Family-Based Youth Ministry Chapter 8

This chapter is called Beyond the Cleavers. In this chapter, DeVries addresses the growing phenomena of nontraditional families, and the challenge that we as youth workers have in ministering to youth coming from these families. Now when you sit down and think about this growing phenomena of the rising number of youth coming from nontraditional families, one might say/think that the answer is to begin creating specific programming that is geared toward and targets these youth. DeVries would disagree with that, and after reading this chapter, meditating on it for a little bit, and then connecting it with his previous chapters, I think that I would have to say that I agree.

"The most effective strategy for reaching these young people is to provide a consistent personal ministry to each teenager who is a member of the church whether or not he or she ever attends." (pg 127)

"As a general rule, programming will not be the key to reaching these youth. Relationships much be built in which their unique situation is understood and taken seriously." (pg 127)

DeVries points on the fact that the solution is not within the programs that you create, but rather within the relationships that are built. In his previous chapter he talked about creating relationships within members of the congregation and members of the youth group in order to provide an "extended family" for the youth and their families. It is these relationships and bonds that are going to impact the youth of nontraditional families. For example, Mike is a teenage boy who does not know his father extremely well because Mike's father left him and his mom when he was only 2 years old. Mike's mother has done the best job that she could raising him to this point, yet no matter how hard she tries, she will never be able to fill the void within Mike that is left from a broken/nonexistent relationship with his father. Within the extended family of the church, there is a man named Charlie who is in his late 40's. Charlie met Mike one day in youth group, and the two have had a strong/deep bond ever since. Charlie does whatever he can for Mike, including going to Mike's high school football games, inviting him and the other 11th graders over for Halo parties on Friday nights after football season, and even hosts a Bible study that Mike attends every Monday night. That void in Mike's life is growing less and less prevalent, due to the mentoring and discipleship of Charlie. This idea of providing youth programming that is for everyone, that also allows the rest of the church family to be involved, is what most effectively ministers to growing number of youth coming from nontraditional families.