Theological Thinking with Youth
By Susan H. Hay

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24-27, NIV).

Adolescence is a wonderful time of theological reflection in our lives. It’s in adolescence that we begin to figure out who we are, make sense of the world we live in, and find purpose for our lives. Too often those of us who work with young people shy away from theology because it is seen as a heady, intellectual subject matter. What we fail to realize is that theology is not just something we think about, it is also something we do. In its fullest sense theology is what emerges as we live the Christian life.

Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster in The Godbearing Life talk about youth ministry as soul tending, not keeping youth busy, off the streets, or entertained, but as opportunities to provide those ministries that assist youth in building a faith based on “rocks” and not on “sand.”

Youth want to stake their lives on something; they want to make a difference now. They want to experience the sacred, to stand in God’s presence. What they need and desire are adults who are willing to explore real life questions in the face of faith as a way of understanding how to make sense of their world.

Youth ministry settings should provide those opportunities in which youth and those who work with them can explore key questions that open us up to wonderful theological thinking with youth: 

       'Who is God?"
       "Who am I in relation to God?"
       "What are we all doing here?"

As you think about your own readiness, some self-examination may be in order:

       Do you dare? Do you dare to become bold in your ministry
       with youth to begin the dialogue of “What’s going on
       between you and God?”

       If your ministry is not that place where youth can have 
       these questions, then what foundation are you helping
       them build?

      Who might be able to help you think theologically with 
      your youth in a profound way?

Susan Hay is Director. Effective Practices in Young People’s Ministry at the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, TN.

Theology is something that we think about and also something we do.