Youth ministry and community development : a practical-theological perspective

Abstract

Many local communities across the globe are generally confronted by a myriad of challenges such as poverty, pervasive poor health conditions, substance abuse, poor access to basic services and inequality. Several scholars argue that the church should be involved with those who find themselves in this kind of a situation. Some go to an extent of suggesting that the wheel of community development depends on the productivity and creativity of young people. Contrary to these observations, local churches seem to be neglecting to take issues seriously that are confronting local communities, even though they are aware of them. For this reason, a need to study youth ministry’s involvement in community development in Mayibuye community of Tembisa, Gauteng Province of South Africa was identified. This study was conceived to establish the mechanisms that local churches need to enhance youth involvement in community development in the absence of youth ministries in their established structures. In conducting this investigation, the study applied qualitative methods of in-depth interviews and literature study. The study confirmed that youth ministry involvement in community development is crucial and beneficial in bringing the required change. To come to this conclusion, collected data were analysed thematically. The themes which emerged from data resulted in the crafting of a pragmatic strategy to be considered for utilisation by the churches to enhance youth ministry’s involvement in community development. Informed by suggestions from field data which were subjected to theoretical interpretation using academic concepts, this pragmatic strategy is an open-ended guideline which could be used by local churches to set the vision, mission and objectives of youth ministry’s involvement in community development. It further provides the guidance on the principles, institutional arrangements and systems required to run a youth ministry for impacting community development.