Blog Posts

The Race

The Race

By Dr. Nancy Going, Director of the CYF Distributed Learning Program at Luther Seminary   I just spent the weekend at a big conference of Children’s ministers, and I heard the same conversation over and over. “Our parents keep their children so busy.”  “We don’t know even really know the parents or children in our…

The Shift

The Shift

By Dr. Terri Martinson Elton, Director of the Center for First Third Ministry at Luther Seminary Have you experienced it? There’s a shift underway. There is a conversation growing in our midst. The conversation began wondering if (what we know as) Sunday School and confirmation ministries were working. This part of the conversation had many…

No Parents/No Ministry

No Parents/No Ministry

By Neil Christianson Remember the last baptism you saw? It is a beautiful miracle to see! Through the water and the word, God claims one as his own and we see the transformation right before our eyes. God promises to work in the life of that individual and bring them to eternal life. What a promise!…

Developing a Youth-Friendly and Youth-Involving Congregation

Dr. Nancy Going writes about The Faith of Adolescents and how young people must be integrated and central to the life of the congregation. But how do you DO that? Assessment How would you rate your efforts in developing a youth-friendly and youth-involving congregation, building intergenerational connections between youth and the congregation? Have your whole team take…

The Faith of Adolescents

The Faith of Adolescents

By Dr. Nancy Going, Director of the CYF Distributed Learning Program at Luther Seminary   You can’t be in youth ministry very long, and not have both experienced and been the beneficiary of this phenomenon: The faith of adolescents. When you see expression that raw, passionate, “deeply connected to Jesus” kind of faith that comes…

Integration and Imagination

By Dr. Terri Martinson Elton, Director of the Center for First Third Ministry at Luther Seminary What will future leadership in the church entail? That’s the question our faculty are asking as we think about redesigning theological education. With my colleagues this weekend, we had the chance to name moments where students were living into…

Where have all the mentors gone?

Where have all the mentors gone?

By Derek Tronsgard Luke Skywalker had Yoda.  Harry Potter had Dumbledore.  Batman had Alfred and Morgan Freeman. Mentors are important.  And I’m sure all of us can name teachers, coaches, pastors, music directors, and other adults who made a significant impact in our own lives.  Study after study has shown the importance of positive adult…

Review of The Spirit and Culture of Youth Ministry in the Journal of Youth Ministry

Review by Tagg Wolverton, Greater Europe Mission, Netherlands Excerpt: In recent years some tough criticisms have been leveled at modern youth ministry. While evaluation and critique are to be expected with youth ministry coming of age as a profession, many of the rest of the concerns can be traced back to the lack of readily…

What are you counting?

What are you counting?

By Dr. Nancy Going, Director of the CYF Distributed Learning Program at Luther Seminary   Here at First Third we’re taking time once again to celebrate the Exemplary Youth Ministry study. Because we now have our Spirit and Culture of Youth Ministry book available as an e-book. But also because we feel compelled to keep…