Youth 201 week 2 notes
Dictionary.com
1. The transitional period between and in human development, extending mainly
over the teen years and terminating legally when the age of majority is reached;
youth.
2. The process or state of growing to maturity.
Britannica.com
Transitional phase of growth and development between childhood and adulthood. In
many societies adolescence is narrowly equated with puberty and the cycle of
physical changes culminating in reproductive maturity.
WordNet
1. The time period between the beginning of puberty and adulthood.
2. In the state that someone is in between puberty and adulthood.
3. A period or stage of , as of a society, preceding maturity.
The American Heritage Science Dictionary
The period of and development from puberty to the onset of adulthood.
What Were the Contributing Movements During the Beginning of Modernism?
Naturalist (Charles Darwin)
Humanism (Bertrand Russell)
Socialism (Karl Marx)
Rationalism/Empiricism (John Dewey)
Psychology (Sigmund Freud)
Philosophy (Fredric Nietzsche)
How Did Modernism Affect?
Science
Government
Religion
Education
Industry
Family
While the previous definitions provide an “academic” description, they can appear
somewhat wordy and potentially confusing to the reader. In his book, Beyond Belief to
Convictions, Josh McDowell provides some simplistic descriptions of postmodernism:
•Truth does not exist in any objective sense.
•Instead of “”discovering truth in a “metanarrative”—which is a story (such as the
Bible) or ideology (such as Marxism) that presents a unified way of looking at
philosophy, religion, art, and science—postmodernism rejects any overarching
explanation of what constitutes truth and reality .
•Truth—whether in science, education, or religion—is created by a specific culture or
community and is “true” only in and for that culture.
•Individual persons are the product of their cultures. That is, we are not essentially
unique individuals created in the image of God; our identities are defined by our
culture.
•All thinking is a “social construct.” In other words, what you and I regard as “truths”
are simply arbitrary “beliefs we have been conditioned to accept by our society, just
as others have been conditioned to accept a completely different set of beliefs.”
•Any system or statement that claims to be objectively true or unfavorably judges the
values, beliefs, lifestyle, and truth claims of another culture is a power play, an effort
by one culture to dominate other cultures.
To bring these together,
Previous to Modernism (I will call premodernism) our nation had a spiritual understanding (and
respect) for God, a sense of morality, and a source for objective truth (the Bible). Modernism
followed with the removal of God yet still having a source of “objective” truth, typically to be
found in rational arenas such as science. This new period was to bring in an era of utopia. After
two world wars and a global economic depression, utopia never came.
Postmodernism was birthed in much disillusionment. Since God was already removed and
modernism did not work, what is left? Combine this with new economic prosperity, no source
of universal objective truth, a lack of moral absolutes, and the importance of the individual.
This is where our culture is today.
PremodernismGod, family structure, standard of truth
being Judeo-Chridtisn values.
ModernismNo God, family structure, standard of truth
being rationalism.
Authority
Lost Larry
First Period
Second Period
Third Period
LUNCH!!!
Fourth Period
Fifth Period
Sixth Period
Topics
God
Church
Truth (Values)
Relationships
Marriage
Family
Work
Finances
Government
Postmodernism
Builders
(1920’s–1945)
Revere
Denominational
loyalty
Lifelong Divorce
Traditional Traditional/
blended
Company loyaltyTransit
Don’t trustTrust
TrustDon’t trust
Literature ()
Biology ()
History ()
(Then consider the potential social drama of the lunch
tables) Psychology ()
Algebra ()
Health ()
Cohabitate Why?
Blended Definition?
EntrepreneurTech entry/ what
tech jobs?
Spend/ creditdebt
Two world viewAnswer don’t
becoming trust
evident
Maybe god (which god?), fractured family
(what is a family?), standard of truth is self
and culture (what is truth?).
Boomers Busters Bridgers
(1946–1964) (1965–1983) (1984–2002)
respect
Respect Reevaluate redefine
Six ingredients in the three cycles
1.The cycle started amid a period of rapid social change.
2.grassroots youth ministries started under the hand of the Holy Spirit.
3.An acknowledged leaders emerged in the form of a nationally recognized youth
ministry organization.
4.Imitators began using the essential strategy without the well-focused purpose.
5.There was a period of stagnation.
6.An event outside of youth ministry changed the environment and set the stage for
the next cycle.
T
Rapid Social Change
Social dislocation (Westward expansion of the United States.)
Grassroot Movements
•Young Men Temperance Societies (1830’s and 40’s)—to keep the “good” youth from
drinking and negative behavior.
•Singing Schools—designed to provide young people a place apart from adults where
they could meet together; the beginning of “youth choirs”.
•Young People’s Missionary Societies—mostly college students’; raise money,
missionary awareness, and prayer.
•Local Church Youth Societies (1840’s and 50’s)—most were coeducational; Baptist,
Presbyterian, Lutheran, Brethren in Christ.
•Sunday school (1780)—Started in England by Robert Raikes; goal was to teach
working children to read and behave properly using the Bible as textbook. By 1785
moved to Virginia and by 1790 was in Boston, New York, Philadelphia. American
Sunday School Union started with goal of establishing SS’s across the growing
western region; more evangelistic and discipleship; thousands established; ticket
reward system for Bible memory.
•Young men’s Christian Association (1851) and Young Women’s Christian Association
(1858)—Started in England and moved to Boston; “inner city” ministries designed to
help Christian youth who had moved to the cities for jobs; provide place to stay and
have Bible studies, prayer meetings, teach character, and be trained as SS teachers;
also encouraged young people to bring in lost peers; local churches were involved.
William Langdon was the prime leader to bring about a national movement.
Period of Stagnation
F C (1824–1875)
HE IRST YCLE
•Sunday Schools found it very difficult to provide leadership and supervision of the
thousands of schools that were started. Simply became oral recitations and poorly
prepared Bible lessons.
•Eventually the YMCA/YWCA lost their initial purpose and identity.
Outside Event
The birth of the public high school (1875).
T
Rapid Social Change
Social urbanization(Cities rapidly grew; Revolution; 25 million European immigrants,
mostly to cities.)
Grassroot Movements
•continuation of Sunday Schools and YMCA/YWCA.
•Christian church was fragmenting over fundamental doctrine and traditional
Christian lifestyle.
•Some denominational Youth Societies.
Leader/Ministry Organization
•Society for the Christian Endeavor
○Started in 1881 by Pastor Francis E. Clark.
○He combined the YMCA concept and the “class meeting” of the Methodists to
create his ministry.
○SCE was based on accountability of weekly attendance and monthly reporting of
one’s Christian endeavor. Clark began publishing articles on how to get a SCE
started. Within 14 years of the birth, there were 56,435 delegates at the annual
convention.
• Youth Societies
○Many denominations took the SCE program and modified it.
○Epworth League (Methodists)—1889; Baptist Young People’s Union—1891;
Westminster League (Presbyterian General Assembly)—1891; Walther League
(Missouri Synod Lutheran)—1891; Young People’s Christian Union (United
Brethren)—1894; among others.
○The Epworth meetings would consist of Sunday night meetings which had a
missionary/ministry emphasis and monthly Saturday “sociable.”
○Many of these youth societies developed summer conferences, raised money for
missions, developed four-year (high school) curriculum, and leadership
development.
Imitators Without Well-Focused Purpose
S C (1881–1925)
HE ECOND YCLE
T
Rapid Social Change
Social Transition (Great Depression and World War II; Secularization of Education; War
created a “crusade” feel.)
p 37 Grassroot Movements
•First “Youth Pastor” (1932) (Lloyd T. Bryant was first full-time minister to youth at
Calvary Baptist Church, Manhattan. His emphasis was “Training through
Participation”).
•Youth Centers (1930’s) (Lloyd Bryant; 40 in NYC area; started Association of Christian
Youth Movement of America; emphasized weekly evangelistic rallies.)
•Live Radio Broadcasts (1930’s–40’s) (Percy Crawford; Jack Wyrtzen).
•City-wide Youth Rallies (1930’s–50’s)
○Phrase “Youth for Christ ” was being used.
○Percy
○Jack Wyrtzen evangelist crusades called “word of life” rallies.
○Jim Rayburn and Youth life Campaign rallies.
○Torrey Johnson
○Billy Graham
•Campus Clubs (1950’s–80’s)
○Miracle Book Club—1933 (Evelyn McClusky; Bible study)
○ Youth Life—1941 (Jim Rayburn; non-denom., non-church, mostly outreach)
○ for –1947 (Jack Hamilton; Christian growth to point unsaved students to
weekend rallies)
○ Youth of Christ –1954/66 (Don McClanahan; athletes; mostly outreach)
○ Student Venture–1966 (Bill Bright; similar to YL and YFC)
•Birth of Wholesome but non-church youth agencies (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts,
Campfire Girls, 4-H Clubs, Boys Clubs).
Period of Stagnation
•Youth Society programs became generic.
•Breakdown of connection between denominational professionals and the local
church youth society.
Outside Event
The Scopes Monkey Trial (July 1925). (In reality, this event was the culmination of two
colliding world views: the Premodernism [Judeo-Christian] and the Modernism
[rationalism]. Secular education [John Dewey, Modernism], especially in regards to
evolution became the religion of the day.)*
T C (1935–1987)
HE HIRD YCLE
•Local Church Clubs (1930’s–80’s)
○Christian service Brigade/ pioneer Girls—1930’s
○ AWANA–1950
○ Word of Life –1950’s
•Local Church Groups (1960’s)*
•Youth Ministry Resources and Training (1960’s–70’s)
○Youth Specialties–1967 (Wayne Rice & Mike Yaconelli)
○Groups–1974 (Thom Schultz)
○Sonlife–1979 (Dann Spader)
○Christian Colleges/Universities*
•Professional youth workers (1980’s)
○Parachurch Ministries
○Youth Pastors
•Mega church Groups (1980’s)*
○Willowcreek Community Church
○Saddleback Community Church
•Miscellaneous Contributors (1970–80’s)* The visible expansion of:
○The Christian Music industry
○Large youth conferences/conventions
○Christian camping
Leader/Ministry Organization (my opinion)
•Youth for Christ
○Rallies began to stagnate and emphasis went to the Campus Clubs
○Campus Life philosophy began in 1962. Emphasized peer evangelism.
○Started the “2 plus 2” (Impact/lnsight)
•Young Life
•Both of these two greatly contributed to the local church. Most “youth groups”
became program imitations of the clubs.
•Youth Specialties
1.The rise of Professional student ministry (student ministry began to “grow up”).
2.The rise of organized student ministry (programs, ministries, events, etc.)
3.The rise of student participation (student missions and ministry emphasis).
4.The rise of student expression (SYATP, True Love Waits, student led campus clubs).
5.The rise of student evangelism (events, personal).
1950’s—Student Led
(Students started their own church groups as they were modeled after parachurch
rallies. Many were still participating in the parachurch as their “big picture” place of
connection and direction.)
1960’s—Adult sponsor Led
(Adults began to volunteer to take the leadership of the “Sunday night youth group.”
Possibly many of these leaders were the actual students a decade prior.)
1970’s—Youth Director Led
(Things became more organized and began to take on the Youth Specialties feel. Many
churches were utilizing young Christian college and seminar students who were
preparing for “real pastoral” ministry in this role as leader. Stepping stone mentality.)
1980’s—Youth Pastor Led
(Churches were now hiring professional staff persons as pastors to students. The
ministries were becoming more organized and more separate from the adult body.)
1990’s—Youth Pastor Led/Team Oriented
(As ministries became more organized, the youth pastors added adult volunteers and
interns to the team. Students became somewhat involved in the ministry.)
2000’s—Youth Pastor Led/Team Oriented/Student Involvement
(With the continuation of the organization, students became much more involved in the
organizing, implementing, and leadership. A greater movement toward relational
ministry and emphasis on small groups/home groups.)
