we still think in certain ways and engage in certain practices today.