OMG : a youth ministry handbook / Kenda Creasy Dean, editor ; with Roland Martinson ... [and others. [print]

I. Oh my God: an introduction -- Haunting questions -- You are not alone -- Telling the truth: we do this for joy -- The trouble with research -- Does youth ministry matter? -- Do our practices of youth ministry reflect Christ? -- Does our practice of youth ministry shape Christians? -- How long can we keep this up? -- Can we do better? -- II. Daunting challenges -- Spying on Canaan -- The challenges of a changing lifestage -- Expanding adolescence? -- Ending adolescence? -- The challenges of a changing context -- A new sense of place: the challenge of getting grounded -- A new sense of time: the challenge of changing tempo -- A new sense of stuff: the challenge of living generously -- A new sense of self: the challenge of branding -- A new sense of story: the challenge of telling the truth -- Challenges ahead: serving Christ in a post-Christendom church -- Learning to be church (again) -- III. Enduring themes -- Some things last: Christ's call to discipleship -- Thumb-lines in youth ministry -- Belonging: including young people in the community of faith -- Accompaniment: joining young people on the journey of faith -- Participating in means of grace: strengthening young people for the life of faith -- The sign potential of community -- The sign potential of imagination -- The sign potential of adolescence -- "Being in time" -- -- IV. Promising possibilities -- The madness of ministry with young people -- The theological "turn" in youth ministry -- Dick and Jane go to church: the hunger for a worthy adventure -- The missional church: following Jesus into the world: 1. Vocation and mission; 2. Through the roof and through the window -- Redefining community: from connections to communion: 1. New ways to belong; 2. Communion, not connections -- Sacred practices: aiming for embodied faith: 1. Practicing the presence of God; 2. A curriculum of sacred practices; 3. The importance of parents -- Beyond training events: new possibilities for forming leaders -- Incarnational leadership formation is communal -- Incarnational leadership formation is repeated and ongoing -- Incarnational leadership formation is situated -- Incarnational leadership formation is Spirit-led -- Streams in the wasteland -- V. Emerging competencies -- Setting the believers an example (or not) -- Leading with integrity: still learning -- Searching the Scriptures: expecting transformation in Bible study -- Inviting wholeness: identity and integrity in teaching -- Stilling the soul: the practice of presence -- Soul doctors: nurturing hope amidst suffering -- Spectators no more: creating church versus consuming it -- Choosing life: discerning vocation with young people -- Benedict of Nursia, youth guy -- Virgin Islands A maturing discipline -- Youth ministry comes of age (maybe) -- Field or discipline -- Specialists or generalists -- The risks of intellectual maturity -- Pastoral imagination: job #1 for preparing youth ministers -- Practical theology: the parent discipline of youth ministry -- Discipling a discipline -- Report card for an emerging discipline -- A common mission: theological education and reform -- A common language: a conundrum -- A cadre of professionals: a significant presence -- Academic programs: proliferating -- Academic research: a hopeful sign -- Distinctive pedagogies: still evolving -- Growing pains in a growing field.

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