We were blessed with a moment to sit down with Kenda Creasy Dean, who is one of the foremost researchers, authors and challengers of how our youth ministry is and needs to be. You can get more involved with Kenda’s work through the ministry of the Institute of Youth Ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Youth Ministry
Kenda Creasy Dean | State of Youth Ministry interview part 1
We were blessed with a moment to sit down with Kenda Creasy Dean, who is one of the foremost researchers, authors and challengers of how our youth ministry is and needs to be. You can get more involved with Kenda’s work through the ministry of the Institute of Youth Ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Students & their Poverty, still Optimistic [Infographic]
I’m a sucker for an infographic. Here is one that is interesting to me in regards to students and their handling of finances…
A few things were interesting to me:
- college is a given part of life plans, more so than ever. so don’t say that growing numbers is putting faith in the reward of college. it’s more often a means to an end
- the optimism numbers are always in interesting measure to me.. who says “I’m just hoping I have a menial job that I can tolerate”
- Students are learning about debt and working, but is that the only thing to learning about finances?
Do you have some thoughts?
3 Less Graceful Transitions of power than Youth Specialties
Not surprised by the news that Tic will be transitioning out of his role at Youth Specialties. You could see that coming with the amount of folks that were put into more profiled leadership positions the last few years. I would say, his quicker transition is a surprise (as it seems to be for him as he talks about in the video).
I have met Tic a few times through the hallways and various impromptu gatherings of people before, during and after the National Youth Worker Conventions over the last decade. He has at all times been a person whom you feel the core nature of their heart & soul when you meet them. Even when that is a tougher conversation. YS won’t ever be the same, but that is not a bad thing. Mark, I have only met briefly but seems to be a energizing spirit and has crafted his own vision & practice in youth ministry and I’m sure that flavoring will salt YS in years to come.
It had me thinking.. What are some of the Less Graceful Transitions of Power in history that we can be glad YS isn’t going through?
- Julius Caesar & Roman Senate : Yes that whole killing Caesar thing didn’t go along so well. Not only were a bunch of people dead, but that began the end of the Roman Empire. Certainly not the most graceful transition of power.
- The Dutch & Spanish : No, not talking about a World Cup final game, though that was a nice if you were the Spanish. But back in the 16 & 17th centuries the Dutch didn’t care to be under the rule of Span’s King Philip and instead of talking it out they had an 80 year war. Not so graceful transition.. Suppose the Spanish got the last word with the 2010 World Cup Championship.. These things can be cyclical
- Salvatore Greco & La Barberas : This may be less on your radar than that Dutch v Spanish quarrel. Here is the beginning of our obsession with what we call the Mafia. Greco headed up the Sicilian Mafia Commission & was mad when some drug deal when bad and their buddy was killed and blamed it on the La Barberas clan and then “it was on” after that! Thus began the First Mafia War. Note: Not talking the Facebook game either
Why YouthWorker Circuit?
In the past year I’ve been getting a number of questions asking, “What are you up to these days?” It has been a rather loaded question as I’ve been leading up to this point. I’ve been doing some side work, which has been fun and viable, but all the while wanting to put something like YouthWorker Circuit together. But why YouthWorker Circuit?
Well…
We believe that youth ministry is a calling.
We also believe that youth workers don’t have time to do it all and are probably distracted from the parts of youth ministry that they love by the parts that they don’t. And that good youthworkers walk away from their calling every day because they feel under-resourced, over-tasked, and alone.
So we thought..
What if there was a place where you could have instant access to quality Wesleyan curriculum and program ideas? What if there was a resource that prompted you with inventive organizational ideas, guiding you toward better, more personal ministry?
What if there was an opportunity to regularly share genuine, live conversation in community with likeminded youthworkers from across the country?
So we have done..