LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL of DIVINITY the Aging Process And
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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY The Aging Process and How That Affects Judgement and Choices in Youth Ministry Submitted to Dr. Dan L. Burrell in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of DMIN890 – A06 Thesis Project Defense by Ricky Lynn Harris April 17, 2017 Copyright © 2017 by Ricky Harris All Rights Reserved ii Liberty University School of Divinity Thesis Project Approval Sheet _______________________________ Mentor: Dr. Dan L. Burrell Assistant Professor, School of Divinity Instruction _______________________________ Reader: Scott B. Phillips Associate Professor of Religion, Rawlings School of Divinity Instructor iii THE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY THESIS PROJECT Ricky L. Harris Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, 2015 Mentor: Dr. Dan Burrell An Examination of Developmental Life Stages Contrasted with Student Ministers’ Age and Priorities in Ministry This thesis will explore the correlation between developmental life stages and how these stages affect student ministers’ approaches to ministry in southern Baptist churches. The rationale for this thesis is to help student ministers realize that longevity in their vein of ministry is achievable and also to provide a guide for how they may process aging in ministry. Search committees will be able to use this information while seeking to fill this staff position, considering the needs of their congregation and students. Books and journals will be reviewed for content on developmental life stage characteristics. Student ministers will be surveyed and interviewed for ministry comparisons. The author hopes to gain a better understanding of various changing values during the aging process, and how these changes are realized in a student minister position. This will also allow the author to use that knowledge to mentor student ministers during their vocational careers. Abstract Length: 150 Words. iv Acknowledgements I want to acknowledge some of the people who have been a great help in this project. Phillip Harris, Tom Foley and several others who offered great advice in the beginning while developing the survey for this project. I would also like to thank and acknowledge the student ministers who took time out of their day to complete the survey. Also, I would like to thank each Southern Baptist State convention offices who allowed the email to be sent from their office to the student ministers in their state. Thanks also to Dana Alderman for the many hours she spent in processing the data from the survey and placing the data in a usable form. Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Jeri, for all of the hours she has dedicated to this process and for her encouragement to me all along the way. She gave advice on the questionnaire, allowed papers and books to be scattered throughout the house and gave critique during the process of writing and editing. She has been right by my side during the writing of this thesis, just as she has been right by my side through our thirty years of student ministry. v Contents Abstract…………………………………………….……………………………………………..iv Acknowledgements …………………………………………………………………………….…v Chapter 1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………….... 1 Statement of the Limitations…………………………………………….………...…..…3 Theoretical Basis……………………………………………………………………….…6 Statement of Methodology…………………………………………………………….….8 Review of Literature……………………………………………………………….……...9 Chapter 2 History of Youth Ministry …………………………………………………………. 22 Life Concept – Staying in for the Long Haul……………………………………………33 Choosing Student Ministry for Life…………………………………………….…..……41 The Project Design……………………………………………………………….………45 Reasons for this Study…………………………………………………………….……..46 Chapter 3 Adult Life Developmental Stages …………………………………………….…… 48 Young Life………………………………………………………………………….……53 Middle Life………………………………………………………………………………57 Older Life…………………………………………………………………………….…..64 Review of Christ in the Seasons of Ministry…………………………………………….68 Chapter 4 Analysis of General Survey Information ………………………………………….76 vi Key Focus of the Job……………………………………………………………………..81 Perceptions from the Student Minister………………………………………………….84 Lessons Learned………………………………………………………………………….92 Definitions of Successful Ministry………………………………………………………98 Knowledge of Youth Culture While Aging………………………………………….....102 The Student Relation Factor………………………………………………………..…..104 Student Minister Looking Ahead Ten Years……………………………………….…..107 Willingness to Take Risks……………………………………………………….……..113 Chapter 5 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………….…...117 The Twenty to Twenty-nine Year Old Review……………………………...….….…..119 The Thirty to Thirty-nine Year Old Review…………………………….………….…..122 The Forty to Forty-nine Year Old Review……………………………………………...126 The Fifty to Fifty-nine Year Old Review………………………………………..……..131 The Sixty to Sixty-nine Year Old Review……………………………………………..134 Closing Remarks on Aging in Student Ministry…………………………………..……136 Further Development and Suggestions……………………………………………..…..137 Appendix A Southern Baptist State Convention Contact Information ……………………...139 Appendix B Youth Minister Survey of Southern Baptist Student Ministers…………..………143 Appendix C Synopsis of Age Development Characteristics …………………………….…..207 Appendix D Stages of Ministry Life …………………………………………………………..208 Appendix E IRB Approval Letter ………………………………………………………..…..210 Appendix F IRB Approved Consent Form for Online Survey ………………………..………211 vii Appendix G PowerPoint-Aging Process of Student Minister………………………………….214 Glossary.……………………………………...………………………………………………...233 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………234 viii List of Figures Figure 1. Ages of Student Ministers……………………………………………………………..36 Figure 2. Synopsis of Age Development Characteristics………………………………………..74 Figure 3. Key Focus of your Job………………………………………………………………....82 Figure 4. Desire for pastor to see student pastor as: ...…………………………………………..85 Figure 5. Student Minister's perspective on how pastor sees him……………………………….86 Figure 6. Time spent daily on youth ministry planning………………………………………….89 Figure 7. Time spent on other staff responsibilities……………………………………………...91 Figure 8. Understanding Youth Culture………………………………………………………...103 Figure 9. How Student Pastor relates to students (Ages 20-49)………………………………..105 Figure 10. How Student Pastor relates to students (Ages 50-69)……………………………....106 Figure 11. Where a Student Minister sees himself in 10 years (Age 20-29)…………………...108 Figure 12. Where a Student Minister sees himself in 10 years (Age 30-39)…………………...109 Figure 13. Where a Student Minister sees himself in 10 years (Age 40-59)…………………...110 Figure 14. Where a Student Minister sees himself in 10 years (Age 60-69)…………………...111 Figure 15. Risk Taking in Student Ministry……………………………………………………114 Figure 16. Relationship Roles with Senior Pastor (30-39)……………………………………..124 ix Chapter 1 Introduction In this paper, the author will examine the aging process in student ministry, seeking to answer the question: “How does a student minister change in areas of attitude and decision- making as one matures?” Many other disciplines have taken on the subject of various aspects of the aging process through studies in developmental psychology and business practices, making application to their specific fields. These disciplines have taken the teachings of Gail Sheehy, and Erik Erikson, as well as others, and then applied those teachings to their disciplines. Vocations including the areas of teaching, business and even pastoral ministry have been considered but one that has not been considered is the role of a student minister. A study such as this is needed in the church for many reasons; one reason is to help those who minister to students understand that student ministry does not need to be a stepping stone to the position of lead pastor. There is a hope, in doing this project, the author can influence search committees to not eliminate a candidate based merely on the matter of age. Another reason for this project is to help student ministers gain a better understanding of the aging process in ministry, and to better move through the maturing process, while also continuing in ministry. Search committees, when considering hiring for a staff position, will often set an age range that they are hiring for; this includes the lead pastor and associates. There are many variances in criteria for a lead pastor such as experience, previous churches served, and chronological age; however, in the quest for a new student minister, many times, one of the main criteria is age. David Olshine writes on the subject, “Yet surveys for the southern states show that most organizations want older youth workers-usually early-to-mid 30s, married, with families. Some churches even want 40-year-old youth pastors-those vets who've tried walking on 1 water, sank through the waves a number of times, got back into the boat, and are now stable and wise.” 1 Through the author’s discussions with churches over the years, as they are searching for someone to minister to the students, there has been a general consensus to search for a student minister in the age range of twenty-four to thirty-five. Once the age factor is secured, then the aspects of schooling and experience are considered. The committee, even though well-meaning, has a desire for the student pastor to relate well with the teens and they presume age is the determining factor for relatability. The statement, “Knowledge is power”, has been accredited to Sir Francis Bacon and has been applied now by many in relation to several areas of life. In the area of the student minister, this project