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Youth
When pioneering Christian educator Henrietta Mears rewrote the youth ministry curriculum at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, California in the 1950s, she couldn’t have predicted how the field would explode during the next 50 years. Today the Christian youth movement is packed with camps, conventions, short-term missions trips, small groups, peer to peer evangelism ministries, after-school prayer sessions, and more. Organizations like Campus Crusade for Christ, Youth Specialties, Young Life, and others have emerged as guides and innovators in leading and discipling young people. Scholarship of youth and religion has also increased dramatically: the groundbreaking 2001 National Study of Youth and Religion was one of the first to track how youth perceive and act on spiritual ideas as they grow up. In many cases, young people themselves have started their own ministries, taking up social justice causes and spurring their peers on to good works.
All Articles
The Gospel Is Good News Before It’s Good Advice
Yes, Christianity can improve your life, build social cohesion, and foster respect for reality. But more importantly, Jesus is our Savior.
‘Think of It As a Best Friend and Youth Pastor in Your Pocket’
A Q&A with the cofounder of a Duolingo-style “Christian AI” app aimed at Gen Z.
News
Kenyan Christians Wrestle with Boys’ Rites of Passage
Some pastors offer circumcision ceremonies as an alternative to older practices involving ancestor worship, misogyny, and dedicating children to demons.
Mastering Masculinity
Jason Wilson’s rite of passage combines martial arts, emotional stability, and lessons from the Bible.
Black Greek Life Faces a Christian Exodus
Believers are denouncing historical fraternities and sororities that have been beacons of progress.
Review
The Urban Church’s Junior Partners
A Chicago pastor encourages inner-city churches to see their youth as potential leaders.
Welcome to Youth Ministry! Time to Talk about Anime.
Japanese animation has become a media mainstay among Gen Z. You may not “get” it, but the zoomers at your church sure do.
Come to Office Hours, Be Humble, and Go to Church
As a professor, I know you’re under pressure. Let me share what I’ve learned in 20 years in the classroom.
Be Honest About Your Motives for Mission Trips
Short-term missions are complicated and often done poorly. But with wisdom and transparency, a medical missionary explains, they can be hugely helpful.
Christian Education Can Survive ChatGPT
As an early-career educator, I was growing discouraged in the classroom. Then a small Christian college showed me a new way to teach.