The God-Hungry Imagination: The Art of Storytelling for Postmodern Youth Ministry

by Sarah Arthur

Allow imagination and story to take center stage in your youth ministry! The Bible is full of stories. From the ""In the beginning..."" narrative to Jesus' parables, stories embody biblical and theological content in ways that sink into the imagination, take root and grow. Ministry pundits refer to our culture today as having ""lost its story."" Through neglect or rejection, generation next seems unplugged from the church's core beliefs. For the most part, young people simply do not feel part of the ongoing, communal story. Paradoxically, this has occurred when youth have fully embraced social networks that connect the world in self-obsessed ""I"" narratives. This world is starving for a story bigger than what you find on MySpace and YouTube. ""...Young people are bombarded on all sides by voices claiming to have something they need,"" Arthur writes. ""Sophisticated consumers, they're naturally resistant to anything that appears to be manipulating them into certain behaviors or beliefs - Christianity included. Somehow, we must 'steal past watchful dragons' in articulating the gospel. That's the task I explore in this book."" She shows how youth ministry can be planned as a transforming series of story moments instead of programming and worship as storytelling instead of a familiar form that's lost its ability to enchant. Furthermore, Arthur suggests that faith is an ongoing story arc in which the postmodern church is another chapter. Ministry that interconnects the heart, mind, soul, spirit and story will invite youth (anyone, really) into a larger story - the Story - and into God's waiting arms. Through Arthur's guidance, offering ""a splash of theological artistry"" as one reviewer writes, your church can reclaim the imagination's role in spiritual formation and reclaim the church as the living story. What kind of story is your church telling?

207 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

Sarah Arthur is a fun-loving speaker, Christy Award finalist, and author of numerous books for teens and adults, including the bestselling ONCE A QUEEN, the first in her acclaimed Carrick Hall Novels. Among other nerdy adventures, she has served as preliminary fiction judge for Christianity Today’s Book Awards, was a founding board member of the annual C. S. Lewis Festival in northern Michigan, and co-directs the Madeleine L’Engle Writing Retreats. She lives in Lansing, Michigan with her husband and two preteen sons.

Reviews

[Amie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not in youth ministry, and I don't intend to be. But I am writing my dissertation on how reading can be a part of children's spiritual formation. Which means this book and I agree! For anyone with kids in their lives, who want to invite them to live the Story we as Christians are called into, would benefit from this book. From an exploration of imagination from a Christian perspective to ideas for how to engage youth in and through stories, this is a great resource.

[Brenda Seefeldt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very different type of youth ministry book. Yet one I find very useful. We need more thinkers like this to reach teens.

[David LaLone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the most influential books on Youth Ministry that I have ever read.