This book is a unique contribution to the study of children's and youth ministry, displaying the rich theological thinking that is developing amongst Australian evangelical scholars. Many of the writers have previously presented at the Youthworks "House" conference, which promotes "theological reflection for best practice in youth and children's ministry in a community of youth and children's ministers." The themes explored in this book are vitally important to pastors seeking to nurture young people as disciples of Jesus. Thirteen evangelical scholars answer questions such as: How can biblical theology shape a young person's view of themselves? What is the biblical definition of church and how does this shape our understanding of intergenerational gatherings, family, and community? How should young Christians interact with the culture around them? And how do biblical teachings on sin, grace, and wisdom provide young people with the resources to live in today's world? You will be challenged to reconsider how theology and exegetical study of the Bible can mold your priorities, principles, and presumptions as you exercise ministry to and with young people.

This book is about exploring and presenting a model of digital-based curriculum for Christian education suitable for the digital ways of learning, communicating, and thinking. Park discusses the limitations of analog-based curricula, most of current curricula, and necessities for digital-oriented ones. Then, he provides a new model of curriculum--curriculum as software. Curriculum as software is a curricular framework for embracing digital culture like open-flat network, service-centered management, interactive communication, and offline-online hybrid learning space. It consists of four spiral stages: analysis, design, simulation, and service. In the process of designing units, 4R Movement--a new learning theory--is utilized to encourage today's young people to construct their own knowledge after critically analyzing various resources of information. 4R-embeded courses are implemented in the four movements: reflection, reinterpretation, re-formation, and re-creation.

At a time of unprecedented secularization and declining church attendance, youth ministry in the twenty-first century should be doomed. So why is Protestant youth ministry in Sydney vibrant, and in many places growing? This book sets out to answer this question, which is of such importance for the future of the Australian church. A pioneering model of youth ministry evolved in the 1930s and was already flourishing in churches, schools, and university by the 1950s. Its early high point was the Billy Graham Crusade of 1959, which may legitimately be seen as an Australian youth revival. The new model broke with past practice by cultivating ministry leadership by young people, by promoting peer groups to nurture and share faith, and by fostering ministry collaboration between young men and women. The model, used by theological conservatives and liberals alike, and has proved both enduring and fruitful. This book will engage with the model of youth ministry and the religious experiences of young people in Sydney. By reading it you will not only learn from the significant achievements of young people in the past but be better equipped to creatively consider new methods of ministry for the twenty-first century.

This introductory textbook solidly situates Christian education in the church and ministry context of the 21st century. With over 20 years of ministry, teaching, and leadership experience, Freddy Cardoza is uniquely qualified to bring together a wide range of Christian educators. This volume features the expertise of 25 evangelical scholars of Christian education, including diverse, next-generation voices in the field. It provides balanced biblical-theological and practical perspectives for church and parachurch leaders, equipping them to meet the ever-changing needs of our world. Additional resources for professors and students are available through Textbook eSources.

As the world's youth population continues to grow and interact globally in an instant through blogging, texting, and social networking, youth ministry is adapting in equal fashion. Authors Terry Linhart and David Livermore offer advice that's substantiated by more than twenty prominent worldwide youth leaders: be prepared. Global Youth Ministry is the first textbook to recognize the phenomenon of global youth ministry and to coordinate leading youth ministry voices in a discussion of the theological, theoretical, sociocultural, and historical issues that shape ministries around the world. Traditionally, students of international youth ministries have had to wade through a range of sources, perspectives, and agendas. This versatile text distills all that, and focuses on real-world experiences, challenges, and issues that are part of international ministries. This book is essential reading for undergraduate and graduate-level students and youth ministry leaders who have a heart for missions, social awareness and spiritual empathy, and a desire to serve young people around the world.

Transforming Work offers a radical re-orientation of the nature and future of work and implications for mission. In conversation with David Bosch’s Transforming Mission and other global and ecumenical voices, 21 leaders offer their vision for transforming the world of work and revisioning work to offer a transforming gift to the world. Writing from biblical and historical perspectives, with case studies and cultural exegesis, they explore work and leisure, ethics and economics, technologies and Artificial Intelligence. It is time to discern where God is transforming work in our cities and farms, shops and classrooms, politics and agencies.

This book explores youth ministry and the role of the youth minister by looking at a range of various metaphors for the youth worker, such as 'flawed hero', 'visionary architect', 'party planner' and 'guardian of souls'. Each chapter takes one of these metaphors as a central theme, offers biblical and/or theological reflection on this aspect of youth ministry, explains the relevant theory and the necessary skills, uses real-life stories from practitioners to bring the metaphor to life, summarizes the key principles and values, gives questions for reflection and makes suggestions for further reading.

Churches today face unique challenges as they seek to help young people engage with the Christian faith and youth workers, whether employed or volunteer, play a key role in supporting this process. This book provides a comprehensive overview of Christian youth work, drawing together practice, theory and theology in a format which is both engaging and informative.

In an expressivist culture, effective engagement must acknowledge teenagers' freedom to choose their own spiritual path. Yet, in an evangelical theology, faithful formation must hold on to biblical authority. As we seek to engage young people with the Bible, key questions need to be explored. Such questions include: how can pedagogical freedom be affirmed without undermining theological authority; and how can authority be asserted without diminishing personal freedom? This study explores a freedom-authority dialectic in theological dialogue with the educational philosophy of Maxine Greene. Greene's reflection on the arts and the imagination are brought into conversation with insights from Charles Taylor, Garret Green, and Nicholas Wolterstorff. As a work of practical theology, the book concludes with a framework to shape the purpose, content, and values for Bible engagement in contemporary youth ministry.