Network Blog

Where has innovation gone?

There once was a time when an entire cottage industry (and in some cases, some big business) had developed around creativity and innovation in youth ministry.  Ok...back then, we just called it youth ministry, but you get the idea.

People were thinking around new and creative ways to communicate the Gospel to young people.  Now, have to be honest here:  It wasn't all good.  Really.  "Chubby Bunnies", while funny to watch, might not have had a lot of spiritual impact...and I'm not at all sure of the ecclesiological meaning behind the game "tapehead."  

Ministry with young people was didactic.  It was straightforward.  We told...they heard...we all went out for pizza.  <Broad, sweeping generalization alert here> There wasn't a lot of theological depth to those things.  These things were the "invitation."  They were the "right to be heard."  It could be (and has been) argued that they were the "bait" in the giant game of  "bait and switch" that we all played.

But just as I don't want to inappropriately romanticize the old days, I don't want to demonize them either.  The heart was in the right place...it was genuine.  Youth ministry wanted real Christ-centered transformation to happen.  And so a lot of time and attention went into being innovative and creative to communicate the truths of the gospel.  

It may not always have been deep, but it was often clever.

Now, we are (rightfully) much more interested in theological reflection than we were.  We aim deeper.  And we know the value of connecting the faith formation in our congregations to the faith formation that is happening in homes.

No one disputes the importance of this.  I've never heard anyone say "gee, I wish our ministry was more shallow."  But having said that, I wonder where the innovation is?  How is this deeper, more theologically aware ministry living itself out?  Lots of new material is being written about why we should be moving in this direction.  What I am not reading is "how" we can creatively think about these things.  What does it look like?  What is the praxis that parallels our theory?

I would like the Network to be the place that this conversation is taking place.  I would love it if we could make this web site a clearinghouse, and a living laboratory for this kind of thinking.  Perhaps it's kind of a free "Criagslist" for resources.  

My theory is this:  Once upon a time youth ministers depended on the resource providers to tell us what we needed to do, and then how to do it.  This was a necessary phase in the development of a ministry practice and discipline.

Now, the practitioners have the history...the education and the expertise to set the agenda and to provide at least a significant portion of the resources.

So let's be the Network.  Let's figure out a way to share this expertise.  And let's give these things to each other.  Let's suppport each other in our work and ministry.

How?

Not sure yet.

Ideas?

I'd love to hear them.  Please post comments below.

More to come, as the conversation continues.

Pax,
Todd.