The shifts occur as the El Cajon, California-based company
deals with an internal reorganization that included laying off nearly half its
30 full-time staff members in January.
The biggest change: The 3,000-plus youth workers expected to
attend the conventions—held in Los Angeles, Cincinnati, and Atlanta—can expect
keynote speakers to address fewer hot-button issues from the main stage than in
years past.
Organizers promise more unifying "big room" gatherings that
celebrate what the diverse crowds—ranging from conservative evangelicals to
mainline Protestants and Catholics—have in common: the gospel of Jesus Christ,
a belief in God's power to transform lives, and a passion for developing young
people of faith.
"Whether you're a liberal [Methodist] or Presbyterian or
some other denomination like that, or whether you come from a Southern Baptist
church or an independent Bible church, those are things we can stack hands on,"
Oestreicher said.
Typically, Youth Specialties' national conventions have
featured speakers expected to challenge audiences and offer fresh, even
controversial, theological perspectives, said Chap Clark, professor of youth,
family, and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
"Youth Specialties has been the forum for thoughtful youth
ministry conversations for 30 years," said Clark, a regular speaker at the
conventions. "Youth Specialties' niche has never been to proclaim a certain
slant. [It has] simply tried to get the conversation going."
But in recent years, Youth Specialties has faced a backlash
from certain segments of its constituency, Oestreicher acknowledged.
"To put it in a negative [light], we almost built a convention
where everybody has the opportunity to get [upset] or to get bugged about
something," he said. "I really noticed that it was creating more contention
than unity."
Last year, for example, one featured speaker was Andrew
Marin, president and founder of the Marin Foundation, a nonprofit that builds
bridges between the religious and gay communities. Marin's appearance hit a
nerve with some, but not all, conservatives, and probably prompted Youth
Specialties' decision to "play it safe" at the upcoming conventions, said Kenda
Creasy Dean, an associate professor of youth, church, and culture at Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey.
At the same time, other national youth-worker training
events—such as the Orange Conference and the National Youth Ministry Conference—have emerged in recent years, said Clark, who also speaks at those
events. The new conferences, perceived in some quarters as more conservative
than Youth Specialties events, have created more competition in the youth
ministry industry.
"I don't see a big ideological shift here. I see a business
plan in action," Creasy Dean said of Youth Specialties' announced changes.
A United Methodist, Creasy Dean noted that Marin will be at
the convention this fall to lead smaller laboratory sessions. She voiced hope
that Youth Specialties won't revert to a policy of inviting only ideologically
similar speakers.
"For one thing, it would dissuade Youth Specialties'
progressive constituents from attending," Creasy Dean said. "And while these
folks may not be Zondervan's base, they're a significant part of the Youth
Specialties culture.
"Second, while right now the economy is forcing everyone to
look for ways to 'play it safe,' the gospel calls us to build bridges, which is
always dangerous work," she said. "Investing in the future requires risk, all
the more so while you're banking your future on the imitation of Christ—who is
not exactly known for playing it safe."
For his part, Oestreicher said Youth Specialties remains
committed to "pushing the envelope," including scheduling for the first time an
entire Saturday of open-topic sessions for attendees to discuss interests in
small groups.
"There's definitely an opportunity to engage in discussions
around topics," he said. "It's not like we're trying to make this a vanilla
event that is lowering the bar to the least common denominator so that we can
all agree on everything and create some kind of false utopia."