On The Same Page

What is MCEC Staff Reading?

Maurice Martin
Regional Minister

Beyond Me
by Wendell Loewen

Beyond Me is about youth ministry "in times like these." The author invites the church to faithfully hold before youth a vision of how life might be lived when lived as part of God's story in the community of faith. Loewen invites us to see what God is already doing in the lives of teens in their world. He describes how youth and young adult ministry is the work of the entire congregation. And he suggests that youth have a lot to contribute to the body of Christ and to a hurting world.

The book is useful for all who work with youth pastors, youth sponsors and parents of youth. It will help you understand the current youth culture. And it puts before you a more wholistic approach to youth ministry in the life of the church, rather than a ghettoized "youth work" model.

My favourite quote: "In a world in which teens grapple with a sense of abandonment and the pursuit of purchased fulfillment, the kingdom of God stands as a compelling alternative. With this in mind, youth ministries can see their witness more as "modeling" and "inviting" rather than "winning" or "selling"...to winsomely invite others to enter that realm (of the rule of God) and participate in that reality."

You can find this title in the MCEC Resource Library.

Share your thoughts related to this report below by clicking on Add New Comment.