Incarnational Youth Ministry - just a buzzword?
Young people are more important than programmes!
Is that it? Twenty years experience for that? Even the greenest of youth workers know that!
Yes,
and my response as a new youth worker would have been the same. Of
course the young people are more important than the programmes. Duh!!
This sounds
blatantly obvious, but in reality I know how easily programmes can
work their way up the priority list, especially when a large number of
young people are involved. I have been there. Ashamedly, at times I
have focused on creating cool looking programmes to the detriment of the
young people I provided them for. Yes, these programmes may have
attracted a lot of young people, but how many of them really felt loved
during these times? How often did they have the opportunity to talk
about their hopes, dreams, and fears? And ... how much space was made
for God to move in their lives?
Hmmmm ....
Hmmmm ....
Over
the last ten years or so, I have read a lot about different youth work
models and their claim to effectively impact the lives of young people.
Some of these have been very programme focused, whilst others seem to
have no structure at all. Leaning towards the latter is incarnational
youth work. This term has definitely done the rounds in the youth
ministry circles I have been involved in. But is there a biblical
principle to this form of youth work, or is it merely a trendy Christian
buzzword, with no real meaning or understanding?
A few years ago I researched the Incarnational Youth Ministry Model in my Professional Studies Module at Moorlands College.
If you are interested in my findings, I invite you to read on ...
(The
writing below forms part of an essay I wrote on the subject, all quotes
are indicated and referenced at the bottom of the page)
Incarnational Youth Work
As a professional youth
worker our aim is to facilitate the personal, social and educational
development of young people, enabling them to gain a voice in society.
As a Christian youth worker our aim is to ‘love’ the young people
(John 13:34-35), and fulfil the Great Commission to ‘go and make
disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19-20). Jesus developed
relationships with people that had both a significant influence on their
attitudes and lifestyle, and encouraged them to become
disciples. Jesus came to the world, lived in it, and impacted it. He
was God incarnate. Incarnational theology should influence our
attitudes and actions as Christian youth workers, whether in a secular
or Christian environment.
There
are two main aspects of the incarnation that incarnational youth
ministry focuses on. Firstly, just as God came to dwell amongst
humanity on earth, youth workers should go to young people. The second
aspect looks at how Jesus spent his time with people, loving and serving
them sacrificially. Similarly, youth workers should build
relationships with young people in order to love and serve them.
‘Incarnational
youth ministry, or relational youth ministry as it became known,
emerged in the middle of the last century’ and seeks to ‘communicate
Jesus’ love simply by building relationships with young people through
which they can experience the love of God.’[1]
The hope is that through these relationships the young people will see
Jesus. This model of youth work, in its purest form moves completely
away from that practiced by many youth workers, (especially
church-based) today. Incarnational ministry is less about programmes
and more about people; the point of incarnational ministry is that the
‘person is the programme.’[2]
With no programmes to prepare for, the incarnational model may
initially appear to be a simple, and easy form of youth work. However,
it should be noted that when the ‘Word became incarnate, there was a lot
more to it than merely becoming human and forming friendships.’[3]
It is the same with incarnational ministry; it not only takes time to
initiate and develop friendships, but it requires youth workers to
conduct their lives in such a way that they continuously demonstrate the
unconditional love of Christ. It is a costly way of ‘doing’ youth
work.
All
incarnational youth work aims to reflect the incarnation of Jesus
through relationships. The majority of Christian youth workers see
these relationships as a platform from which evangelism might develop.[4]
In line with the Great Commission they build relationships to look for
opportunities to share the gospel, and disciple young people. Critics
of this approach include Andrew Root. In his book, Revisiting Relational Youth Ministry,
he states the incarnation demonstrates how ‘God became human to be with
and for us, not to simply influence us toward this or that end.’[5] In the same way he proposes youth workers should simply aim to show the love of Christ in
relationships, fulfilling the command to ‘love one another’ with no
further agenda. This incarnational approach implies the youth worker is
to be, as Luther suggested, ‘little Christs’ to the young people.[6]
Although this understanding of incarnational ministry fits well within
secular youth work where overtly sharing the gospel is not permitted,
the eternal impact on the young people has to be considered. A more
realistic and beneficial understanding of incarnational ministry is that
the youth worker assumes the role of John the Baptist as one who points
people to Christ.[7] This involves both loving as Christ commanded us to, and looking for opportunities to share the gospel appropriately within relationships.
Going to …
‘We
do not have to climb a ladder into heaven in order to find God and be
with Him. God came down that ladder, in order to meet us where we are
and take us back with him.’[8]
While we were still sinners, Christ came to save us (Romans 5:8). He
took the initiative. Incarnational youth work reflects this aspect of
the incarnation as youth workers ‘take the initiative to go to where the
young people are, and make the effort to understand them and the world
within which they function.’[9]
Simply put, youth workers are to ‘go to’ young people. Pete Ward’s
‘outside in’ approach to youth work is a prime example of this aspect of
incarnational youth work.[10]
He explains that ‘contact’ is the first step in incarnational
(relational) youth work. Contact involves youth workers ‘coming into
social contact with individuals or groups of young people in ways that
lay aside the normal adult authoritarian roles.’[11]
Detached
youth work reflects this principle. This form of youth work aims to
encourage personal and social development within young people, by
‘working where young people have chosen to be, whether this be the
streets, cafes, or shopping centres.’[12]
‘When
God chooses to communicate, he uses the language, customs and social
relationships of a particular group of people in a particular time and
in a particular place.’[13]
This is evident in the life of Jesus. To effectively reflect the
incarnation, ‘going to’ requires more of youth workers than physically
entering the geographical location of young people. ‘To work
incarnationally is to start by accepting young people as they are.’[14]
Youth workers must meet the young people and interact with them within
the various subcultures of which they are a part. They should be
‘students of youth culture’[15], and astute to the issues surrounding young people today.
In order to engage relevantly with young people, Richards states that youth leaders are to ‘become youth.’[16]
However, Jesus knew and understood cultures, and always met people in
relevant ways, but he never relinquished his divinity. He always
remained fully God. In the same way, the aim of youth workers should be
to ‘understand, imbibe and function within the world of the young
people, integrating and identifying with them, whilst still remaining
adults, in an adult world, with age-bought wisdom.’[17] Ward adds that to seek acceptance as one of the young people defeats the object of their involvement.[18]
Youth leaders must approach young people with integrity, and not
pretend to be ‘trendy’ to impress or fit in. Young people will see
straight through the façade. Authenticity is vital.[19]
Being with …
Jesus’
life displays a deeper commitment than simply ‘going to’ people. ‘He
was close to people, empathising with their hurts, joys and aspirations,
and he never adopted the typical style of the guru, aloof and distant,
dispensing esoteric wisdom from inaccessible peaks.’[20]
Jesus cared deeply for the people he met. He sacrificially served
them. He unconditionally loved them. Through relationships,
incarnational youth ministry aims to love and serve young people in the
same way. Warren identifies three attributes displayed in Jesus’
relationships that guide incarnational workers: He loved (Matthew 9:36
et al), met needs (Matthew 15:30; Luke 6:17-18) and taught relevantly
(Matthew 13:34; Mark 10:1)[21]
Loving
Jesus
not only demonstrated the importance of love through his actions, he
also commanded it (John 13:34). He unconditionally loved all people.
‘Love overcomes obstacles and excuses; it sees beyond what it does not
like and minimises it, in order to see the person who is at the back of
it.’[22]
Jesus saw beyond peoples’ attitudes and behaviour, and loved them
enough to die for them. Christian youth workers are commanded to love all
those they work with, including those who are difficult, rude and
obnoxious! This love must be demonstrated within church environments,
secular youth centres and to all young people met ‘on the streets’.
Incarnational youth ministry develops relationships with young people in
order to express this love.
Meeting Needs
Jesus
demonstrated love tangibly by meeting the needs of those he met. In
the same way, incarnational ministry requires youth workers to meet the
needs of the young people they work with. James highlights the
significance of this proclaiming that ‘faith, if not accompanied by
action, is dead’ (James 2:17). This is possibly the most difficult
aspect of incarnational youth work to undertake within a secular setting. Actual
contact time within which young people may reveal specific needs is
relatively short, and various policies limit involvement outside of
sessions.
Teaching Relevantly
Jesus
used parables and specific situations in order to teach practically and
relevantly. Incarnational youth workers seek to do the same through
the conversations encountered within relationships. ‘The Son of God,
who had all the answers to the world’s needs, who was the answer,
so respected the personalities and individualities of his listeners
that he allowed them to determine his communication agenda more than
half the time.’[23]
As
youth workers spend time in relationships with young people, their
lives also become a vessel for teaching. Young people learn through the
faithful lifestyles of youth workers who act as mentors and models.[24]
This requires Christian youth workers to live in such a way that their
life reflects their relationship with God. A life of integrity is
essential within Christian youth ministry, but does not appear to be
such a key element within secular youth work. This may be due to the
separation of professional and private lives, and the difference between
viewing youth work as a career or a calling.
Conclusion
Within a secular setting,
there is a temptation to view youth work purely as a career, committing
only to contract hours, and adhering to a pre-set job description.
However, Christians have a calling to live out their lives in such a way
that shows people ‘who Jesus is, and what he cares about.’[25]
This calling requires Christians to be transformed by the Holy Spirit
through regular communion with Jesus, and the reading of the Word, in
order to become more ‘Christ-like.’ Incarnational youth work provides a
framework within which Jesus’ love can be shown. It is proactive, time
consuming, sacrificial, and requires a life of integrity. In light of
this study and placement experience I conclude that although it has a
specific focus on young people, incarnational youth work is ultimately
no more than the calling to all Christians to ‘go into the world to make
disciples’ and to ‘love one another.’
[For permission to copy any of the above, and full correct referencing, please email me]
[For permission to copy any of the above, and full correct referencing, please email me]
Thank you for being great during the years I was involved in :D (sincerely meant - just to clarify)
ReplyDeleteYoung people are more important than programmes!
ReplyDeleteAs a youth pastor in Hong Kong where programmes sometimes dominate everything, I still AGREE with you !