books:

	Presence-centered Youth Ministry: Guiding Students into Spiritual Formation Mike King InterVarsity Press, 2006 - 192 pages average customer review:based on 8 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

How many programs does it take to change a youth group?

That question has bothered youth workers for decades, and the cracks in its logic are beginning to show. In place of the contrived, artificial mechanisms employed so widely in modern youth outreach and discipleship, Mike King proposes a ministry centered in the presence of God.

Young people encounter Christ not in the flash and pop of arena ministry, but in the sacred shadow of his presence. They learn what it is to love and follow Christ by observing others loving and following Christ--letting Christ shape their worldviews, their habits, their virtues. Presence-Centered Youth Ministry gives shape to such ministry through the classic disciplines and potent symbols and practices that have sustained the church over the centuries.

The sound and fury that has characterized youth ministry for so long has left too many youth workers tired and too many young people disillusioned. Come explore the deeper terrain; your students are sure to follow.

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Youth worker as a spiritual guide

As a pastor, rarely do I ever read a book twice. But I picked up King's book again the other day because the plight of evangelicalism's future fell upon me once again and I think King not only provides a much needed critique of evangelical youth ministry, but also a path forward. In his book, King quotes Os Guiness who was asked by a non-Christian foreigner, "How come when I meet a Buddhist leader I feel like I am in the presence of a holy man, but when I meet a Christian leader, I feel like I have met an entrepreneur, a mover and shaker, a wheeler dealer?" King's book seems to offer evangelicals a way to regain some much needed credibility by rediscovering spiritual practices that have been practiced by Christians for generations long before we began writing them off because of divisive nuances in our ecclesiologies.

King is right, youth workers need to see their role as spiritual guides rather than program directors. Probably the more difficult task is not convincing the youth workers, but getting the broader church to understand that its primary responsibility is not to cultivate youth who are nice, well-behaved kids who stay far away from trouble, but to guide youth into the presence of God and to create a passion for joining God in his story.

Highly recommended. I've bought several copies for friends already.

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An effective guide for all youth workers

"Presence-centered Youth Ministry" tells an engaging story of the extremes and challenges of youth ministry over the years, and invites readers to approach teenagers in a more honest and effective way. Mike King's honesty in telling his own story is inspiring. He then moves on to specific practices for youth workers to engage in both individually and with their students. He reminds the reader of the meaning and depth of many Christian rituals and traditions that are often looked past, and I have found these practices effective both for myself and my students.

I gave this book to each of my committed volunteer youth workers and continually refer back to it for assistance in real youth ministry. King is a brilliant story teller and a great guide for youth workers.

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King gets it right

Presently within YM, Presence-Centered Youth Ministry is a great book that will engage the young people of the America church. Mike King serves as President of YouthFront, a Youth Ministry organization. YouthFront works to bring youth into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by creating environments where spiritual transformation occurs, by working with those who are involved in the spiritual formation of youth and by providing church-assisting events. King's youth ministry experience and expertise is highly evident in Presence-Centered Youth Ministry.

King in chapters 1-3 describes why youth ministry is experiencing much hardship. King argues that youth ministry is playing it too safe and comfortable. He states: The call to follow this true God is not safe or convenient, unlike much of the feel-good, carefree god-think being modeled to our young people today. The present of Jesus in the lives of adolescents who are nurtured by the power of Scripture is not safe, but it's the essence of presence-centered youth ministry. (47)

King argues in chapters 4-7 what youth pastors and youth ministries need to be in order for their youth ministry to become presence-centered. Youth ministry is about being with youth, not just as a role model or friend but also as a spiritual guide and a traveling companion. (6 8) There needs to be a new way of doing youth ministry--a youth ministry that experiences and embodies the presence of God. King suggests that when student sense a polished performance and impeccable image, students are immediately turned off. Research reminds us that students are suspicious of bigness, of advertising and ego trips. They want churches to be down to earth and unpretentious. (74)

Chapters 8- 11 illustrates how to implement a presence-centered youth ministry. He suggests the practices of: listening prayer, imaginative prayer, prayer postures, providing signs of the cross, praying with icons, storytelling, incent prayers, sacred reading and contemplation, and lectio divina. King also refers to a website to obtain more presence centered activities: www.sacredgateway.org.

I loved how passionate King was about creating environments that experience God's presence. King wants a youth ministry to connect to the early church and tradition, embody their faith, explore the challenge and cost of being a disciple of Jesus, connect between personal faith and a faith community, arrange a tangible expression of faith within a local community, emphasize on being a servant and living out faith, emphasize on classic Christian formation, and deemphasize the activities that do not lead to genuine transformation. Encountering God's presence will bring forth transformation. Youth ministry should not be a means of information, but a journey towards a life long transformation.

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I Am with you always

Great book by a youth minister who's being doing this for awhile - his heart mirrored the youth he worked with - a hunger for Christ - transformation that is real and just as promised. Moving from behavior mod to a presence-centered life is what will keep our kids (and ourselves) from losing our connection with our One True Love. This is so good I know I'll keep reading it over and over again.


Great book to help leaders connect to Jesus

Mike King is a long time youth worker who brings 30 years of experience to this book. He shares his stories and frustrations with the way youth ministry has been run for year. And as he grew in maturity he began to boil down youth ministry to what he felt was most important - - Jesus.

This book does a great job of getting the focus back on Jesus and making sure that first and foremost the youth leader is connected to Jesus heart. The students will follow as we become more and more in love with Jesus. King proposes many practices that would be viewed as controversial in many protestant communities but in truth many of these practices are timeless and can really strengthen your faith.

I think this book is valuable for youth leaders because King challenges us to tend to our hearts first. Also, King reminds us that the true success of any youth ministry is not how many students show up to your wednesday night program. Rather, the true measuring stick is how many of those students are connected to Jesus and the church 30 years down the road. To do this youth leaders need to think long term and we need to equip and encourage students to seek Jesus on their own. You can have the flash and bells and whistles in your program but you just better be sure that that's not all you have.

Great read I highly recommend it to any youth leader and to pastors in general.

jasondeuman.com

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