Youth Ministry 3.0

Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Hey, if you're in youth ministry on any level, you have check out this concept for a new book by Mark Oestreicher (the president of Youth Specialties) call Youth Ministry 3.0.

He talks about the idea that youth ministry is at a crucial place in history, at a turning point where if we don't turn with it, we will easily become irrelevant and not as effective as we can be. Mark talks about how we need to change.

I have to agree with Mark. In a lot of ways I've been feeling like the way we've been doing youth ministry, is starting to ineffective. Something needs to change! I have by no means figured it out yet, but I believe Mark is on his way to helping.

The post has 9 parts right now and he's adding to it each day, check it out part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, and part 9. Check out his blog daily for additions to this series.

7 comments:

Ryan said...

I read number 1 and number 9 and got frustrated that I didn't find a definition of Youth Ministry 3.0 . . . It seems 1.0 was the original goofy youth ministry, 2.0 is Doug Fields program stuff, so 3.0 is . . . ?

Steve Gold said...

I don't know if he has a definition, I think at this point it's just bringing the idea to the table that culture is changing and so does youth ministry.

Ryan said...

Part of me was excited reading his stuff because I thought it might affirm some of the movement that I have tried to make in regards to PDYM type strategy. I think this is a pretty effective strategy for most youth (and I mean about 60%), and it gives us a common language and resources for helping the other 40%.

Where I am looking to supplement this approach is with more "organic church" discipleship, releasing the priesthood of all believers, and an expectation of the impossible through the work of the Spirit. Sometimes these things get lost in the program or institution of the church.

I am actually going to Neil Cole's Greenhouse Conference this weekend with people form Crossroads to continue to learn stuff in those directions.

marko said...

there's a lot of definition coming, starting friday is part 12!

marko said...

thanks for the link, steve

Ryan said...

Hee hee . . . guess I'll have to stay tuned.

Steve Gold said...

Apparently