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March 13, 2008
Seven Deadly sins of Youth Ministry
The seven deadly sins have been in the media recently (Envy, Pride, Sloth, Greed, Lust, Anger, and Gluttony) by virtue of the fact that the Catholic Church may or may not have been exploring some additional ones. Musing on this in a coffee shop (as I kill time before an evening meeting) I thought about what the seven deadly sins of Youth Ministry might be?
I don't claim this to be the definitive list but here is my Espresso fuelled seven to which I would welcome your additions and rejections.
- Making yourself the focus of the youth ministry
- Isolating the youth ministry from the life of the Church
- Instilling Information not facilitating exploration
- Modelling an eternal adolescence
- Avoiding accountability
- Not maintaining your own inner life
- Thinking you have nothing more to learn
Posted by ian at March 13, 2008 6:10 PM
Comments
Doesn't society as a whole foster no. 4 Modelling an eternal adolescence...
While it may be a possible deadly sin of youth work isn't it more than that?
Posted by: Free to think, free to believe at March 13, 2008 7:33 PM
thanks for this Ian... very useful indeed.
Are there seven deadly sins for blogging?
Miz
Posted by: miz at March 14, 2008 9:16 AM
Thanks for this thought provoking blog.
As an Evangelist your list brought to my attention that isolation from the life of the church and accountability are 2 major challenges for 'Fresh Expressions of Church' where church is being 'built' not in a church building, but out in the community.
Posted by: Question of Identity at March 15, 2008 11:27 AM
Excellent list! Every youth leader should print these out and hang them where they can't miss them on a daily basis.
Posted by: Brian at March 15, 2008 7:56 PM
It is an excellent list. I like number 3 very much but I wonder if the list should include:
Not listening properly. So many young people need a jolly good listening too.
I think number 2 is a particular problem.
Posted by: Ian J at March 16, 2008 9:02 AM
Brilliant, Ian!
I reckon a lot of these pretty much work for Vicars, too. I'd work in the listening one, and perhaps mention feedback in (5), perhaps. Many thanks. +A.
Posted by: Bishop Alan at March 17, 2008 7:36 AM
Excellent - hope you don't mind but I've linked to you from my blog for the troops in Exeter Diocese to have a look at.
Hope you're well Comrade!
M
Posted by: Martin Thompson at March 18, 2008 10:25 AM