Social Media can help Youth Ministers!!!
Many months ago, as I began to hone my research for my PhD candidacy paper, I found the Lord working in and through me as I pondered what it means to live in a connected world and leave a lasting impression on the vocation of professional youth ministry. Several books, experiences, and virtual communities of practice have culminated into what I believe is the key to future youth ministry longevity and as controversial as this may sound, I don't think it involves face-to-face interaction. Now...hear me out. The field of professional Youth Ministry is historically plagued with the stereotype of inexperienced, young, hipster types possessing good relational skills with adolescents that find themselves not being able to last very long in any one located ministry setting. While formal, academic training has made significant strides in the field to remedy this problem, long-term ongoing training and mentoring opportunities are where experiences get fleshed out and refined. Within these ...