Book Review: Lives to Offer: Accompanying Youth on their Vocational Quests

Abstract

Interpretation 329 cally grounded, theologically substantive, and practically oriented as they aspire to lead congregations who gather in worship, education, and fellowship and scatter to witness and serve in daily life. Drawing upon his experience in the Faith as a Way of Life Project, Christian Scharen offers a dynamic book that advances the conversation on how leaders must be responsive to significant cultural challenges as Christians struggle to grow as disciples whose way of life embodies the faith they profess.This book is comprised of three parts. The first part explores how compartmentalization and individualism pose significant cultural obstacles to faith as a way of life and influence the roles of pastors who are prone to function as managers or therapists. The second part, which Scharen identifies as the "real substance" of his book, describes four of the central aspects of our lives (family, economy, politics, and the arts) that are often fragmented from each other, proposes biblical and theological resources that inform these spheres, and offers examples of pastoral leadership and Christian practice in each of these areas. The final part offers a vision of pastoral leadership for faith as a way of life. Methodologically, Scharen invites readers into a process of theological reflection in which they examine cultural realities, engage biblical and theological resources, and envision a response to deepen a life of faith. He does this with excellence and models discipleship in a way that is instructive and inviting to others. Furthermore, he cites numerous print and web-based resources that are constructive and contemporary.

Religious Education Person to Person: Attending to Relationality

“…Mark Yaconelli describes this as helping youth to notice, name, and nurture the vocational seeds being sown within them. Cultivating such skills of reflexive discernment was a priority of the participating faculty (on practicing discernment with youth for vocation see White 2005;Baker and Mercer 2007;Yaconelli 2006).…”

Youth Finding and Claiming Religious Voice: Coming Out Religiously in an Interreligious Multivalent World

“…This literature focuses largely on guiding the practice of youth ministry and youth education in light of theological and ethical values, often as these values address contextual challenges. The emphasis is on resourcing faith communities that seek to nurture youth (e.g., Wolfson 2013; Wimberly, Barnes, and Johnson 2013; Baker 2010; Dean 2010a); adults who seek to mentor youth on their life journeys (Dean 2010b;Roebben 2009;Patel 2007;Baker and Mercer 2007;White 2005;2013;Wimberly 2005;Bayar and Hirschman 1993); and teachers who seek to draw on faith traditions to nurture values of justice and peace (Bouayadi-van de Wetering and Miedema 2012;Yablon 2010;Mahan, Warren, and White 2008;Turpin 2006). Many of these works are grounded in theological and social analysis, and some engage in qualitative research akin to the present study.…”

A Review of "Saying Is Believing: The Necessity of Testimony in Adolescent Spiritual Development."

“…I found this aspect of the book quite perplexing, since Drury recognizes the potentially subversive power of testimony to give a voice to those who do not normally have one in congregational practice (126). As other practical theologians have claimed, these most marginalized voices are usually youthful ones (see Baker and Mercer 2007). Drury herself testifies to the culture of youth marginalization in church practice: "I .…”