Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church

by Kenda Creasy Dean

Every stage of life brings out certain human characteristics, and according to Kenda Creasy Dean, adolescence is particularly characterized by passion. If the church is to speak meaningfully to youth and in turn reap the many benefits that young people have to offer, then its ministry must be predicated on passion ― the Passion of Christ, the passion of youth, and the passionate faith that results when these two things come together.

The uniqueness of Practicing Passion lies in its relocating youth ministry in practical theology rather than in educational theory or psychological or social development. While youth ministry has routinely capitalized on the passions of adolescents, little attention has been given to the theological mooring that youth need to connect with the church and hold firm amid the growing demands of popular culture. Focusing on the theological resonance between the Passion of Christ and adolescents’ experience of passion, Dean develops a framework for youth ministry that draws on the historic practices of the Christian community as a “curriculum of passion.”

Offering a compelling new model for reaching, discipling, and empowering today’s young adults, Practicing Passion is a vital resource for anyone already engaged in or preparing for youth ministry.

Genres: Theology, Young Adult, Church, Christian

260 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 2004

About the author

Kenda Creasy Dean is an ordained elder in the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference (United Methodist) and professor of youth, church, and culture at Princeton Theological Seminary, where she works closely with the Institute for Youth Ministry. A graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary, she served as pastor in suburban Washington DC and as a campus minister at the University of Maryland-College Park before coming to Princeton Seminary. She is currently appointed as the coordinating pastor of Kingston United Methodist Church in Kingston, New Jersey.

Reviews

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so thought-provoking! In short, it's about how youth ministry -- but which we mean, of course, Christian (or Christian-ish) youth, need the church, and, more importantly, God and Christ. Although I found this challenging, it wasn't scary (in a fundamentalist kind of way), and I found this book particularly approachable because it's written about/for the mainline Protestant church. Overall, Dean challenges the notion that youth think church/youth group is "lame" -- not because she thinks it isn't, but because she offers that God, Christ, and the church are as far from lame as you can get! They're all about passion (hence the title), deep relationship, meaning making, and overall radical challenge of dominant culture that finds these things to be "weird," which explains why the church has gone astray. So this book is definitely about youth ministry, but I think it's mostly about just ministry -- because adults need this too, but I think Dean's hope is that youth/young adults will lead the way.

[Noah Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped to give language to what I felt as an adolescent and offers quality wisdom on how to inspire the passion for and of Christ in today’s youth. The only reason it gets 4 stars instead of 5 is because it is a bit dated in its understanding of youth culture since it was published over 10 years ago.

Would definitely recommend to all those who are in the field of youth ministry.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reference for a Masters class. Excellent work of theology, with applications for youth ministry.

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

K. Dean is such a great voice to youth ministry.

[Tim Beck · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was intellectual, to say the least.

[Joe Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good youth ministry must be built on great theology and this book will help you pour some great footers.

[Bob Wollenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful book about the need for passion in faith and life. Not just a book about youth ministry. It's about everything!