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A Coffee Cup

Posted October 16, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Filed Under Faith & Religion | 1 Comment

A coffee cup is the modern symbol of youth ministry.

Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, associate professor of Religious Education at Claremont School of Theology, explained that the coffee cup represents the most important tool for doing youth ministry today: Authenticity.

Over a cup of coffee, adults and young people can get to know one another. Over coffee, they can listen, share and relate.

Dr. Conde-Frazier talked about how to be effective in youth ministry at the Youth Between Cultures training event held at First United Methodist Church in Arlington on Saturday, Oct. 11.

Specifically, she focused on ministry with Hispanic youth, who are caught between the dominant culture of the United States and the culture of their families.

She listed what Hispanic young people want and don’t want out of church.

What they do want are relationships with adults who aren’t their parents. Youth leaders have the opportunity to fulfill this need and also to help young people become Christians and grow as disciples.

What they don’t want is to be entertained.

“They know where to get entertainment,” she said. “Youth want to go to church to talk about spirituality because it is important to them.”

Young people want to know about God and participate in God’s mission. They want to delve into the meat of the Bible.

They also want a pastor and not a friend.

“They want me to share the Word and to hear their tears and to be able to get into that place with them as well,” she said.

Hispanic young people have unique circumstances and needs.

First generation Hispanics in this country, who move here after the age 18, operate mainly out of the paradigm of their native country. The “1.5 generation” – made up of those who moved here between the ages of 7 and 11 – operate out of the paradigm of both cultures. Second-generation Hispanics, or those who were born here or moved here before the age of five, operate out of the paradigm of U.S. culture.

There is a tension between generations, particularly the first and second.

“They are looking different ways. They are formed in different worlds,” Conde-Frazier said. “There are pressures on the young people. They have to be one way at home and one way in the world. Their parents may remind them that they brought them to this country to give them a better life and then they turn around and face discrimination in the world.”

These young people have a tremendous need for acceptance and belonging.

Church can fulfill this role if church is warm and welcoming.

Conde-Frazier said young Hispanics need to be woven into the fabric of our churches.

They can do this by embracing them, empowering them and placing them in leadership.

“Who should be doing missions at your church? Young people. Who is passionate and idealistic? Young people. And what are we doing with them? Entertaining them,” she said.

Rather, the church should help young people find their vocations and apprentice them in these vocations. When this happens, a truly healthy relationship is formed – one in which adults and youth contribute to the growth of one another.

“In the church, it’s not about age,” Conde-Frazier said. “The culture of the reign of God is led by the example of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.”

She cited Joel 2:28, which says: “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”