Previous | Next 

Youth ministry: A cross-cultural approach

Aurelie Hoffman

Today’s generation of youth belong to a culture of their own. Although part of our own culture, the youth subculture is extremely distinctive. For youth workers to speak to this vastly different subculture, they must cross barriers very similar to those that cross-cultural missionaries cross. In the past, youth work has been seen as a ministry, not a mission. Today, youth culture is more of a mission field, and youth workers can be more effective when they understand youth as being a subculture to which they go as missionaries. Youth workers should thus apply basic missiological principles to their work with youth.

Exegesis

The first task of missionaries is to “exegete” the culture, to gain an understanding of the worldview of the people they are trying to reach. Worldview is the way in which people understand God, themselves and the world around them. Youth look at and understand the world differently than adults do, and youth workers must first gain a deeper understanding of the youth they minister to.

Contextualization

Missionaries have learned that they must adapt to a specific context, adjusting their ministry to suit the situation. This is called “contextualization”. Similarly, the youth worker needs to recognize that being a missionary to youth will be different in different contexts. By being able to adapt to each specific context, youth workers will multiply their effectiveness.

A Holistic Approach

Human beings are made up of physical, spiritual, intellectual, emotional and social aspects. Missionaries have learned to take into account the complete person and seek to meet the needs of people in all aspects of their lives. How will people comprehend the Bread of Life if their stomachs are empty? In the same way, youth workers should strive to meet the physical, spiritual, intellectual, emotional and social needs of young people. How will youth learn about the love of God if they do not experience that love from the people around them?

Incarnational Ministry

Missionaries have learned that it is very important for them to personally reflect the character of Christ, to be a representation of Christ to the surrounding world. As Jesus was incarnated among humanity, becoming man as well as God in order to live among human beings, so missionaries incarnate Jesus to the people to whom they minister. The missionary may be the only Jesus their people ever see. Similarly, youth workers need to personally reflect the character of Christ as they represent Him to youth who need to gain a better understanding of who He is.

Peer Outreach

In missions, one of the most effective ways of reaching the unsaved is to use indigenous people, people who themselves belong to that culture. These people already understand the culture, which enables them to minister very effectively to their own people. Missionaries, therefore, train and equip indigenous Christians to reach out to their families, friends and neighbours. In the same way, youth can be taught how to share their faith and befriend their peers more easily than youth workers can learn to bridge the cultural gap in order to minister to youth themselves. By equipping youth to reach their friends and acquaintances, youth workers train youth for peer outreach.

Aurelie Hoffman is a member of Highland MB Church in Calgary and is currently completing a B.A. in Cross-Cultural Ministry at Bethany Bible Institute in Hepburn, Sask.

Previous | Next 

Last modified February 14, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
Masthead and usage information.