Comments for John Vest

Comment on Children, Youth, and a (not so) New Kind of Christianity by Rocky Supinger

Rocky Supinger — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:21:41 +0000

You put on a conference and I’m there!

Comment on What Makes Us Presbyterian? by Rocky Supinger

Rocky Supinger — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:57:53 +0000

I’ve grown almost despondent these past several weeks as I’ve sat with people who are leaving the denomination, because it has seemed to me that they have far more in common with the “ethos” of evangelicalism than with the rest of our denomination. And, as you say, much of our denomination bears more resemblance to the cultural ethos of progressivism embodied by a church like the UCC than anything that is Presbyterian in a thoroughgoing way. I wonder if what will happen is that distinct new networks will emerge out of this moment that have their own ethos, each of which will owe something to the Presbyterian ethos they have left, but also distinct. The NEXT conversation, for example, seems to be trying to cultivate a new ethos of openness, experimentation, and diversity, while The Fellowship ethos appears to be more about thorough Biblical fidelity and behavioral accountability. I’m losing faith that those things complement one another.
Thanks for this.

Comment on What Makes Us Presbyterian? by john shuck

john shuck — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:05:04 +0000

Hey John,

Thanks for this. I am on this committee at GA. I haven’t read it all through yet but I am open and curious.

Comment on Mid Councils Commission by What Makes Us Presbyterian?

What Makes Us Presbyterian? — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:14:52 +0000

[...] was a question that I thought about a lot during my time on the Mid Councils Commission. As we discussed what kinds of changes we could recommend to help our denomination better meet the [...]

Comment on Children, Youth, and a (not so) New Kind of Christianity by Christina

Christina — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:12:07 +0000

I spent many years in ministry with children, experiencing and learning amazing things in a faith community that consisted primarily of people under the age of 12. While that isn’t my primary ministry context now, it is still a passion — how do we engage in genuine formation with children in the real world? When I’ve given presentations along those lines at national conferences, the response of the participants tells me that there are myriad ways to invite children into a Christian journey. However, it can be hard to find space for that given the current structure of our churches. Seems to me that the conference we need would address ways to amend, change, renew and alter those structures in order that effective formation can take place with all ages of people. Then we can stop fixing blame (the parents don’t bring them, people don’t show up, the older adults don’t care, etc. etc.) and look at ways to engage all ages of people in an exciting life of discipleship.
A big part of the struggle, it seems to me, is that clergy, as was noted above, often don’t know much about educational ministries, or children, or youth. It’s nigh unto impossible to change those structures without at least a little support from the pastor/pastors.

Comment on Children, Youth, and a (not so) New Kind of Christianity by Jerk from Seminary

Jerk from Seminary — Thu, 17 May 2012 04:07:52 +0000

You could invite deans of local seminaries in Chicago to talk about why r.e. is not taken really seriously at the seminaries. And when they don’t show, we could have an open panel about why denominations tolerate, encourage, nurture, and promote what is going on. Namely, as I said on my blog, they and the clergy know that the theologies we are indoctrinated to promote are not theologies generally worth passing on.

Comment on Children, Youth, and a (not so) New Kind of Christianity by Chris Rodkey

Chris Rodkey — Thu, 17 May 2012 03:58:44 +0000

This would be an excellent idea for a panel about any of the following: division of recognized ministries and labor for r.e. professionals, crisis of profession for r.e. folks, the contributions of irrelevance for many r.e. professional organizations, and creatively re-thinking who is doing the pan-generational r.e. work.

Comment on Children, Youth, and a (not so) New Kind of Christianity by Kendra

Kendra — Thu, 17 May 2012 02:29:02 +0000

Thanks for these thoughts. You are asking the right questions. I’d love to be part of further conversations about getting to the core of why we do what we do and then help dream of the best ways to do that in today’s post-Christendom culture. Keep me informed as your thoughts/ plans take shape.

Comment on Children, Youth, and a (not so) New Kind of Christianity by Eric Ledermann

Eric Ledermann — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:23:50 +0000

John,

I stopped going to a lot of Youth Ministry conferences years ago because of exactly what you say–same stuff, sometimes different language, but still not getting to the core issues of what informs “how” and “why” we do what we do.

I entered seminary believing my call was to youth and young adult ministry. Since 1990, that’s pretty much what I did, including my first two calls out of seminary. The questions you raise, however, are not particular to youth ministry, but ministry with youth in the larger context of Church and community. I’m no longer involved in youth ministry solely, but still feel drawn to walk with our youth (and adults) as we struggle with what it is that God is inviting us toward and into, and I do believe it is different from what previous generations felt called toward.

I dig the idea of what you want to do and would welcome the opportunity to engage other people in youth ministry on those areas. My experience as a volunteer in youth ministry, staff youth director, associate pastor for youth, and solo/head of staff pastor working with volunteer and paid staff, is that youth ministry can often be a catalyst in introducing or helping shape and re-shape a community of faith to think differently about “going” to church and move toward seeking to truly “be” Church.

Keep us posted! I’d love to bring some of our adults to something more than just a big commercial (pretty much what YS has become) or a re-hash of former conversations.

Thanks for your voice!

Comment on Children, Youth, and a (not so) New Kind of Christianity by Greg Bolt

Greg Bolt — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:20:46 +0000

As I said in DC, I’d love to be in these convos. I’ll ponder your questions and maybe even blog about it. On first blush, though, I think Bend Youth Collective might be able to speak to post-denominationalism, but maybe I’m biased…and a broken record.

Can’t wait to engage.

Also if we are moving to post-professionalization, I may be screwed as some one who’s only professional experience is in youth and camping ministry.