PJ on May 15, 2009 said...

Hey - Can those of us who want to become Real World Parents (Class on Thursday 1-6PM) can attend the Intensives exclusive party? I would hope so…

Cody Chumbley on May 18, 2009 said...

I would say that this shift is very much an Acts 2 model and rooted in the gospels would be a good place to start

Jeff Myers on May 22, 2009 said...

This sounds great.  For years and years the convention has been a source of refreshment and encouragement for me and our youth staff.  Just don’t do what MTV did at the music awards 2 years ago when they held it in different hotel rooms.  That was a creative idea that didn’t work.

Chad Floyd on May 25, 2009 said...

nuts. I like variety shows.

Chad Floyd on May 25, 2009 said...

(ahem)...

But I know it will be great. Far greater than I could imagine.

Thanks for working so hard to feed us, guys.

Caroline Dawes on Jun 17, 2009 said...

I have always loved NYWC and the things that YS does.  I have appreciated the variety of exposure you offer, and the stretch that you have given me.  (Just in case you needed to hear that you have been fruitful in your work thus far).  That said, it sounds like you got a great deal of feedback and I am so impressed by the way you have heard people and processed what they might really be expressing.  I am looking forward to seeing what comes of your recreation.  Keep going!  See you in LA.

Matt Ferguson on Jun 17, 2009 said...

Wow, already planned on not going to the national conference because we really didn’t feel a need to go to a Democrate National Party event or as one youth leader with us called it the Young Socialist group (YS).  Don’t know if we will trust that you have actually made the adjustments and go this year—-maybe we will wait and see—-as it was rather over the top ridiculous last year.  Glad you are listening the feedback you received, though.

john r on Jun 17, 2009 said...

In regards to less controversial speakers, I think the least controversial speaker I’ve heard at YS was Andy Stanley. However, I was also perhaps least impacted by his sermon because of that. I’ve enjoyed those like Phylis Tickle, who stretch my thinking, or Phil Visher from a couple years back who was just gut honest in his story and experiences. I think you might have experienced the biggest backlash against people like that scientist speaker at Nashville last year, who’s ideas were outside of the historical Christian belief system. I know I saw several people get up and leave during his talk. I stayed, and thought it was interesting, but it did seem like a case of controversy for controversy’s sake, and that seems less helpful than hearing someone speak about Jesus from a different starting point than me.

Chris on Jun 17, 2009 said...

I guess this gives me some insight into some of the hard changes…no more “variety show” .... a different direction than practices “from 1978” were desired for about “three years”.

Hard for me to tell what Youth Specialties is looking for. In relation to the “socialist” thing…I have always perceived that YS was just into stretching people, giving youth workers a safe place to hear a different perspective in a different setting. I remember Yaconelli speaking of the time YS brought an atheists in years ago so youth workers would hear what the people were thinking about the church, and Jesus.

My denomination is as conservative as they come in regards to the hot button issues, but I am no means some evangelical with a rod stuck so far up my behind that it touches the base of brain as to affect my thinking. I can handle different perspectives. I had no problem with YS last year. IN youth ministry, these questions come up, so why not get to hear what the other side says, right within our own context?

I find myself wondering what Yac would think one way or the other. I have no idea…in one sense it seems like the convention is going more in the way of Group, with more of a focus behind it. One of the coll things about YS is that it was the “mall” of conventions, one could choose the directions, and the cohorts helped that. Now it seems that even though Marco is saying that they are looking for less “direction from us” i think ultimately you are directing it more, which is fine. 

I had decided to not come to the convention for the first time since 94 but more for being upset with personnel changes (Tic) ... not so thrilled about the Saturday thing, but you know whatever, I am probably doing group this yer anyway…  but I like the idea of the “more youth ministry focused"and less about hot button topics, even though that never bothered me.

Tim Barnett on Jun 19, 2009 said...

Hi
I’m a thirty yr youth vet, been to a Ys event every yr since 1989 or so.
I’ve loved YS and the NYWC has been the highlight for many years. For 20 yrs I have been the biggest YS supporter…constantly singing its praises. For the first time I’m not excited about attending a YS event.
Our team after viewing the videos is less than excited about the changes. We are contemplating whether or not we will attend. The diversity of speakers at least made you stretch your bounderies. I do think giving speakers a little less controversial is for the best.We really loved the General sessions. Miss Tic… We pay for all the conference expenses out of our own pockets. Questioning the value compared to years past
thanks,  Prayers Tim BArnett

Chris on Jun 19, 2009 said...

Well Tim, dollar for dollar you are getting less, right?

If you do critical concerns(already cut down in time form previous years, you actually get three less seminars, less bands, less time in the General sessions. Less content, less late night options. I mean if they wanted to just save money or not raise the price, just say so.

But more “group think” for what it’s worth. I can do that at home, i don’t need to pay big bucks for campfire think sessions where we recreate the feel of the ideas books.

All right I wont say anymore, just not high on the whole thing, but you know in it’s own right, I am sure it will be good.

Concerned on Jun 20, 2009 said...

I just want to say that for the website we have went to to find a positive christian environment for us to support our youth workers to attend, I am disappointed in the language that the video clip released about the change in the upcoming convention.  I feel that you are to be MUCH more professional and understanding of the impact you have in your words than to say pi**ed on a christian website! No matter how much you are trying to stress your point!

Matt on Jun 23, 2009 said...

Last November was my first YS Convention.  Even as a conservative Lutheran I found the convention VERY uplifting and worth my time and money.  I found being stretched is very necessary if for no other reason than to be able to see what others are teaching so you can defend your own beliefs that much more.  YS moved me to discover urban ministry and what that entails.  I am not by any means declaring myself fit for urban ministry but I am discovering if I am or not during a two month internship that I am currently in the middle of this summer in Brooklyn, NY.  I believe that God used the convention to wake me up to other needs of the church that I am not familiar with. 

Anyone who was bothered/offended by the convention last November needs to leave their office a little more than for just that YS Convention and go talk to real people out there in life.  That is beyond essential.  If you don’t like what you hear then chew the meat and spit out the bones.  But come down off of your high horse that what Tic and Co. produced for 2008’s convention was agenda driven.  It was the Gospel, thanks be to God for that!

Matt Ferguson on Jun 23, 2009 said...

Maybe I should let you know a bit more about me.

I am a Presbyterian Church USA pastor so I am very used to being around, hearing, interacting with liberal material. 

I have worked with youth on a weekly basis for 28 years.  I was part of the first conferences Wayne Rice and others would go around putting on for YS.

I have taken over 20 mission trips, ranging from inner city to orphanages in Mexico.  Just back from TeamEffort in Copperhill, TN. 

I used to belong to such groups as Sojourners back in the day. 

So, Matt and others, I have been there / done that and got plenty of T-shirts. 

Some of the problems with last fall’s national YS conference was lack of balance in material presented, with some rather immature views on social agenda items.  Throw in there a need for greater emphasis on the main things of youth ministry (of any ministry) and you have the problem. 

If the folks who put on the event would be honest about things—-I would bet something that a quick survey would find nearly 100% Obama voters in charge of the event.  Not saying you can’t be a good Christian and have voted for Obama but I am betting that is the case as it would explain the lack of balance (It all looked good to those in the planning because they all were coming from the same perspective.) 

I do hope YS comes through with solid adjustments.  For the most part they have been a a great resource for an important area of ministry.  It used to be that I could recommend anything from YS (and from Zondervan) without having to actually read the stuff——those days have passed (I include Zondervan in that statement—-still wondering how they can publish items by Brian McLaren among others).

Adam McLane on Jun 23, 2009 said...

Hey Matt & Matt. You know what’s crazy? This discussion is exactly why we love hosting NYWC. We love the tension of tossing thousands of people together to have conversations about the topic we all love and are all so passionate about. One of the strengths of YS has always been that our commonality is Jesus Christ and students. Methodology, denominational difference, political differences, etc… we chose to lay them aside for the cause of reaching today’s students with Jesus’ love.

As far as NYWC 08 having some sort of a political agenda, I actually believe Marko addressed this in the video above pretty well. If he didn’t, I’d encourage you to connect with him about it at: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Thanks for the kind words. We too strongly desire to continue to push forward with providing resources, training events, and encouragement to youth workers around the world. Adolescent culture is changing faster than ever! We just pray we can keep up.

Mike Stevenson on Jun 23, 2009 said...

I appreciate the the “Kingdom of God” focus.  We need not spin our wheels sputtering about trivia. Let’s get to the main thing….keeping youth focused on Jesus and His agenda for right now!!!

Matt on Jun 24, 2009 said...

Pr. Ferguson,

Thank you for the background.  I still think then maybe you need to not let things bother you so much.  Again, I’m in one of the more conservative denominations out there, and I was not upset with the material.  I was made uncomfortable and it certainly upset my balance.  But then again that is a good thing to have happen from time to time.

And here I am living alone in Brooklyn for Jesus.  Go figure.

Cody Chumbley on Jun 24, 2009 said...

Matt F.
  I wonder which city you went to of YS because in Sacramento we had Shane Claiborne speak.  Have you read any of his stuff?  I believe he and Tony C. were both calling us to a kingdom of God view of this world and not a parties way of thinking.  A call to Acts 2 to the simple.  He hammered his own party, the democrats, pretty hard too.  I am a Church of Christ Youth Minister in Texas so I am pretty sure I am in the heart of Republican conservative country but find that YS is a breeding ground to lay down anything that may keep me from fellowship with those who are my brothers and sisters in Christ.  I have to respectfully disagree with you from my experience with YS.  I think even the people at YS would say that you never are to take a humans perception of the gospel as truth but to lay it upon the word of God to find it’s truth.  There is know resource company out there that gets it 100% right because it is made up of humans but thats why we are a community of faith that challenges each other in His truth and not our own. I think this is the heart of why you responded, because you seek truth.  May we find it together!

Matt Ferguson on Jun 24, 2009 said...

Matt,

I am not letting it bother me too much——trust me, in the big scheme of things I know this isn’t that big of deal.  Overall I am happy YS is responding to comments that were submitted——that is awesome.  I like what they are looking to do.  I don’t think some folks here understand the bigger problems caused by how things were being done in the past (you can present challenging material via other methods that aren’t one-side (panel discussion, dialogue format, etc.) and make sure speakers are of basic orthodox faith, unless they are there to represent a topic from a non-Christian view. 

Coby,

Sure I have read Shane——my sons and I (25 year old twins) read his first book together and discuss and often after that reading we would comment on some news as if taking Shane’s perspective on it and the others present would say “Shane, Shane, Shane.”  Good stuff over all in his book—-don’t get me wrong—-but . . . 

If I had to guess on the number of Campolo books I have read I would say 10——number of times I have heard Tony talk, likely over a dozen.  I quote the guy sometimes.  Great stuff. 

Truth?  Yeah that is important to me—-I am sure it is to others here as well.  Balance needed on topics is more of an issue—-imbalance leaves a sense of endorsement by those putting the event on, whether they like that being seen as so or not.

But, and here is part of the rub for me, there must be a limit on what is published by Christian publishers (YS / Zondervan) or they will be found unfaithful in their calling from God.  What is that limit?  the basic orthodox essentials of the faith.  To publish material by someone or to have someone as a speaker who is not balanced out (via a panel or dialogue presentation) who promotes a view contrary to the essentials of the faith is to participate in that viewpoint and teaching. 

On the other hand, to have someone speak on political / social topics without any balance is only unfair, unwise, not helpful in community building among God’s people, etc. 

Comparatively, I am an old dog in this—- I have been where many of you are on much of this in younger years (see my above notes).  I am glad YS took note of the comments sent in to them on last year’s event—-I would find it interesting for them to publish some of the better ones in ratio (positive to negative) that they received them.  I think those comments would help clarify the need to do what is being planned for next year and maybe open the eyes of some of you writing here to the harm to unity among believers that can be done in the name of challenging people.  Challenging people can be done via methods that allow for balanced presentations—-it doesn’t have to be done in one-sided fashion.

Cody Chumbley on Jun 25, 2009 said...

And who are you referring to that is getting away from the essentials in faith?  All I have personally seen is a balance of thoughts and new conversations that never take away from the essentials of faith in Christ alone, but I could be wrong.  I think I have seen a healthy balance of the positive and negative but when the negative is presented it is done so in a matter to find the good intentions in it so that we may share in one faith in Christ.  The way you are wording it sounds like that in order for the negative to be shown, there must be clear cut defiance of everything or as we would say it in the South, throwing the baby out with the bath water and I know that is not what you are saying.  I respect that you have been a veteran in ministry and thank God for you but please don’t forget that your experience doesn’t out weigh what the Spirit might be showing through someone of a new perspective.  I too am calling myself to not think because I have a new perspective that it out weighs your wisdom of experience.  May we both share in the fruits of each other’s insight from the Spirit.  I think what I would ask to understand your view of the shift YS has made is this:  What specifically have you personally seen that has taken away from the gospel of Jesus Christ?  If there is something I am missing, may I take up the cause with you to refocus us on the essentials of faith in Christ.

Matt on Jul 01, 2009 said...

I guess as a Lutheran I have always understood the balances that go with faith and life.  With our Law/Gospel, Right vs. Left Kingdom (Church and world), sacramental understandings, etc., it just never rubbed me really the wrong way.  In fact most of the things being said at the convention just seemed like it was a reaction against itself.  That the “Evangelical” community is fading away as it once was and is beginning to seriously look at scripture the way it should be. 

The Andrew Marin thing on homosexuality was good to see because for so long homosexuality has been sin 1 or 1a in the evangelical world.  For a Lutheran hearing it I was just like, “Well duh.”  But then I began to appreciate the direction of the convention more once I realized it was about having a more balanced approach to looking at scripture as God’s Truth and God’s Grace or His Law and Gospel.  Whereas typically the evangelical community preaches “Gospel” by hammering the Law or dressing the Law as some sort of Gospel, it leaves many people in despair.  My biggest pet peave being “decisions” for Jesus.

Pr. Ferguson, as a conservative Presbyterian you can probably agree with me on the theological past of the Evangelical community.  SO by stating all this I am just letting you know that as someone who gives a more balanced look at scripture that this is what I saw at the YS Convention.  It seems that the majority there are of the Evangelical community and YS was showing them the more balanced interpretation to scripture that they had for so long neglected.

Dave on Jul 03, 2009 said...

I have been attending every few years since the mid 80’s and really appreciated the impact NYWC had on me for many years.  From looking over the upcoming schedule and speakers, I don’t see much change though.  Yes, the open space and fish bowls are new ideas and the overall approach is less variety show clutter, but that does not really change much. I still get the sense of it being a deconstructionist missional approach where YS and friends seek to address issues in the church.  (good stuff, but not a direction that feeds my soul)  It appears to be no more balanced or stretching than in recent years.  I miss the days that we heard Tony Campolo in one session and Jerry Falwell in the next.  I appreciate hearing some of these folks but why not invite people like Mark Driscoll, John Piper, Tim Keller, or any of the voices currently shaping the conservative scene?

Mark Wilhoite on Jul 09, 2009 said...

I think youth specialties really needs to help MarkO to get a hair cut that people wont make fun of. Every year we get together and laugh about what ever style he’s picked. When you’re as wonderful as MarkO is then I guess hair really doesnt matter. Thanks for all that you do MarkO.

Ryan on Jul 19, 2009 said...

I can’t help but feel very uncomfortable with Tic leaving AND with the changes at NYWC this year, and I can’t help but think that both issues are related.  I feel like much of what I love about YS & NYWC is changing.

Jack Johnson on Aug 03, 2010 said...

Hey,
See, my church is really starting to grow and our youth group has grown a lot too. We are gradually starting to do more activities and I was wondering if any of you had any ideas that I can tell my youth pastor. Ideas for the fall/winter are most needed though. I am Church Of Christ(don’t know if thatmatters, but I asked one person before for ideas and they asked what kind of church I go to.), So yea…I appreciate any ideas.
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