Research shows a majority of Christian youth doubt their faith, but few ever talk about it, leaving teenagers to doubt alone. Grounded in both theology and research, we'll explore various kinds of adolescent doubt while learning to more effectively engage their doubts and questions beyond the usual approaches.
Dean Blevins will present ideas from his research on teen neurology with the remainder of the panelists responding with questions and comments to lead us into a great discussion.
If you are currently working on a Master’s level degree or higher, we would love to meet you! Join Dr. Terry Linhart, our academic liaison, for snacks and conversation about the intersection of graduate and post-graduate work and the praxis of youth ministry. The room will also be available until 4:30 pm as a “Study Hall” with free wifi if you should need to finish and upload a paper.
Stop by Headquarters for room information.
In this session we’ll consider a theologically grounded response to networked individualism, a new cultural configuration that drives teenagers’ love/hate obsession with social media and increasingly undergirds the kind of relationality that all of us pursue. Critiquing the “selective sociality” of friendship in the digital age, we’ll explore the church’s calling to offer teenagers communion beyond connection.
Sharon Ketcham will present ideas from her Journal of Youth Ministry article "Solving the Retention Problem Through Integration: A Communal Vision for Youth Ministry" with the remainder of the panelists responding with questions and comments to lead us into a great discussion.