I am currently reading "Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation" by Carol Howard Merritt. I'm almost afraid to read about young adults as an old person, because as Carol says, I think I see them through tinted glasses. Honestly, I don't feel old. So I hope to throw some things out there and get feedback.
First though, I speak to my fear in a way of justifying criticism. I KNOW that a book is not about all people, no book is. It is the author's experience, and it is the readers responsibility to test, challenge, agree or disagree. Ministry is to an individual, who never fits the stereotype or image portrayed. Having said that...
Early in the book, (pg 16) the author writes: "When a young person walks into a church, it's a significant moment, because no on expects her to go and nothing pressures her to attend; instead, she enters the church looking for something. She searches for connection in her displacement: connection with God through spiritual practices, connections with her neighbors through an intergenerational community, and connection with the world through social justice outreach."
She goes on to say that even, maybe especially smaller churches have the resources to respond in meaningful ways when they understand their contexts and make a place for them.
Thoughts?
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