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| In the last section of the book, Dean and Foster first hit two things that go hand-in-hand. The idea of hand-holding and finger pointing are radical ideas, and ones that aren’t practiced enough. Hand-holding is described by Dean and Foster as being the ministry of presence. I think back to when I was in high school, and how powerful the times of going out for a soda or burger with my youth pastor were. They are memories that I will never forget, and they were times that I often spilled my guts to the one that I trusted. That is what hand-holding is about—being there for the youth, one on one, listening and letting them speak what is on their heart and lending support. We are, in a sense, where the youth “tune into the voice of God,” in Dean and Foster’s words. Another point that Dean and Foster hit upon is the focus on numbers. In today’s youth ministry it seems that all we are concerned about is how many kids came on Wednesday night. The sad part of this is that in most cases it’s the congregation or the church leadership board or some other board that wants figures and numbers. But the focus on numbers needs to be rejected to be a good Godbearer. The emphasis should be on spending time with the youth individually. Your simple presence can make all the difference to them. And this hand-holding offers much more to the youth, giving them the confidence in themselves, knowing that they are not all alone, but have someone beside them to help guide them along. Once the youth trust our presence, our finger pointing can have a significantly real impact in their lives. Finger-pointing often times has negative associations: pointing out flaws, thoughts of guilt or blame. But the finger-pointing that Dean and Foster speak of is different. It is a pointing that is always in the direction of God, and more specifically the cross where Jesus hung and died for us. Just like everyone else, youth need someone to guide them in their faith journey. Dean and Foster use the example of a young thirteen-year-old who makes a first-time, personal commitment to follow Christ. You cannot just “leave him/her hanging”; the youth need someone who has been in their situations before, and knows the way through them. Continued... |
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