The Matheson Accord on Youth Ministry:
Suggested Bibliographic Resources and Practical Activities

by Artemio Allan Martin, II
co-founder, dre.am VISION ministries
 
 
The following is a selection of resources and suggested activities to accompany each paragraph of the Matheson Accord on Youth Ministry (see Appendix A) reached by delegates to the Hancock Center Symposium on Youth Ministry held February 27 - March 1, 1995 in Matheson Chapel on the campus of La Sierra University, Riverside, California:

The Goal of Youth Ministry
We accept as the goal of youth and young adult ministry
the Valuegenesis definition of faith maturity: a
vibrant, life-transforming faith marked by both a deep,
personal relationship with a loving God and a consistent
commitment to serving others.


Suggested Bibliographic Resources

Benson, P. L., & Donahue, M. J. (1990, October 1). Valuegenesis: Report 1 a study of the influence of family, church, and school on the faith, values and commitment of Adventist youth. Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute.

Dudley, R. L. (1992). Valuegenesis: Faith in the balance. Riverside, CA: La Sierra University Press.

Fee, G. D., & Stuart, D. (1982). How to read the Bible for all its worth: A guide to understanding the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Foster, R. J. (1978). Celebration of discipline. New York, NY: Harper & Row.

Foster, R. J. (1985). Money, sex, & power: The challenge of the disciplined life. New York, NY: Harper & Row.

Mulholland, M. R. (1985). Shaped by the word: The power of Scripture in spiritual formation. Nashville, TN: The Upper Room.

Wisbey, R. (Ed.). (1994, Winter). Sharing the faith. Giraffe News, 3(1).

Practical Activities to Implement Concept

1. If you do not have one yet, construct a mission statement for your youth/young adult ministry. Then at random, without revealing your mission statement, ask your young people what they perceive to be the purpose of your ministry. What differences and parallels emerge? Finally, with your youth/young adults, construct a mission statement with time-limited, short- and long-term goals you all hope to achieve as a team.

2. Among your local youth/young adult ministry colleagues, cultivate a small group time where you can develop your spiritual disciplines. During this one meeting: no kids, no spouses, no senior pastors! Build spiritual accountability among your peers.

The Center of Youth Ministry
We are heartened by the multiplied evidence that
Adventist youth and young adults are discovering that
Jesus is the heart of the Adventist experience, the core
of Adventist belief, and the reason for Adventist behavior.
We are committed to deepening that discovery and to
ending the confusion about salvation that so often
exists among our youthful members. We take the
responsibility of seeing that the grace of God is the
theme of every youth ministry event we plan, every song
we sing, every prayer we pray, every sermon we preach.
We will lift up Jesus in all our evangelism, trusting
His promise to draw all people to Himself (John 12:32).

Suggested Bibliographic Resources

Peterson, E. H. (1993). The message: The new testament in contemporary English. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

Smedes, L. B. (1993). Shame and grace: Healing the shame we don't deserve. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Practical Activities to Implement Concept

1. Empower your youth/young adults to do a video production portraying Christ's New Testament actions of grace, but be sure to make the setting contemporary. Have your young people write, paraphrase and adapt Biblical scenes. Have them direct, do the sets, the editing, all of it. From the demoniac, to the adulterous woman, to the thief on the cross, use the characters that lend themselves best to 20th century adaptation.

2. Take your youth group to visit a local prison or penitentiary. Have them experience being handcuffed or being put in jail. Explore the issues of guilt and penalty. Help them get a sense of imprisonment. Discuss the feelings that would accompany pardon and freedom.



Youth Ministry at Worship
We will continue to explore ways to more actively
involve our youth in worship experiences which speak to
the very core of their lives, which encourage them to
offer their expressions of praise, and which produce
lasting commitment to the faith communities to which
they belong.
 
We are further committed to opening to our youth and
young adults the blessings of a lifestyle of worship, in
which they see all the activities of their daily lives
as a response to the grace of God, rather than
experiencing a segmented spirituality in which they
worship God only during times of worship.

 
Suggested Bibliographic Resources

Banks, R. (1987). All the business of life: Bringing theology down to Earth. Claremont, CA: Albatross Books.

Barna, G. (1991). User friendly churches: What Christians need to know about the churches people love to go to. Ventura, CA: Regal Books.

Bonfante, J., Kamlani, R., Taylor, E., & Towle, L. H. (1993, April 5). The church search. Time, 141(14), 44-49.

Bruggemann, S., Martin, A. A., Martin, D., & Wisbey, R. (1993, November). Proposal of the North American Division Youth Evangelism Taskforce sub-committee on seeker sensitivity. Unpublished report. (Available from dre·am VISION ministries, P.O. Box 2345, Pasadena, CA 91102-2345).

Church leadership conference notebook. (1991, February). (Available from Willow Creek Community Church, 67 East Algonquin Road, South Barrington, IL 60010).

Hauerwas, S. (1981). A community of character: Toward a constructive Christian social ethic. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.

Hershey, T. (1986). Young adult ministry. Loveland, CO: Group Books.

Martin, A. A. (1994, Winter). Young adult ministry essentials. Giraffe News, 3(1), 14.

Rice, W. (Ed.). (1994, Winter). Student leadership. Youthworker, 10(3).

Waite, D. J. (1994, February). A strategy for increasing baby buster worship participation in the military. Unpublished focus paper, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, CA.

Wisbey, R. (Ed.). (1993, Spring). Giraffe churches. Giraffe News, 2(2).

Wisbey, R. (Ed.). (1994, Spring/Summer). Worship: Breaking down the walls. Giraffe News, 3(2).

Practical Activities to Implement Concept

1. Do a comparative protestant religion series, examining and visiting other Christian worship services, ranging from traditional to orthodox to high church to low church to contemporary, etc. Discuss what aspects of each service heightened your group's awareness of God and encouraged them to worship.

2. Develop a youth/young adult group sermon, where members of your group would elaborate on the purpose of each portion of the worship service, presenting during the actual worship service. Process the process; Educate your young people and the congregation as to the intention of the order of service.


A Local Youth Ministry
We affirm that youth ministry is primarily local, that
it is best accomplished in a relational dynamic in
homes, churches and schools, the settings being as
diverse as the individuals involved. It happens in peer
relationships and between youth and young adults and
their parents, lay youth leaders, pastors, teachers,
chaplains and school administrators.
 
We realize that this ministry is largely untrained, that
it takes place at virtually every level without the
benefit of specific education in areas such as the
developing needs of the constituency, the best methods
of ministering to a rapidly changing culture, the
resources for accomplishing effective ministry, and even
the issues that such ministry encounters.

We see that the primary task of professional youth
ministry is to empower local youth ministry.

Suggested Bibliographic Resources

Habada, P. A. (1993). General Conference Commission on Youth report: A summary report of division sub-commissions on youth to the annual council 1993. (Available from Department of Church Ministries, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904).

Murphy, T. (1991, July). Boomers, busters and 50-plussers: Managing the new generation gaps. Working Woman, 16(7), 41-45.

Rice, W. (Ed.). (1993, Fall). Community building. Youthworker, 10(2).

Richards, L. O. (1975). Christian education: Seeking to become like Jesus Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Rojas, J. V. (1995, January 22). Moving forward: Enabling a locally-based structure for North American youth leadership. Unpublished report. (Available from Jose V. Rojas, North American Division, Department of Youth Ministries, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904).

Strauss, W., & Howe, N. (1991, April). The cycle of generations. American Demographics, 13(4), 24-33, 52.

Strauss, W., & Howe, N. (1992, December). The new generation gap. The Atlantic Monthly, 270(6), 67-89.

Wick, P. (1990). Let me be a window: Building a relational youth ministry. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald.

Practical Activities to Implement Concept

1. Implement a mentoring/apprenticeship program in your local church. Taking The Lead: Youth Apprenticeship Program is a wonderful resource available from the NAD Distribution Center, or feel free to develop a program that best fits your congregation.

2. Make a commitment to attend a youth ministry training event each year, taking two or more young people with you. Group Publishing, John Hancock Center, Youth for Christ, Youth Resource Center, Youth Specialties, and your union or local conference are among many organizations that present training in your region. Make time to hone your skills and nurture young leadership.


An Inclusive Youth Ministry
We are eager for the establishment of an inclusive youth
ministry, one which is responsive to the needs of all
the members of our constituency, regardless of race,
color, nationality, language, gender, ability or even
the educational choices they make.

Accordingly, we are in agreement that this inclusive
ministry must become more intercultural than merely
multi-cultural. We affirm the need for and the gifts of
both genders in youth and young adult ministry. We are
thankful for the quality of youth ministry that
continues to be accomplished by Seventh-Day Adventist
teachers employed by Seventh-Day Adventist schools, but
we also recognize the increasing urgency of the need to
minister to the growing majority of Adventist students
who do not attend Adventist schools.

Suggested Bibliographic Resources

Bascom, T. (1994, February). Busting racial barriers. Group, 20(4), 14-16.

Collins, R. F. (1986). Christian morality: Biblical foundations (pp. 193-207). Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame.

Daily, S. (1993). Adventism for a new generation. Portland, OR: Better Living Publishers.

Furnish, V. P. (1985). The moral teachings of Paul: Selected issues (2nd ed., pp. 83-114). Nashville, TN: Abingdon.

Hare-Mustin, R. T., & Marecek, J. (1988). The meaning of difference: Gender theory, postmodernism, and psychology. American Psychologist, 43(6), 455-464.

Hauerwas, S. (1981). A community of character: Toward a constructive Christian social ethic. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.

Hayter, M. (1987). The new Eve in Christ: The use and abuse of the Bible in the debate about women in the church (pp. 118-145). Grand Rapids, MI: W. B. Eerdmans.

Kjesbo, D. M. (1994, September). Women in youth ministry: The path to respect. Group, 20(8), 34-36.

Ogletree, T. W. (1983). The use of the Bible in Christian ethics. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress.

Rice, W. (Ed.). (1994, Summer). The future. Youthworker, 11(1).

Stendahl, K. (1966). The Bible and the role of women: A case study in hermeneutics (pp. 25-37). Philadelphia: Fortress.

Unger, R., & Crawford, M. (1992). Women and gender: A feminist psychology. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Witherington, B. (1990). Women and the physical family. In A Witherington (Ed.), Women and the genesis of Christianity (pp.123-146). New York, NY: Cambridge University.

Youth Evangelism Taskforce. (1993, November). Proposed Action Plans: North American Division. Report presented at the North American Division Year-End Meetings. (Available from North American Division, Department of Youth Ministries, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904).

Practical Activities to Implement Concept

1. Begin an "adopt-a-student" campaign in your local church. Have families write, invite, and spiritually support an Adventist student attending a nearby college or university. Insure that support is consistent, positive, and respectful of the student.

2. Initiate an "International Sabbath" where native costumes are worn, customs are expressed, and ethnic heritage is shared as part of worship, fellowship, and celebration.

3. Nurture the ministry and leadership skills of at least one woman, one young person, and one individual of minority ethnic status in your church community.

 

A Professional Youth Ministry
We affirm the need for a truly professional element of
youth and young adult ministry within the Adventist
church.

We believe this professionalism necessitates specific
training that will enable the successful accomplishment
of recognized youth ministry endeavors (one example
would be summer camp management), and, at the same time,
better prepare the professional for the individual,
changing, creative, and sometimes surprising demands
that are so significant a part of youth ministry
(including such topics as building effective staff
relationships and establishing a more effective,
interdisciplinary approach to ministry).

We are intrigued by the concept of certification, and,
while we recognize the need to be careful and diplomatic
in exploring the idea, we encourage the development of
youth ministry certification standards and procedures by
such entities as the Association of Adventist Youth
Ministry Professionals.

Suggested Bibliographic Resources

Collins, G. R. (1988). Can you trust psychology? Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity.

Hotaling, G. T., Finkelhor, D., Kirkpatrick, J. T., & Straus, M. A. (Eds.). (1988). Coping with family violence: Research and policy perspectives. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Jones, S. L., & Butman, R. E. (1991). Modern psychotherapies: A comprehensive Christian appraisal. Downers Grove: InterVarsity.

MacDonald, G. (1986). Renewing your spiritual passion. Nashville, TN: Oliver Nelson.

Peterson, E. H. (1987). Working the angles: The shape of pastoral integrity. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eermans.

Senter, M. H. (1992). The coming revolution in youth ministry: And its radical impact on the church. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Senter, M. H. (1994, Summer). Trickle-down strategies come to an end: The youth ministry revolution. Youthworker, 11(1), 38-44.

Schultz, T., & Schultz, J. (1993). Why nobody learns much of anything at church: And how to fix it. Loveland, CO: Group.

Walker, C. E., Bonner, B. L., & Kaufman, K. L. (1988). The physically and sexually abused child: Evaluation and treatment. Elmsford, NY: Pergamon Press.

Where to go to school: Youth ministry majors, graduate and undergraduate. (1993, Fall). Youthworker, 10(2), 95-97, 100-101, 104.

Practical Activities to Implement Concept

1. Contact 1-800-NEW-LIFE and inquire about Christian mental health resources in your area. Begin to develop a local resource/referral list of social workers, marriage & family counselors, psychologists, and pastoral counselors you feel comfortable with.

2. Sponsor periodic presentations by local helping professionals on issues of youth ministry concern (teen suicide, depression, sexual/physical abuse, etc.). Many mental health, community wellness, and other helping professionals provide this service pro bono. Develop a personal crisis plan in the event one of your youth/young adults needs your emergency assistance.

The Acceptance of Youth Ministry
We agree on the urgency of a better understanding of and
appreciation for youth ministry in the church.
 
This renewed application must begin in local churches.
Members must take responsibility for establishing the
climate in which faith matures: a warm, accepting,
challenging, involving atmosphere which places youth at
the heart of church life. We understand that this
acceptance will not spontaneously appear, but rather
that it will result from an intentional educational
process.
 
We long to see the day in which the acceptance of youth
ministry is reflected by a more even administrative
support at every level of the church system. We are
looking for this support to be evidenced by committee
representation, budget and personnel allocation,
resourcing decisions, and high-visibility prioritizing
of tasks.
 
We are aware of our own responsibilities in this matter
and we are committed to actively telling the stories of
successful youth ministry, utilizing every communication
vehicle available.


Suggested Bibliographic Resources

Anderson, L. (1990). Dying for change. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers.

Barna, G. (1990). The frog in the kettle: What Christians need to know about life in the year 2000. Ventura, CA: Regal Books.

Daily, S. (1993). Adventism for a new generation. Portland, OR: Better Living Publishers.

Gillespie, M. (1995, March/April). Winning fanatical support from your church board. Group, 21(5), 23-24, 42.

Murren, D. (1990). The baby boomerang: Catching baby boomers as they return to church. Ventura, CA: Regal Books.

Nelson, D. K. (1995, Winter). Lord of the GenX, church of the Baby Busters. Focus, 31(1), 10-14.

Richards, L. O. (1975). Christian education: Seeking to become like Jesus Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Practical Activities to Implement Concept

1. Regularly write articles and features for your local, conference, or union periodical highlighting the positive impact of a youth program, a profile of an outstanding youth/young adult, or a testimony of a young person. If you are a poor writer, assign adults and young people to keep a consistent stream of youth/young adult ministry success stories coming in to your local and regional papers.

2. Send affirmation notes to administrators, senior pastors, head elders, and other church officials that express and display a vision for youth/young adult ministry. It is always good to reinforce such behavior with showers of praise from you and your young people.

 

Issues Faced by Youth Ministry
We have shared with one another our concern for a more
Christ-centered approach to the recurring challenges of
the youthful Christian experience.
 
We are committed to clarifying the issues which lead to
adopting a personal Adventist-Christian lifestyle, and
to creating effective resources to be used by youth
ministry professionals and lay youth leaders in their
constant interaction with youth and young adults on
these vital issues.

Suggested Bibliographic Resources

Baby busters enter the work force: Fun-loving "twentysomethings" challenge managers. (1992, May-June). The Futurist, 26(3), 52-53.

Barna, G. (1992). The invisible generation: Baby busters. Glendale, CA: Barna Research Group, Ltd.

Barna, G., & McKay, W. P. (1991). Vital signs: Emerging social trends and the future of American Christianity. Westchester, IL: Crossway Books.

Bernstein, A., Woodruff, D., Buell, B., Peacock, N., & Thurston, K. (1991, August 19). What happened to the American dream? Business Week, (3227), 80-85.

Bradford, L. J., Raines, C., & Martin, J. L. (1992). Twentysomething: Managing and motivating today's new workforce. New York: MasterMedia Ltd.

Campolo, A. (1989). Growing up in America: A sociology of youth ministry. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Case, S. (1993, Spring). Where have all the youth gone? Giraffe news, 2(2), 12-13.

Cray, D., Curry, T., & McWhirter, W. (1990, July 16). Proceed with caution. Time, 136(3), 56-62.

Deutschman, A. (1990, August 27). What 25-year-olds want. Fortune, 122(5), 42-50.

Dudley, R. L., & Kangas, J. L. (1990). The world of the Adventist teenager. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association.

Dunn, W. (1992, February). Hanging out with American youth. American Demographics, 14(2), 24-35.

Gergen, K. J. (1991). The saturated self: Dilemmas of identity in contemporary life. Basic Books.

Here come the 'Millennial Kids.' (1995, January). Group, 21(3), 9.

Louv, R. (1990). Childhood's future: Listening to the American family, new hope for the next generation. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Lawrence, R. (1994, October). Inside the head of generation X. Group, 21(1), 28-30.

Lawrence, R. (1993, September). The new activists. Group, 19(8), 17-19.

Mahedy, W., & Bernardi, J. (1994). A generation alone: Xers making a place in the world. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity.

Maital, S. (1991, May). Here come the twentysomethings. Across the Board, 28(5), 5-7.

Martin, A. A. (1994, Winter). Young adult ministry essentials. Giraffe News, 3(1), 14.

Martin, S., Thatcher, J., & Lawrence, R. (Eds.). (1994, October). Cultural impact. Group, 21(1), 36-38.

Martinson, R. (1993, January). Reaching tomorrow's kids. Group, 19(3), 17-20.

Mattingly, T. (1994, Winter). Ten questions that depict your kid's culture. Youthworker, 10(3), 97-102.

Murphy, T. (1991, July). Boomers, busters and 50-plussers: Managing the new generation gaps. Working Woman, 16(7), 41-45.

Murren, D. (1990). The baby boomerang: Catching baby boomers as they return to church. Ventura, CA: Regal Books.

Owens, D. (1993, April/May). What I wish adults knew about teenagers. Group, 19(6), 20.

Parks, S. (1986). The critical years: The young adult search for a faith to live by. San Francisco, CA: Harper & Row.

Parrot, L. (1993, January). The workaholic syndrome in kids. Group, 19(3), 22-24.

Peterson, E. H. (1993). The message: The new testament in contemporary English. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

Rice, W. (Ed.). (1994, Summer). The future. Youthworker, 11(1).

Rojas, J. V. (1995, January 22). Moving forward: Enabling a locally-based structure for North American youth leadership. Unpublished report. (Available from Jose V. Rojas, North American Division, Department of Youth Ministries, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904).

Samon, K. A. (1990, August). The brash pack: How to manage the twenty-something generation. Working Woman, 15(8), 67-69.

Schultze, Q. J., Anker, R. M., Bratt, J. D., Romanowski, W. D., Worst, J. W., & Zuidervaart, L. (1991). Dancing in the dark: Youth, popular culture, and the electronic media. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.

Sciacca, F. (1991). Generation at risk: What legacy are the baby boomers leaving their kids? Chicago, IL: Moody Press.

Senter, M. H. (1992). The coming revolution in youth ministry: And its radical impact on the church. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Senter, M. H. (1994, Summer). Trickle-down strategies come to an end: The youth ministry revolution. Youthworker, 11(1), 38-44.

Sheehy, G. (1974). Passages. New York: Bantam Books.

Smith, R. M. (Ed.). (1990, June). The new teens: What makes them different [Special Edition]. Newsweek, 115(27).

Solomon, C. M. (1992, March). Managing the baby busters. Personnel Journal, 71(3), 52-59.

Strauss, W., & Howe, N. (1991, April). The cycle of generations. American Demographics, 13(4), 24-33, 52.

Strauss, W., & Howe, N. (1992, December). The new generation gap. The Atlantic Monthly, 270(6), 67-89.

Strauss, W., & Howe, N. (1993). 13th gen: Abort, retry, ignore, fail? New York: Vintage Books.

Warden, M. (1994, November/December). The world's most dangerous youth ministry. Group, 21(2), 18-20.

What kids don't like about church. (1995, January). Group, 21(3), 9.

Wick, P. (1990). Let me be a window: Building a relational youth ministry. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald.

Wisbey, R. (Ed.). (1994, Fall). Creatively responding to the challenge of youth culture. Giraffe News, 3(3).

Woodward, K. L. (1990, December 17). A time to seek. Newsweek, 116(25), 50-56.

Zinn, L., Power, C., Yang, D. J., Cuneo, A. Z., & Ross, D. (1992, December 14). Move over, boomers: The busters are here--and they're angry. Business Week, (3297), 74-82.

Practical Activities to Implement Concept

1. Study youth popular culture for a week. Get in some MTV, read some from the above bibliography, talk with young people in their natural habitats. Branch out and go beyond your clean-cut church goers to inoculate yourself with a whole group of Generation Xers out there who are searching.

2. On any given Sabbath, make a list of things that are done, said, or otherwise expressed that would be completely foreign to an unchurched or non-Adventist, Generation X young person. Survey some of the young people inside and outside of your church community, asking them what are the top three concerns/worries/issue that they have. Compare and examine both similarities and differences.

Resourcing Youth Ministry
We are encouraged by the creation of a variety of youth
ministry resource centers which seek to support and
expand the educational endeavors of division, union and
conference youth ministry offices.

We desire continual communication with these centers
regarding the resources and services they make
available, and we purpose to offer continuing input to
these centers as to how they might more effectively
assist in the fulfillment of our youth ministry goals.

Suggested Bibliographic Resources

Barna, G. (1992). The power of vision: How you can capture and apply God's vision for your ministry. Ventura, CA: Regal Books.

Directory of Adventist student centers. (1992). Dialogue, 4(3), 30.

DuBose, R. (1993, July/August). Community service & high school youth. PlusLine Access.

DuBose, R. (1993, September/October). Stewardship & young adults. PlusLine Access.

DuBose, R. (1994, September/October). Stewardship & young adults. PlusLine Access.

Hancock Center For Youth Ministry. (1994). The directory of Adventist youth ministry professionals: North American division edition. (Available from Hancock Center for Youth Ministry, La Sierra University, 4700 Pierce Street, Riverside, CA 92515).

Kuhn, T. S. (1970). The structure of scientific revolutions (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

McLaughlin, T. (Ed.). (1995, Winter). Resources. Youthworker, 11(3).

North American networking groups. (1995, February). Group, 21(4), 29.

Senter, M. H. (1992). The coming revolution in youth ministry: And its radical impact on the church. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Sturkie, J. & Tan, S. Y. (1993). Advanced peer counseling in youth groups: Equipping your kids to help each other with the tough issues. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Sturkie, J. & Tan, S. Y. (1992). Peer counseling in youth groups: Equipping your kids to help each other. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Van Pelt, R. (1988). Intensive care: Helping teens in crisis. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Practical Activities to Implement Concept

1. Go on a 1-800 rampage! Contact the Youth Resource Center, 1-800-Youth-2-U, and join the Giraffe Society. Call 1-800-447-1070 to get Group's resource catalog and training dates. Call 1-800-776-8008 to get Youth Specialties' resource catalog and training dates. Call 1-800-SDA-PLUS or 1-800-765-6955 to get information on SDA ministry resources.

2. Take your local conference or union or youth director out to lunch and learn more about the vast horizon of resources, training, and specialists available to you as support for youth/young adult ministry.


When Youth Ministry Suffers
We are encouraged by the creation of a variety of youth
ministry resource centers which seek to support and
expand the educational endeavors of division, union and
conference youth ministry offices.

We desire continual communication with these centers
regarding the resources and services they make
available, and we purpose to offer continuing input to
these centers as to how they might more effectively
assist in the fulfillment of our youth ministry goals.

Suggested Bibliographic Resources

Borthwick, P. (1994, October). 7 things that'll derail your ministry. Group, 21(1), 24-25, 30.

Dyslin, S. (1993, October). Coming back from burnout. Group, 20(1), 16-18.

Evans, P. (1993, October). How to stay married in ministry. Group, 20(1), 22.

Fortosis, S. (1994, Spring). When a pastoral team disintegrates. Youthworker, 11(1), 74-76.

Gabbard, G. O. (Ed.). (1989). Sexual exploitation in professional relationships. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.

Harley, W. F. (1986). His needs, her needs: Building an affair-proof marriage. Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell.

Kunkel, S. (1994, January). How I got the boot: and what I learned that'll help you. Group, 20(3), 17-19.

MacDonald, G. (1986). Renewing your spiritual passion. Nashville, TN: Oliver Nelson.

O'Shea, D. (1993, November/December). Protecting yourself from dirty, rotten scoundrels. Group, 20(2), 26-28.

Parrott, L. (1995, March/April). Stepping off the hamster wheel. Group, 21(5), 15-16.

Peterson, E. H. (1987). Working the angles: The shape of pastoral integrity. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eermans.

Van Pelt, R. (1988). Intensive care: Helping teens in crisis. Downers Grove, IL: Zondervan.

Warden, M. (1993, September). Co-dependent youth ministry. Group, 19(8), 23-26.

Practical Activities to Implement Concept

1. Develop accountability groups with other colleagues. Create safe, confidential communities where personal concerns can be expressed and preventative strategies can be developed. Maverick ministry, outside of the context of collegial accountability, is simply inviting temptation and downfall. Professional, moral, and ethical standards can be sustained by ministry professionals who know their boundaries and operate within the context of peers who can hold them accountable.

2. Develop inservice training which periodically educates your professional community on primary preventative strategies to avoid unethical, illegal, and exploitative situations. Establish a code of ethics with your peers.

3. In the case of an unethical, immoral, or exploitative situation, encourage personal and family therapy as part of the healing process. Investigate the insurance benefits that may provide for such mental health services.

 
Appendix A:

The Matheson Accord on Youth Ministry

This accord was reached by delegates to the Hancock Center Symposium on Youth Ministry held February 27 - March 1, 1995 in Matheson Chapel on the campus of La Sierra University Riverside, California. The Symposium served as an advisory to the Hancock Center as we explore the areas of youth ministry which need resourcing in the coming years.

Preamble

Humbly acknowledging the calling of the Holy Spirit into a ministry to the specific constituency of youth and young adults; willingly confessing our need for a constant renewal of our own spiritual commitment, including a moment-by -moment communication with God through prayer; and recognizing a Christ-centered, grace oriented spirituality as the only authentic biblical model for our lives; we, as a group of Seventh-day Adventist youth ministry professionals, meeting together in a nonofficial capacity to explore the issues we see confronting youth ministry today, have come to the following accord.

The Goal of Youth Ministry

 We accept as the goal of youth and young adult ministry the Valuegenesis definition of faith maturity: a vibrant, life-transforming faith marked by both a deep, personal relationship with a loving God and a consistent commitment to serving others.

The Center of Youth Ministry

We are heartened by the multiplied evidence that Adventist youth and young adults are discovering that Jesus is the heart of the Adventist experience, the core of Adventist belief, and the reason for Adventist behavior.

We are committed to deepening that discovery and to ending the confusion about salvation that so often exists among our youthful members. We take the responsibility of seeing that the grace of God is the theme of every youth ministry event we plan, every song we sing, every prayer we pray, every sermon we preach. We will lift up Jesus in all our evangelism, trusting His promise to draw all people to Himself (John 12:32).

Youth Ministry at Worship

We will continue to explore ways to more actively involve our youth in worship experiences which speak to the very core of their lives, which encourage them to offer their expressions of praise, and which produce lasting commitment to the faith communities to which they belong.

 We are further committed to opening to our youth and young adults the blessings of a lifestyle of worship, in which they see all the activities of their daily lives as a response to the grace of God, rather than experiencing a segmented spirituality in which they worship God only during times of worship.

A Local Youth Ministry

We affirm that youth ministry is primarily local, that it is best accomplished in a relational dynamic in homes, churches and schools, the settings being as diverse as the individuals involved. It happens in peer relationships and between youth and young adults and their parents, lay youth leaders, pastors, teachers, chaplains and school administrators.

We realize that this ministry is largely untrained, that it takes place at virtually every level without the benefit of specific education in areas such as the developing needs of the constituency, the best methods of ministering to a rapidly changing culture, the resources for accomplishing effective ministry, and even the issues that such ministry encounters.

We see that the primary task of professional youth ministry is to empower local youth ministry.

An Inclusive Youth Ministry

We are eager for the establishment of an inclusive youth ministry, one which is responsive to the needs of all the members of our constituency, regardless of race, color, nationality, language, gender, ability or even the educational choices they make.

 Accordingly, we are in agreement that this inclusive ministry must become more intercultural than merely multi-cultural. We affirm the need for and the gifts of both genders in youth and young adult ministry. We are thankful for the quality of youth ministry that continues to be accomplished by Seventh-Day Adventist teachers employed by Seventh-Day Adventist schools, but we also recognize the increasing urgency of the need to minister to the growing majority of Adventist students who do not attend Adventist schools.

A Professional Youth Ministry

We affirm the need for a truly professional element of youth and young adult ministry within the Adventist church.

We believe this professionalism necessitates specific training that will enable the successful accomplishment of recognized youth ministry endeavors (one example would be summer camp management), and, at the same time, better prepare the professional for the individual, changing, creative, and sometimes surprising demands that are so significant a part of youth ministry (including such topics as building effective staff relationships and establishing a more effective, interdisciplinary approach to ministry).

We are intrigued by the concept of certification, and, while we recognize the need to be careful and diplomatic in exploring the idea, we encourage the development of youth ministry certification standards and procedures by such entities as the Association of Adventist Youth Ministry Professionals.

The Acceptance of Youth Ministry
 
We agree on the urgency of a better understanding of and appreciation for youth ministry in the church.

This renewed application must begin in local churches. Members must take responsibility for establishing the climate in which faith matures: a warm, accepting, challenging, involving atmosphere which places youth at the heart of church life. We understand that this acceptance will not spontaneously appear, but rather that it will result from an intentional educational process.

 We long to see the day in which the acceptance of youth ministry is reflected by a more even administrative support at every level of the church system. We are looking for this support to be evidenced by committee representation, budget and personnel allocation, resourcing decisions, and high-visibility prioritizing of tasks.

We are aware of our own responsibilities in this matter and we are committed to actively telling the stories of successful youth ministry, utilizing every communication vehicle available.

Issues Faced by Youth Ministry

We have shared with one another our concern for a more Christ-centered approach to the recurring challenges of the youthful Christian experience.

 We are committed to clarifying the issues which lead to adopting a personal Adventist-Christian lifestyle, and to creating effective resources to be used by youth ministry professionals and lay youth leaders in their constant interaction with youth and young adults on these vital issues.

Resourcing Youth Ministry

We are encouraged by the creation of a variety of youth ministry resource centers which seek to support and expand the educational endeavors of division, union and conference youth ministry offices.

We desire continual communication with these centers regarding the resources and services they make available, and we purpose to offer continuing input to these centers as to how they might more effectively assist in the fulfillment of our youth ministry goals.

When Youth Ministry Suffers

We are in accord in our concern for associates who have been overcome in moral and ethical situations by addictive behaviors and by temptations which commonly attack us all.

We see the need for preventive education to begin early in ministerial training and to continue in a comprehensive manner throughout the years of ministry. And while we understand the need for discipline, we desire that discipline to be redemptive rather than punitive. The resource centers are willing to serve as non-public venues for those disavowed friends who desire to take time to discover a renewed commitment to their ministry, to find professional assistance for personal or family challenges, or to experience retraining in other life skills. The administration of the church can make such caring, Christ-like renewal a financial possibility.

 We also sympathize with the youth and young adults who are the secondary victims of such situations. We wish to train a group of counsellors who can enter the lives of these individuals in crisis and provide necessary counselling, encouragement and referral.