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We try to select worthwhile books to review and
recommend to our readers. We do that with awareness that while there are many
good books and one cannot read them all, there are special books that we believe
deserve special attention and have a unique role to fulfill. Walt Muller’s
Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture is one of those books. It is a book like
Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey that plays a unique role in our mission to make
kingdom disciples.
I have used Total Truth as a companion to my
book, Making Kingdom Disciples, a New Framework, in several seminary classes.
Now this will be a third required reading with Mueller’s book. It is outstanding
at representing solidly Reformed kingdom theology, with all the covenant
ramifications, plus an up-to-date understanding of the rising generation. He
demonstrates the importance of understanding the youth culture in order to
communicate in a sensible and life-oriented manner.
Engaging The Soul of Youth Culture is not just
another book on pop culture, but it is a book with solidly biblical and
theological principles that enables Mueller to demonstrate an understanding of
his target audience. One of his targets is the parents of teenagers. He writes
to help them understand their children and the postmodern culture in which they
are engulfed. He also writes for youth workers who work with parents in
discipling their covenant children. He also writes for Christian educators who
have regular contact with students in churches and schools. Mueller might
include preachers and pastors in the Christian educators category but in case he
doesn’t, this a book for every pastor to read, even if his ministry is only to
senior citizens.
Mueller and I agree that the kind of discipleship
that is needed with the rising generation is transformational discipleship,
which results in a kingdom lifestyle. We also agree that with the rising
interest in spirituality among the young people, we must not necessarily equate
that with true spirituality in the Christian sense but we must take advantage of
that interest and seek to communicate the truth of the life changing Gospel of
Christ. Most adults do not have a clue as to what is going on just under the
surface in the life of most teens. Teens have questions and many are clumsily
trying to voice those questions, but either we are not listening or we are not
answering their questions. Mueller’s plea is that the church and home must start
listening to the young generation if we are committed to advancing the kingdom
and reaching them with the truth.
Quoting the late Francis Schaeffer, Mueller
writes, “If we try to talk to our young people before listening to their
reality, we will only beat the air.” And the tragedy is that most adults are not
aware that they are not listening.
How can we help our youth find meaning to life
and know how to address their unmet needs? Mueller concurs that the rising
generation is finding it more and more difficult to make sense out of their
world and where they fit into it.
Because the church and home are often failing to
fill the instructional void in their lives, the media is stepping in a taking up
the challenge. Unfortunately that message is often destructive and contrary to
God’s reality.
Mueller doesn’t pull any punches in this book.
For example, he doesn’t hesitate to say that “In effect popular culture gives
them (youth) purpose. Because it has listened to them, the young are returning
the favor.” The media is providing them “maps of reality” but not a reality that
correlates to God’s. There are numerous studies that indicate that young people
are expressing their “religious interests, dreams, fears, hopes, and desires
through popular culture.” He says, “Once we know the reality of the young
people, we can communicate the gospel in ways that can be heard and understood.”
If I have not convinced you that you should read
this book, I’ll conclude with this statement from the author: “The church faces
a moment of unprecedented opportunity. The youth culture is calling. If we fail
to listen and faithfully respond, we’re effectively telling them we don’t care
or we have nothing to say.” The challenge is to listen before we speak so that
when we speak, they will listen.
- Charles Dunahoo, CEP Coordinator
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