Author David Washington draws on his experiences as a troubled youth growing up in Chicago’s inner city, his years as a youth pastor in the same locale, and his three decades as a youth ministry and gang intervention specialist to call the church back to a radical love for its youth. He writes, “This book was written as a testimonial to the fact that God still raises up strong Christian youth, and he is still using the young, least likely, and least expected to accomplish great feats for his kingdom. … This work is a call to the entire church to expect greatness from our young people and to equip and support their work in the kingdom. This is the only way they will not be despised.”
Though Washington is clear that his book is geared mostly to the Black urban inner-city context, it has much to offer teens, their parents and caregivers, youth pastors, and others living and working with youth.
Washington rejects the more commonly accepted definition of youth ministry, namely that it is ministry for youth. Instead, his experience of transformative youth ministry has led him to a different conclusion: “I have found in my years of youth ministry experience that defining youth ministry as youth doing ministry portrays this work in a way that increases the value of the young people’s actual and potential contributions to the church.”
Washington’s powerful anecdotes, explorations of Scripture pertaining to youth, encouragement to the church to empower its youth, unflinching look at the challenges today’s youth face, and hope-filled perspective make this book a worthy read for all who engage with youth.
(IVP)
About the Author
Sonya VanderVeen Feddema is a freelance writer and a member of Covenant CRC in St. Catharines, Ontario.