Open AccessToward a contemporary understanding of youth ministry as a descriptive agency
Author(s) -
Garth Aziz
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
in die skriflig/in die skriflig
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2305-0853
pISSN - 1018-6441
DOI - 10.4102/ids.v53i1.2403
Subject(s) - christian ministry , agency (philosophy) , context (archaeology) , protestantism , sociology , political science , gender studies , social science , law , history , archaeology
Youth ministry within an evangelical protestant epistemology has predominantly been evangelistic, with the aim of reaching and proselytising unchurched youth and youth who do not have a personal and confessed relationship with Jesus Christ. Youth ministry, however, since its inception until the contemporary context of the 21st century, has gone through many challenges and transformations. The historical challenges of the youth ministry have birthed many developments to address the ever-increasing need of the adolescent world both globally and within South Africa. Youth ministry can no longer only be interested in the spiritual condition of the youth; instead, youth ministry should be an agency in the lived realities and experiences of the youth. The aim of the article is to argue that the efficacy of youth ministry in a contemporary society depends on its function as a descriptive agency that is informed by its mission, which is primarily ministry.