Fall 2008/Pasadena
YF500
Clark
YF500: FOUNDATION OF YOUTH MINISTRY. Chapman Clark.
DESCRIPTION: This course gives an overview of contemporary culture, especially
as it affects youth ministry, and provides foundational and historical youth
ministry concepts, models, and philosophies. In addition, a broad spectrum of
ministry programs and issues will be addressed, such as "the changing family,"
recruitment and care of volunteers, organizing a ministry program, missions and
service, outreach to adolescents, camping, etc.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will (1) understand cultural trends that influence
and affect adolescents and their families; (2) develop a comprehensive theology
and philosophy of youth ministry and know how to obtain and use tools to
implement these; (3) understand the different ministry needs of early, middle,
and late adolescents, especially in relation to families; (4) create
multi-generational relational programs and curriculum that enable discipleship
and Christian nurture within a theologically driven framework of congregational
ownership and assimilation.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: From a human perspective, the future of the church
rests in the hands of the next generation. How those in power pass on the
Christian faith to children and adolescents will determine the shape of the
church for years to come. Understanding the nature of human and spiritual
development, how to read a culture, how to solicit support and adult ownership
and how to develop programs and models that reach an adolescent subculture will
honor God by preparing them for service in the kingdom.
COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet weekly for three-hour sessions of lectures,
class discussion, and presentations by guest experts. Each student will
complete a detailed final project.
REQUIRED READING:
- Clark, Chap. Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers.
Baker Academic, 2004.
- Clark, Chap, Kendra Dean & Dave Rahn. Starting Right: A Practical
Theology of Youth Ministry. Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2001.
- Fields, Doug. Purpose Driven Youth Ministry. Zondervan/Youth
Specialties, 1998 (390 pages).
- Yaconelli, Mark. Growing Souls: Experiments in Contemplative Youth
Ministry. Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2007 (288 pages).
- 250 pages of recommended reading (or other reading approved by the
professor).
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Lambert, Dan. Teaching That Makes a Difference: How to Teach for
Holistic Impact. Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2004.
- Mueller, Walter. Understanding Today's Youth Culture. Rev. ed.
Tyndale, 1998 (260 pages).
- Nichols, Sharon L. & Thomas L. Good. America's Teenagers--Myths and
Realities: Media Images, Schooling, and the Social Costs of Careless
Indifferences. Lawrence Erlbaum, 2004.
- Olson, G., D. Elliot & M. Work. Youth Ministry Management Tools.
Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2000.
- Rice, W. Junior High Ministry. Rev. ed. Zondervan/Youth Specialties,
1998.
- Robbins, Duffy. This Way to Youth Ministry: An Introduction to the
Adventure. Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2004.
- Stevenson, D. & Barbara L. Schneider. The Ambitious Generation:
America's Teenagers, Motivated but Directionless. Yale University Press,
1999.
ASSIGNMENTS: (1) Five 2-3 page reflections on the readings (25%). (2) A
midterm on the lectures (40%). (3) A 15-page final project which reflects a
programmatic interpretation of the course content (35%).
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Christian Formation
& Discipleship (MIN 4) or Ministry Foundations requirement (MIN F) for
other master's degrees. Required course for MDiv concentration in Youth, Family
& Culture; and for MA in Youth, Family & Culture.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (7/08)