Ok, first, I’m hopeful that my colloquialism title translates well to different languages. But, in all of my global travels, one constant remains: We all like our sweets/desserts! And usually with a nice cup of tea or coffee.
So, this weekend I will participate in conVERGE 2012 as a ‘live presenter.’ This high-tech, high-touch savvy conference at Gull Lake Center in Michigan is one of my favorites and I look forward to it every year.
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This week we were reminded of the dire economic situation facing the youth of the world. Since 23.5% of the world’s poor are youth and 75 million youth are unemployed (a number that will keep growing), this presents significant challenges for governments, agencies, churches, and ministries (not to mention families!) in many regions of our world. In fact, all over the world, even the US, high school and college graduates will be in much poorer economic situations than their parents and especially their grandparents were at their age.
When I look over the ‘field’ of youth ministry, I sometimes grow concerned that we can become a vocation focused on running programs, teaching/speaking lessons, or even a personal exercise in leadership and personal status versus one based on Christlike service. As I read through Scripture on ministry like a ‘shepherd’ (I Peter 5:1-11) and the missional and service focus of the New Testament church, I wonder what our responsibility is to the youth in our community, our region, our country, and around the world.
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This past weekend, I looked over some InterVarsity Press offerings and I was struck by the number of books on global topics that I hadn’t read, but want to read. My work on the book Global Youth Ministry: Reaching Adolescents Around the World (YS Academic)
- Soong-Chan Rah
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Derry Prenkert hosts the Converge show on RemedyLive.com, a 24/7 online tv show for teens. This past week Derry and I talked about poverty and offered up some practical tips (from What Can We Do?) on what teens and you groups can do to make a difference.
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I recently had the chance to appear on the Converge show on RemedyLive.com with host Derry Prenkert. We discussed short-term missions and the book What Can We Do?. I also sported my Global Youth Initiative T-shirt as well.
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The youth of Norway dominated world headlines this summer after a lone gunman showed up at a youth camp on remote Utøya Island in southern Norway and began a shooting rampage that left over 70 dead. The horrific details shocked a country during its holiday season with a peaceful reputation built from hosting the Nobel Peace Prize and from mediating conflict negotiations between other countries.
Youth ministry is new and growing in Norway, a highly religious country where 81% of Norway’s 4.8 million people are members of the national Lutheran church yet only three percent attend services regularly. In 2003, the government gave churches the responsibility to develop a systematic and continuous religious education for all baptized children and youth.[1] And youth ministry vaulted to the forefront of the conversation in Norway.
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Today is the official release day for an exciting new book that I co-authored with David Livermore. For quite some time, Dave and I have been helping youth groups discover creative and practical ways to move beyond the borders that often confine youth ministry. As our students’ global awareness increases, and they want to make a difference beyond just going on a short-term mission trip, how can we help lead them? As globalization presses in and reshapes our communities, how do we respond in a Christlike way to the issues and problems?
From the Zondervan website:
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