Catholic youth ministry is at an interesting point, I believe.
We say that we are about discipleship, which strikes me as a very hard question.
Yet, we have a profound slate of hard questions before us and, often, it seems we default to the 
easy answers of what’s worked for us before… the significant challenge being, of course, is was it actually working for us before? And, really, the hard questions weren’t something that has “to do with me, were they… or were they?
And because we allow that in ourselves, one wonders, do we also allow it therefore in those with whom we serve?
In the recent edition of Lifelong Faith, editor John Roberto reminded us all about Switch and Becoming a Change Leader. (We visited these topics last September, you find the content among the postings on this page.)
Yet, I’m wondering if we (and I) have yet to really figure out how to “Motivate the Elephant” regarding change – – how do we motivate people’s emotional side towards change?
Here’s what is motivating me – – –
> The studies are saying that we have yet to do our very best work in youth ministry – – That kids and their faith are not sticking, that we have not engaged the full community into anything beyond pigeon-hole-ing youth ministry.
> If merged parishes have not yet come to your neighborhood… well, look down the road… It very well might be on it’s way. An experienced youth minister recently shared with me that he regrets that we will lose many youth ministers in that process. I think it will be Darwinian in nature, that the strong – those who are competent; working, training, and leading teams; engaging the whole community – will survive. Those ministries that evolve towards the future will survive (yes, religious educators, I’m talking about you, but youth ministers, you are only a fatal step of the lemming march of same old, same old away from extinction.)
> Families are in real need. Our ministry must expand beyond kid-centricity.
Yet, with many hard questions abounding, we have yet to discern what is the clarion call to action for us. The John Paul II World Youth Day visit in Denver was “a moment for change” in Catholic Youth Ministry, at least, for us in the States. I’ve often stated that we needed the next moment like that and needed it now. Once, a workshop participant feared that is as likely to be church 9/11-ish moment as much as a JP2 moment.
Towards all of this, we must keep dreaming and scheming and be constant in our prayers to the Spirit for intervention.
What is motivating you towards change in youth ministry towards the future?
Recently Dr. Bob McCarty, Executive Director of NFCYM, spoke to a gathering of catechetical leaders (youth ministers & DREs) and their pastors. While reviewing one of the studies I believe you alluded to, the NSYR, he mentioned that youth need experiences of mentoring, apprenticeship, or to say discipleship. Discipleship, in my opinion, cannot happen in the vacuum of peer culture (youth group). We, those working in ministry in the church, need to be specialized in our field (youth ministry), but we need to practice “a ministry without borders” (ministers to the church). Outgoing Director of Youth Specialities Tic Long said in his discernment to move from youth ministry to church ministry, he realized his call was not to youth ministry, but to serve God by going where His talents can serve the church. Each person in an ecclesial staff position needs to let go of their territory and collaborate with their colleagues to minister to the entire church. The difference between a post 9/11 church & JPII church is fear. Fear keeps us from living in the Kingdom now, whereas hope knows no fear where we can work on becoming the church God wants to see. The challenge to be church means we need to practice our faith together, not in subgroups, as a community of disciple of Jesus Christ in the world today.