Woo: Awakening Teenagers' Desire To Follow In The Way of Jesus

by Morgan Schmidt

Both Augustine and Kierkegaard, in their own ways, asserted that we are what we desire. Consumerism has adopted in a counterfeit but powerful way this theology. When our desires go askew and latch onto consumer goods, political ideologies, or fear about our children, we create pantheons of idols to worship. Like a prophet from the Old Testament, Morgan Schmidt has called out youth ministry for its idol-making, asserting with flare and depth that youth ministry has been captured by desires other than encountering the living God. This is a book that will challenge you because it will ask you to expose your desires. But in so doing, you may find not the idol of successful youth ministry, but the living God who will draw you closer and closer to the humanity of young people this living God loves. --Dr. Andrew Root, Luther Seminary

227 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Morgan Schmidt is the director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries at St. Andrew s Episcopal Church in Seattle, and the founder and director of Youth Collective, a collaborative student ministry initiative that is likely to achieve world peace. She is passionate about cultivating teenagers' desires to be whole people who help make earth more like heaven. Morgan received her MDiv from The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, but she doesn t remember any Greek. She loves living in Seattle with her husband, Ian, and golden retriever, Buddy.

Reviews

[Jackie]

Very good resource for youth pastors/leaders/volunteers.

[Wesley Ellis]

If you have to choose between the two, promptly remove 'Your First Two Years In Youth Ministry' from the shelf and add 'Woo' by Morgan Schmidt. The lessons in this book are most important not only for survival but for making youth ministry meaningful. This is a wonderful youth worker's manifesto!

[Ray Hausler]

A conversation starter for youth workers helping us move students toward living in the way of Jesus. Morgan Schmidt reveals the good in the desires of teenagers and makes room for them to follow Jesus from their unique created purposes.