Public worship and congregational ministries shape the practices of Christian congregations and are a powerful means to strengthen intergenerational worshiping communities for their formative role in the lives of all churchgoers, including youth and the ministries that support and enrich their religious and spiritual lives.
The following resources encourage faith communities to expand beyond the youth group model and more fully consider multiple pathways that engage youth and are attentive to their changing experiences and formation in the Christian life.
At the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, we are compelled by resources that explore the following keywords and themes:
- intergenerational community
- apprenticeship/mentorship
- 'multiple pathways'--opportunities to learn with and from youth in each and every aspect of congregational life (including outside-the-box ways)
- universal design and inclusion across the ability-disability spectrum
- cultural intelligence--youth ministry attuned to cultural difference and shaped by a vision of 'beloved community in Christ'
- disciplined creativity--engaging multiple artforms
- youth agency
- questions and theological reflection by youth
- role of parents and families
General Resources
- Imagining Multiple Models of Ministry with Youth, a blog and video series
- 10 Resources for Developing Young Leaders in a Latin@ Context, Elizabeth Tamez Mendez
- Back-Pocket God: Religion and Spirituality in the Lives of Emerging Adults, Melinda Lundquist Denton & Richard Flory. Cumulative book in the nearly two decade-long National Study of Youth and Religion project (2001-2013).
- Church in Color: Youth Ministry, Race, and the Theology of Martin Luther King Jr., Montague R. Williams
- The End of Youth Ministry? (Theology for the Life of the World series), Andrew Root
- Multiple Pathways for Youth, Bo H. Lim, Emmett G. Price III, Sandra Maria Van Opstal, and moderator Kristen Verhulst
- Parable of the Brown Girl: The Sacred Lives of Girls of Color, Khristi Lauren Adams. Also see related podcast.
- Saying Is Believing: The Necessity of Testimony in Adolescent Spiritual Development, Amanda Hontz Drury
- The Spiritual Lives of Young African Americans, Almeda M. Wright.
On Public Worship
- Public Worship and the Christian Life podcast, episodes on ministry with youth:
- The Bible in Public Worship and Daily Life in an Age of Declining Biblical Literacy, Jonathan Hehn, Chris Schoon, Melanie C. Ross, John D. Witvliet, G. Sujin Pak and John A. Azumah
- Expanding Models of Ministry with Youth for Worship and Congregational Life
- Discover the Mystery of Faith: How Worship Shapes Believing, Glenn Packiam
- For High Schoolers: Reimagining Worship at School and Church Post COVID-19, Paul Ryan and Julia VanderVeen
- Is Your Youth Ministry Offering Community Where No One Is Looking? And What are the Implications for Worship?, Terence Gadsden, Robert Keeley, Elizabeth Tamez Méndez and Lynn Barger Elliott
- Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life, Tish Harrison Warren
- Worship 101, Calvin Worship Apprentices and their mentor Paul Ryan
- The Worship Architect: A Blueprint for Designing Culturally Relevant and Biblically Faithful Services, Constance M. Cherry
- Worship Formation: A Call to Embrace Growth in Each Element of the Worship Service, Steven D. Brooks and Zac Hicks
Additional Resources From Our Site Tagged as Follows:
Vital Worship Grants Program
Since 2000, Vital Worship grants have been awarded by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship to worshiping communities and teacher-scholars in 45+ states and provinces and in 40+ denominations across the spectrum of Christian traditions, including Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal, and Non-Denominational communities.
Learn more about past grant projects tagged
A Sampling Of Organizations Involved In This Work
