Comments on: What Will “Generation Z” Look Like?

By: Nick

Nick — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:25:33 +0000

I appreciate your thoughts, Tom. Even since writing this post, my speculations are shifting slightly!

Also, I checked out some of your entries on your blog and I like what I'm seeing.

By: tompounder

tompounder — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:27:21 +0000

I like your implications for ministry sections. As you pointed out, what the next generation will look like is all speculative. But, the key is that whatever they look like, we adapt to meet them where they are at. Not sacrifice the Truth of Christ, but adapt so that we can reach them for Christ. Great post.

By: Betsy Molloy

Betsy Molloy — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:47:10 +0000

Nick,

I was wondering if you might be interested in contributing to the resource library for the website of the ministry that I work with. I enjoy your insight and your writing style. I would love to get your work out there to more youth workers! If you are interested you can check out our website's resource library (http://www.calledtoyouthministry.com/resources) and you can add a contribution on our contribute page (http://www.calledtoyouthministry.com/node/add/r...). It would be great if you were able to put a few of your past blogs up there, I think you have a lot to offer to others in youth ministry.

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you again for your work,
God bless,
Betsy

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:42:40 +0000

That's a great story, what a great idea .

By: Betsy Molloy

Betsy Molloy — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:23:03 +0000

I know that what I do is find out what the kids are interested in and try to meet them where they are at, which I think is easier for me since I am a younger youth worker. One teen that I work with applied to two different colleges, when I found out that the colleges would be playing each other in football I asked her if she knew about it and if she was interested in going to the game with me. She and I went and spent the time talking about school, friends, and just life in general. I let her talk and I listened. I think that is the key to not being patronizing. Even though it's hard to just listen to people, especially youth sometimes, that is really what they are seeking.

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:39:36 +0000

Thanks for your compliment!

Yes, there is certainly something to be said about teens longing for adults to be genuinely interested in their lives. How can we show that we are interested without patronizing?

By: Betsy Molloy

Betsy Molloy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:16:54 +0000

I loved this post. I think that youth today are seeking God through people that are leading godly lives and reaching out to them to have a relationship like Jesus Christ would. I agree that kids are seeking consistency, but I would add that they are also seeking someone who is genuinely interested in them and will pursue them.
I enjoy your writing and your insight, thank you so much for writing!
God bless,
Betsy

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:26:44 +0000

Craig, I appreciate your feedback. You've been doing ministry longer than I've been alive!

Your observation that kids are looking for someone “willing [to] speaks the unchanging truths of God” is an interesting one. I wonder if it's a response to our pluralistic culture? Maybe they long for the truth of God but need someone to show them what it looks like in our culture? I've also noticed a need for consistency in kids' lives anyway, and I wonder if there is a connection here.

By: craigmccourt

craigmccourt — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:34:27 +0000

Well said, I think we are already seeing the move from “numbers” to “depth.” As a youth worker who has been working with High Schoolers for more than 25 years, I have seen a huge shift of late. I also have seen the youth desire, not someone who looks and acts, or even speaks their language, but someone who willings speaks the unchanging truths of God.
<>< Craig McCourt