A practical theological reflection on the office of the career youth pastor

Abstract

In recent years the state of youth work, and more specifically the professional youth worker, has been on the forefront of discussion and concern in South Africa and has been the focus of the Presidency, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), the Commonwealth, and select South African universities. Statistics (Stats SA 2011) discloses that more than 58.5% of the South African population are youth that is aged 1 through 35 (National Youth Policy of South Africa 2008:11) and is, therefore, an important area of interest. In a similar manner, there is increasing discussion and concern in the area of youth ministry in the church. In utilising a case study of the Baptist Union of Southern Africa (BUSA), it is reflected at the annual assembly of churches and its publications that indeed there is an ever increasing concern regarding its youth. The concern for the youth ministry centres on the efficacy of this area of ministry as we observe the exodus of youth from the local church. This particular study has its focus on the youth ministry and specifically the topic of the office of the career youth pastor in an attempt to address the concern of effective ministry to youth as well as addressing the concern of the professional youth worker. This research posits that there is no clear and intentional theological articulation for the office of the career youth pastor. Furthermore, the study will inquire how the office of the career youth pastor will address the problem regarding the professional youth worker as well as an effective ministry to and with youth in the church. This research, therefore, will endeavour to address the theological basis for the call and vocation of the career youth pastor, the cultural as well as the developmental needs of youth in supporting the notion for the career youth pastor, and the purpose of the career youth pastor, by reflecting on the practices and normative texts of the BUSA as a case study through the empirical research of qualitative interviewing.