Western Seminary

Portland, Oregon

“Developing a Theological Model for 21^st Century Youth Ministry”

YMS 502 Fall Semester, 2004

2 Credit Hours

Ron Marrs, Assistant Professor of Youth and Family Ministry

Course description

The historical, philosophical, and theological underpinnings of youth ministry will first be introduced. Then popular models of contemporary youth ministry (both congregational and para-congregational) will be described and evaluated. Two hours.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course you:

1. Will have a basic understanding of evangelical youth ministry history.

2. Will have examined the characteristics of the adult agents of transformation in the life of a teenager.

3. Will be aware of a range of youth ministry models operating today.

4. Will know the foundational components of a youth ministry model.

5. Will develop a personal model of youth ministry based on sound historical, biblical, theological and philosophical foundations.

6. Will demonstrate creativity by developing a presentation that summarizes your model of youth ministry.

Textbooks

Dean, Kendra Creasy, Chap Clark, and Dave Rahn. Starting Right. Grand Rapids:

Zondervan, 2001.

Fields, Doug. Purpose Driven Youth Ministry. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998.

Higgs, Mike. Youth Ministry from the Inside Out. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2003

Senter, Mark. Four Views of Youth Ministry and the Church. Grand Rapids:

Zondervan, 2001.

YMS 502 p. 2

Reading Assignments Due by class indicated Points possible: 270

There will be assigned reading in the textbooks and the Bible for nearly every class period. You will be asked at the beginning of class to write down what percent of the reading you did for that day. A total of 30 points will be possible each day and the percentage of reading will determine how many points are received. Reading 100% leads to 30 points, 90 % to 27 points and so on. After the day of class, 24 points can be received upon completion of the reading but the student is responsible to communicate this to the professor.

Scriptures will be assigned the class period before they are due.

In ministry you will be asked to read before many meetings and you will ask others to read. It is important to develop some system of accountability for such meetings in order to maximize time in those meetings. The accountability in this class will be a personal report of the percentage of the material read. Certainly it is an “honor system.”

Length of time to read the material was approximated using the Western Seminary workload standards that suggests 30 pages per hour be read for mastery. Mastery in this course means that you are able to come to the class and interact about the material. You will not have a written quiz but you will be asked to react to what you have read. You must consider whether you agree or disagree with the material. You must be able to explain what the author said.

Assignments

1. List of organizations Due Sept. 14 Points possible: 30

Make a list of 10 Christian youth organizations. Preferably these are organizations that you have knowledge of or relationship with that you would commend to others. The list can include organizations that you would like to learn more about. Write a 1-2 sentence description of the organization and list their web page address or other contact information if they don’t have a web-site.

2. Response to the reading of Youth Ministry from the Inside Out. Points possible: 200

Due: October 5

Write a 2-3 page double-spaced paper in which you articulate 2-3 areas of personal spiritual growth that you believe are necessary in light of reading Youth Ministry from the Inside Out. Describe the area of need and what you need to do in order to promote growth in that area.

YMS 502 p. 3

3. Create a personal model for youth ministry Points Possible: 800

Description of Assignment

You are producing a scholarly model of youth ministry. This model needs to reflect knowledge of the history of youth ministry and an awareness of contemporary models of youth ministry. The model needs to be based on a solid biblical, theological and philosophical foundation. For this reason you will need to use notes and have a bibliography. The hope of the professor is that this will be capable of editing for use with an audience of students, parents, and church/organizational leadership.

Due Dates

Sept. 21 Submit a paragraph describing who the target group is for your

model and why you choose that group.

November 16 Draft #1 due. Make four copies. Submit three copies. One is for the professor and two are for students who will be reading your

paper. Give one copy to the youth ministry person with whom

you had an interview.

November 23 Draft #1 returned to student with remarks by professor, two

students and the person interviewed.

December 7 Final draft due. Student should have processed input from others

reading the paper before completing.

December 14 Ten-minute presentation in class based on your models paper.

Components of Model

1. Description of target group

1.1 Choose a target group (age level, sub-culture, context, . . . )

1.2 Describe the target group

Age

Values (what is important to them)

Activities (how do they spend their time)

Needs

Range of spiritual commitments

(Detailed adolescent development issues will be handled in YMS 501, “Understanding Adolescent Development”)

YMS 502 p. 4

2. Vision

Develop a vision statement of 10 words or less.

3. Mission

Develop a mission statement of 50 words or less.

4. Values

List up to ten values you hold for youth ministry.

5. Components of youth ministry

5.1 Detail a strategy for each of the following components of youth

ministry:

Evangelism (pre-evangelism, incarnational ministry)

Follow-up/discipleship/teaching

Shepherding

Service

Leadership

Worship/music

Fellowship/community

Retreats/trips/events

Short term missions

Prayer

5.2 For each of the components articulate:

5.2.1 The biblical purposes (why)

5.2.2 The specific activities(what)

5.2.3 The role and qualifications of adults in this area (paid and

volunteer) (who)

5.2.4 The role of students in this area (who)

5.2.5 The role of parents in this area (who)

5.2.6 The role of local church/organizational leadership (who)

5.2.7 The use of time, space, facilities (where, how)

5.2.8 The financial demands for this area (how)

5.2.9 A rationale for why you chose this particular strategy

over other strategies (why)

6. Writing Standards and Recommendations

Use the standards described in the “Western Seminary Writing Guide” and the MLA standards summarized in the professor’s handout. A bibliography is required. Footnote, endnote or in text citations are acceptable.

YMS 502 p. 5

Research Methodology

1. Students need to use information gathered in the classroom and assigned

reading.

2. Students need to interview one person in ministry in the area of youth ministry

selected and incorporate 1-2 ideas in their own model. Be sure

to cite the interviewee in your paper.

3. Students need to read other sources that specifically address the area of

ministry chosen.

Criteria for grading the model project

1. The student should produce a biblically-based model

2. The student should reflect a good knowledge of the target group.

3. The student should reveal knowledge of the existing models from which

he/she has chosen.

4. The student should reveal knowledge of issues covered in assigned reading

and classroom sessions.

4. Interview 2 people involved in youth ministry. Points: 300

Due Date: Dec. 7

Interview one person in the area of youth ministry that you are focusing on in your models paper. Interview one person in an area of youth ministry in which you are not familiar. Spend 1.5 hours with them.

Find out the following:

-What are some of the biblical/theological underpinnings of your ministry?

-What are some of the characteristics of youth with whom you work?

-What are some of the characteristics of adults who do well in your ministry?

Write a 2-3 page paper for each interview that summarizes your findings.

5. Class presentation of personal model of youth ministry Points: 300

Due Date: Dec. 14

Prepare a 10 minute presentation of your model of youth ministry that could be presented to a group of parents. The idea is that they would get an overview of your model in 10 minutes. This is not a verbal report alone. It should include media like Power Point, video, pictures, etc. Grading will include creativity in presentation. Your goal is to capture the attention of the audience while communicating your philosophy of youth ministry.

YMS 502 p. 6

Grading

Grades will be based on the total points accumulated.

The total points possible is 2,000.

Reading assignments 270 (13.5 % of grade)

Assignment #1 30 (1.5 % of grade)

Assignment #2 200 (10 % of grade)

Assignment #3 800 (40% of grade)

Assignment #4 300 (15 % of grade)

Assignment #5 300 (15% of grade)

Attendance and participation 100 (5 % of grade)

Total point 2,000

Grading Scale:

A+ 1980-2000

A 1900-1979

A- 1880-1899

B+ 1820-1879

B 1760-1819

B- 1720-1759

C+ 1680-1719

C 1620-1679

C- 1580-1619

D+ 1540-1579

D 1480-1539

D- 1400-1479

Incompletes

According to Western Seminary policy, in cases of serious illness or family emergency an instructor may grant an incomplete providing a maximum extension of six weeks to finish the semester's work. Incompletes are not granted for reasons of a student’s inability to manage their time. The granting of an incomplete does not remove the penalties for late work.

Attendance and participation

It is expected that the students will be in attendance for all class sessions to benefit from the lecture, discussion, and visual presentations. It is expected that students will participate in the sessions. While sickness or family emergency may keep a student from an occasional class, anyone regularly tardy or absent can expect this to be reflected in his/her semester grade. Attendance and participation will count for 5% of your grade.

YMS 502 p. 7

Late work

Assignments are to be handed to the professor at the beginning of the class period on the date they are due. A late penalty will be assessed for work that is late. The late penalty is 10% of the possible points for each day it is late. Communication in ministry is of utmost importance so be sure to be in communication with the professor as soon as you know an assignment is going to be late.

Contact information

Office phone: 503-517-1887 Home phone: 503-287-8101

Wk e-mail: rmarrs@westernseminary.edu

Hm e-mail: ronbeckymarrs@comcast.net

Office Hours

I will generally be on campus Monday through Friday, 8:30 am – 5 pm. I would prefer that you make an appointment directly with me if you want a long conversation. However, you can come to my office at any time to communicate. You are my priority. If I am busy, I will make arrangements to have you come back at another time.

Schedule

Date Session Topic Assignment Due Time Expected to complete assignment

Sept. 7 Intro to course

Why youth ministry?

Sept. 14 History of youth ministry

Overview of models

Assignment #1 1 hour

Reading #1:

1. Dean, thru Ch. 1 1 hour

2. Dean, Ch. 4 .5 hour

3. Senter articles 1.5 hours

4. Fields, Chs. 2-4 1.5 hours

Sept. 21 No class

Sept. 28 Practical Theology

Submit a paragraph describing

who the target group is for your

model and why you chose

that group.

Submit interview names.

Reading #2:

1. Dean, Chs. 2, 3, 6 2 hours

2. Fields, Ch. 5 .5 hours

YMS 502 p. 8

Oct. 5 The Model Youth Worker

Assignment #2

Reading #3

1. Higgs, entire book 4 hours

Oct. 12 No class

Oct. 19 Evangelism (pre-evangelism, Reading #4:

incarnational ministry) 1. Dean, Ch. 7 1 hour

Followup/discipleship/teaching 2. Dean, Ch. 23 1 hour

3. Scripture assigned 1 hour

4. Fields, Chs, 6, 9 1 hour

Oct. 26 Shepherding Reading #5:

Service 1. Dean, Ch. 10 .5 hour

Leadership 2. Scripture assigned 1 hour

3. Fields, Ch. 10 .5 hour

Nov. 2 Worship/music Reading #6:

Fellowship/community 1. Scripture assigned 1 hour

2. Dean, Ch. 12 .5 hour

3. Fields, Chs. 7, 8 1 hour

Nov. 9 Guest speaker: No assignment due

Rusty Van Deusen,

Subjects: Rural youth ministry,

Cross cultural youth ministry

Nov. 16 Retreats, trips, events

Short term missions

Prayer

Reading #7:

1. Dean, Ch. 25 1 hour

2. Scripture assigned 1 hour

Nov. 23 8 - 10 am

Family-based youth ministry

Transition from hs to college

Reading #8:

1. Fields, Ch. 14 .5 hours

10:10 – 12:10

Panel Reading #9:

1. Four Views of Youth 4-5 hours

Ministry

YMS 502 p. 9

Date Session Topic Assignment Due Time Expected to complete assignment

Nov. 30 Reactions to panel

At-risk youth, urban youth ministry

Dec. 7 8 – 10 am

Small groups: feedback on

models paper

Church/parachurch

Assignment #4 7 hours

Readers return models 2 hours

Paper with comments

10:10 – 12:10

Wrapping Up

Class evaluation

Reactions to interviews

Dec. 14 Presentations 1. Assignment #3 20 hours total

Model paper due

2. Assignment #5 7 hours total

Presentations