Consuming Youth

Today's relentless, consumer culture---dominated by popular media's emphasis on bigger, better, and more, and catering to teenagers every want and desire---is leaving our youth adrift in a sea of conflicting messages. Messages that every youth worker must be able to decode and redirect away from the material world towards helping young people become who God created them to be: givers instead of receivers, servers instead of consumers. Consuming Youth is for any adult who recognizes that following Jesus means leading young people through the pitfalls of consumer culture, helping them discover vocation---where their great gladness meets a world's great need, and unleashing the kingdom of God on earth.

John Berard has more than twenty-five years of experience in youth ministry as a practitioner, professor and consultant with churches and organizations on issues of youth ministry, education and leadership development. He is an MA graduate of Providence Theological Seminary and currently works as the National Training Director for YFC Canada and is on staff at st. benedict's table. James Penner is a veteran of more than twenty-five years of youth and young adult ministry. He is an MA graduate in sociology from the University of Lethbridge, where he continues to teach in the department as an adjunct professor and consults on youth empowerment issues for churches and communities (James Penner and Associates). Rick Bartlett has worked with youth for over twenty-five years and is now a lead pastor in Fresno CA. He is a graduate of MB Biblical Seminary and a 2006 graduate of George Fox University, where he earned a DMin.