Blog
Dec 10, 2012
According to a recent study conducted by Stanford University, only 1 in 5 (20%) of teenagers “express a clear vision of where they want to go, what they want to accomplish and why.” Many youth workers and parents are concerned with teen apathy and directionlessness. Even Christian teens seem to have a difficult time connecting their faith with their future plans and career aspirations. What is needed in many churches and youth groups today is a robust theology of vocation. Enter Stephen J. Nichols and is very helpful booklet (only 30 pages!) What is Vocation? (P&R Publishing).
While this booklet is useful for everyone in the church, much of the content and concern derives from his work with teens during the formative years as a college professor. He writes, “It’s the goal of this booklet for you to see all of your work, whether you get a paycheck for it or not, whether it’s considered a noble profession or a menial task, as germane to your calling as a child of God and a disciple of Christ… The doctrine of vocation enables us to see our work, all our work, as a means by which we can serve, worship, glorify, and enjoy God.”
Not only does the booklet provide a biblical, theological and historical overview of the doctrine of vocation, but it also makes connections with personal stories and popular culture. This is recommended reading for anyone who desires a deeper understanding of calling. It would be especially helpful to youth workers and parents who want to instill the value of calling and purpose in their teens.
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Dec 7, 2012
Timothy Clydesdale published his groundbreaking book The First Year Out: Understanding American Teens After High School in 2007. After reading it, I immediately knew that the findings from his research would significantly shape the work of CPYU’s College Transition Initiative. I also knew that I needed to interview Dr. Clydesdale to ask him to help us connect the dots from his research to youth ministry. He agreed and our short interview not only led to a friendship but it also was widely circulated in many online and print media outlets.
Most recently and notably, the interview was cited in two important books, Consuming Youth: Leading Teens Through Consumer Culture and Sticky Faith: Everyday Ideas to Build Lasting Faith in Your Kids. Because of its popularity and powerful message, the interview has been reformatted for easier reading and distribution.
Click here to download (.pdf) my interview with Dr. Clydesdale, first published in 2007. Feel free to pass it along, especially to parents and youth workers who are thinking strategically about how to help young people develop a faith that lasts.
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Dec 6, 2012
On Tuesday evening, CTI hosted a “Christmas Shoppin Drop-in” fundraiser. Byron and Beth Borger of Hearts & Minds Bookstore provided an opportunity for friends to purchase books with the proceeds going toward the ongoing ministry of CPYU/CTI. A good time was had by all. (The picture is a stack of books from one happy customer!) During the evening someone said to me: “I love getting a book for Christmas. And, you know, I love giving a book for Christmas!” It’s true for me too. I love when I see a book under the tree. And, I love deciding on books to give to friends and family.
I’ve been thinking about the best books I’ve been given and have given. The first book that comes to mind was from my brother-in-law. He was studying in London, England for a semester and made a special trip to Westminster Abbey to have N.T. Wright sign a copy of The Challenge of Jesus (European edition). This was before Dr. Wright became the mega-seller-author (and somewhat controversial theologian) that he is today. It’s one of my favorite possessions.
As for books I’ve loved to give as gifts, three come to mind rather quickly: the novel Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry (I even gave one to my barber); Finding Calcutta: What Mother Teresa Taught Me About Meaningful Work and Service by Mary Poplin; and To End All Wars by Ernest Gordon. I have easily given dozens of copies of each of these books as gifts over the last ten years. Wow. That’s a lot of money come to think of it!
Tis the season for giving gifts and I’d like to give away a FREE book. Here’s how it works: Answer the question below in the comment section. There needs to be at least 5 comments to qualify. Winner will be chosen randomly from the list of participants on Tuesday, December 11.
What is one of the best books you have received as a gift and what is one of the best books you have given as a gift?
(Only one comment per person, please. The winner will be given a list of FREE books to choose from!)
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Nov 29, 2012
CPYU offers a FREE! weekly e-mail resource that provides subscribers with the latest youth culture news, research, trends and more. Starting this month, CTI has launched a new, targeted e-mail featuring a collection of resources related to college transition and emerging adulthood. Click the image below to view the complete first issue. If you are not already a subscriber, be sure to sign up here.
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Nov 28, 2012
Is your son or daughter planning to go to college? Do you assume that someone, maybe a guidance counselor, will help him or her get into a college? Are you confused by the college admissions process? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, I highly recommend Crazy U: One Dad’s Crash Course in Getting His Kid Into College by journalist Andrew Ferguson. It is an entertaining and engaging read, combining a good blend of laugh out loud humor and informative advice.
Ferguson writes about his experience walking through the process with his son. “For Americans who had gone to college in the fifties, sixties, or early seventies, a process that had seemed rather straightforward—find a school, preferably nearby, figure out how to pay for it, leave home, study, flirt, party—now appeared unexpectedly elaborate and crucially important, complicated by a bewildering array of plausible options and eager come-ons. Parents seemed slightly stunned, and then uneasy, and then confused.” As a journalist and parent, Ferguson was compelled to write a book to help eliminate the confusion. He explains, “For every piece of advice or information a parent or child receives while applying to college, there is an equal and opposite piece of advice or information that will contradict it.”
What’s most appealing about this book is that Ferguson isn’t afraid to challenge the assumption that everyone should go to college or even that one has to go to college to be successful. He challenges readers to consider why they want their child to go to college and whether or not a bachelor’s degree is the best way to meet their aspirations. Ferguson is especially concerned about the cost of college and wants to prevent parents from spending too much money on something that may not ultimately deliver what they want: a child with marketable skills and job prospects. Crazy U is worth reading by anyone trying to sort through the college admissions process and the proper place of education in the lives of young people.
Watch a video with the author and his son here.
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Nov 26, 2012
During a seminar for transitioning high school students and their parents, a parent made a comment that was very helpful. I was discussing the place of doubt within the life of a follower of Christ. One of my main points I really wanted the students to grasp was this: “It is okay to ask questions and to have doubts about faith.” In fact, I explained, doubting is part of the normal process of taking ownership of their faith. I challenged students with these words:
Faith does not deepen through being allowed to stagnate, but through being applied. In this respect, doubt is a positive thing. It is a stimulus to growth in faith. It snaps us out of complacency. – Alister McGrath
The reason many of us do not ardently believe in the gospel is that we have never given it rigorous testing, thrown our hard questions at it, faced it with our most prickly doubts. – Eugene Peterson
A parent raised his hand and made an insightful observation. He turned toward the students and said, “If you come across a difficult problem in algebra, you don’t have a math crisis. You go to someone for help. And you start with the assumption that you will be able to find an answer. Do the same thing when questions arise about the Christian faith.”
Now that’s a great point! Questions and doubts will come. The question is what will students do with them? Will they go looking for answers: asking pastors, reading books, taking them to God in prayer? I hope so. Here’s my advice in Make College Count: “Just know that when you hear a powerful argument against Christian faith, chances are pretty good that you can find a thoughtful Christian response.”
A report from the Barna Group revealed “Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church.” Reason #6 states: “The church feels unfriendly to those who doubt.” Now that shouldn’t be the case. Here are a few resources to help us better prepare students for the doubts they will face and for helping the church to be a more welcoming place for those who are wrestling with faith:
Link: www.cpyu.org/whybelieve
Article: “Where Doubt Falls Short” by Jonathan Dunn (Relevant).
Article: “I Doubt It: Allowing Space for Questions” by Kara Powell and Brad Griffin of the Fuller Youth Institute.
Video: John Ortberg, Faith and Doubt (Calvin College’s January Series)
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Nov 21, 2012
On Friday Hearts & Minds Bookstore of Dallastown, Pennsylvania will celebrate a major milestone for any small business. For thirty years, proprietors Byron and Beth Borger have faithfully and relentlessly served their neighbors and their God by selling books and promoting reading. As I sit here the day before Thanksgiving, Hearts & Minds and my friendship with Byron & Beth is pretty high on the list of things I’m thankful for!
I hope the Borgers don’t mind me pointing out that I was only five years old when they opened the store. As I was eating turkey (and too much cranberry sauce, again) during my first “break” from elementary school, the Borgers were probably putting books on shelves and a sign out front. It wouldn’t be until I was twenty-four that I would step foot into their store, nineteen years after it opened. And, with nineteen years of book evangelism under his belt, Byron went to work, recommending books and going over the “must reads” and best authors. It’s difficult to put into words what it is like to spend an afternoon with Byron at his store. Challenging. Exhilarating. Refreshing. Those words come to mind pretty quickly. So do names of authors. If it were not for Byron, I never would have known about or have been encouraged to read writers such as Wendell Berry, Walter Brueggemann or Marva Dawn. And now it’s hard to imagine my faith without reading their books. There are countless other books and authors too, but Berry, Brueggemann and Dawn represent three writers that Byron recommended at just the right time, as he always seems to do. And they are not authors that you typically see on display at most “Christian bookstores.”
There are many ways that I could honor Byron and Beth with this short reflection. Thirty years as a small business owner is inspiring enough, to say the least. What’s more, the bookselling industry has been hit pretty hard of late. Way to go Byron and Beth! Thirty years! Wow. But I don’t want to miss this opportunity to say very clearly and publically that Byron and Beth’s friendship and Hearts & Minds Bookstore fuel my work daily as the Director of CPYU’s College Transition Initiative. My passion is seeing young people take ownership of their faith during the critical years (18-25). Many times I will be talking to a teenager or parent or youth pastor and I’ll think: “If only they could spend five minutes with Byron, they could ‘see’ the difference faith in Jesus makes in every area of life.” To do my work well, I need resources and encouragement. Byron and Beth offer both on a regular basis!
The store itself is a reflection of the Kingdom of God. God cares about every nook and cranny of his Creation, and He has called people to serve Jesus is all areas of His world. (I can’t imagine writing that sentence without Byron’s influence.) And some of them have taken the time to write books (and sell them!) to spur others on to do likewise. Put simply, without Hearts & Minds, the Gospel of the Kingdom would be harder to believe.
Thank you, Byron and Beth, for your commitment and courage. It is an honor and blessing to call you friends. Here’s to thirty more years!
Please take a few minutes to watch this video of Byron talking about his store at the Center for Faith & Work at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. And join me in being thankful for the ongoing ministry of Hearts & Minds.
And, I am pleased to announce that on December 4, CTI will be hosting an event with Byron and Beth. The “Christmas Shoppin’ Drop-in” will be held at Mount Joy Mennonite Church from 6:30pm-9:00pm. There will be an opportunity to purchase thoughtful Christmas gifts from Hearts & Minds with a portion of the proceeds going to support the ministry of CPYU/CTI.
Learn more about the CTI “Christmas Shoppin’ Drop-in” here.
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Nov 20, 2012
Research from the Fuller Youth Institute reveals surprising insights into instilling lasting faith in young people. It is estimated that around 50% of students that grow up in the Christian faith walk away from the church after high school. Many church leaders have known about this growing trend but have not been sure what to do about it. The Fuller Youth Institute, under the direction of Dr. Kara Powell, conducted a ground-breaking, four-year study of this phenomenon. This “Sticky Faith” research followed teenagers from their senior year of high school until their senior year of college, hoping to discover what helped them to make their faith stick. Dr. Powell explains, “As many churches and denominations experience decline, and as anxious parents wonder about their children’s futures, the Sticky Faith research has the power to spark a movement that not only changes youth, but also families and churches.”
Here are three key findings to consider: First, while most U.S. churches focus on building strong youth groups, teenagers also need to build relationships with adults of all ages. Teens need intergenerational community. Second, churches and families overestimate youth group graduates’ readiness for the struggles ahead with dire consequences for the faith. Most teens are not ready for the challenges and temptations of life after high school. Third, while teaching young people the “dos” and “don’ts” of Christian living is important, an overemphasis on behaviors can sabotage faith long-term. Teens desperately need a Gospel of heart transformation, not just behavior modification.
Visit the Sticky Faith website to learn more about the research and to discover helpful resources that equip parents and churches to nurture in young people a faith that lasts.
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Nov 16, 2012
We try to finish strong in almost every area of life. Runners sprint toward the finish line. Sports’ teams make a final push to make the playoffs. Candidates deliver their best speeches right before Election Day. Retirees talk about moving from success to significance. And then there is high school. Many students coast through their final year. Limping toward the finish line has become the norm. There’s even a word for it: “Senioritis.” With 11 years of schooling behind them, some students develop an allergic reaction to institutions of education.
It might be easy for parents to adapt a similar posture and coast through the final year of parenting a high-schooler. Raising teens is hard work. While most students are ready for high school to be over, many parents might be just as ready for their kids to move on. It’s understandable. But that attitude could cause parents to miss a remarkable opportunity to engage their teens in more meaningful conversations. And teens need it.
According to William Damon of Stanford University, only 20 percent of teens “express a clear vision of where they want to go, what they want to accomplish and why.” Many students don’t seem to know why or if they want to go to college, what they want to study or what kind of career they want to pursue. I recently heard one student put it like this: “Going to college would be a waste of my time and my parent’s money. I have no idea what I want to do after high school.”
It’s easy to be frustrated by a young person’s apathy and lack of vision for the future, but have we done enough to equip teens with a better vision for how to make the most of their senior year? In his eye-opening book, The First Year Out: Understanding American Teens after High School, sociologist Timothy Clydesdale suggests: “More can be done to encourage those teens who do want to examine the purpose or direction of their lives by engaging them at deeper levels before the first year out of high school.” As your teens get ready to transition to their senior year, here is a “3-D vision” to keep in front of them…
Download the full article (PDF) here.
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Nov 14, 2012
Over the summer, on live TV, a man (with a tether) walked across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. It was quite the spectacle. Thousands of people gathered to watch. It was covered by multiple camera angles. Commentators chimed in with expert analysis. The man walking was miked. Viewers at home could listen in as he prayed, talked to his dad, and answered questions from the analysts. It took about 30 minutes to walk 1,800 feet.
When the man finished the “historic feat” on the Canadian side of the Falls, the American aerialist was required to show his passport to Canadian officials. When asked for the “purpose of his visit,” he replied, “To inspire people around the world.” Now, if anyone needs to be inspired, it’s people watching TV on a Friday night (like me). I’ll give him that. But I was left pondering this: inspired to do what, exactly? For about 10 minutes I genuinely considered walking across a body of water on a rope. I thought I’d start small with a few puddles in the backyard. Gradually, I would set up some kind of apparatus to walk across a small creek or tributary. And then, if I could raise enough money, obtain the proper permits, and negotiate a (local) TV contract, I imagined myself taking a shot treading above the Susquehanna River. But then I thought, “Nah.” Luckily for me, the eleven o’clock SportsCenter was about to begin. For the next 30 minutes I would be inspired to be like LeBron James. A 5’10”, 175 pound version, but LeBronesque, nonetheless.
After talking to a good friend recently on the phone for about 30 minutes, I was reminded by how much this person genuinely inspires me. What has inspired me the most over the past ten years has been witnessing her attentiveness and faithfulness in the “little things.” She is kind, thoughtful and encouraging. She loves her family, quietly does meaningful work mentoring college students and consistently and confidently reminds others, by word and deed, of the hope she has in the resurrected Lord. Her life has not been easy. Life isn’t. She’s not perfect. No one is. I’m pretty sure she has never walked a tightrope. She has important things to do. But, step by step, she has crossed many valleys with grace and courage. My friend has inspired me to be a better student, husband, and parent, not from accomplishing a once impossible feat, but by showing me that living a daily, faithful life is possible, step by step.
There is a lot of talk these days about delayed adolescence. It has been described as a “failure to launch.” According to many social scientists and cultural critics, young people are not “growing up.” A video for a new book by journalist Sally Koslow, Slouching Toward Adulthood, reveals that:
85% of last year’s college graduates moved home
56% of bachelor’s degree holders under the age of 25 are jobless or underemployed
59% of adults aged 18-39 who are not students get financial aid from their parents
I am still on the fence as to whether or not the majority of young people are simply immature or if modern social conditions are redefining adulthood. But I do know that young people need to be inspired to live well-lived lives that matter. And I am more and more convinced that what is needed is deeper, mentoring relationships between the young and old. This is neither a magic bullet solution to the “problem” of emerging adulthood or a novel proposition. Ancients have taught us that wisdom and maturity come from being around wise and mature people. People inspire us and slowly we begin to model their behavior. The question is what is keeping this from happening in our culture. I think inspiration is the key. Maybe we’ve forgotten how to inspire or what good inspiration looks like.
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