How often do you stop to ask, “Is the way I practice ministry leading to the results I am hoping for?” or, “How do my theology and my ministry shape each other?” Whether you think about these kinds of things a lot or a little, this Deep Design from Kara Powell and Chap Clark’s new book Deep Ministry in a Shallow World offers a “practical theology” loop that you can incorporate into virtually every aspect of ministry.
Kara Powell interviews Luther Whitfield, urban ministries coordinator for Youth for Christ in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and national community ministries consultant for YFC, on conducting program evaluation.
- Program Evaluation
- Deep Ministry Excerpt
- Technology and theology
- Assessment tools
- Hip Hop FAQs
How do you get – and keep – students involved in and caring about world concerns, serving others, and engaging in social justice? Take a look at what we’ve been hearing from youth workers around the country, as well as some suggestions on ways to engage the students in your ministry.
When you see youth facing certain challenges, do you begin labeling them “at-risk”? Or do you focus on the potential assets and resources available to them? Maria Bjørdal recently interviewed two Fuller faculty researchers about Positive Youth Development and its influence in their study of violence prevention.
How do the kids in your church know when they have become adolescents? How do they know when they have become adults? As we re-think the value and necessity of rites of passage in our ministries, we may help bring clarity to these life stages and help students through the zones of identity confusion.
What does it mean to persuade students with the Gospel? When do we cross the line to manipulation? What can we learn from persuasion research to help sharpen our communication practices with students? Mark Maines utilizes some of Chap Clark’s work from the newly-released Deep Ministry in a Shallow World to offer a new look at our persuasion.
Kara Powell interviews Larry Acosta, President of Urban Youth Workers Institute, on developing strategies for ministry Fund Development.
- Larry Acosta Interview
- Urban-emergent panel
- The art of persuasion
- Rites of passage
- Engaging students in service and justice
- New perspectives on kids at risk
Ever wonder what your students, parents, and volunteers are thinking about your ministry? Why not ask? Check out these lists of helpful questions for focus group assessments to help solve the mysteries.
