NelsonM.FurtadoJr.

ReligiousEducationasFormationandTransformation
TraceHaythorn
September22,2015
BookReview
YouthMinistriesinBlackChurch:CenteredinHopeisabookmadeforthose
howworkwithyouth.Regardlessofthecoloroftheirskinortheculturalsettingthereare
livingin,orcomefrom,thesubjectsthatthisbookaddressbringlightintoministries
throughoutthecountry(orcountries,sincesomeoftheissuesaddressedonthisbookalso
enlightenquestionsanddoubtsthatBrazilianyouthministrieshave).Therefore,thisbook
isnotexclusiveforthosehowworkwithblackyouth,butisdirectedforthosewhowork
withyouth.
Thecoremessageofthisbookisaministrywithhope.Wimberly,Barnesand
Johnson,whentalkingabouthopeexplainthisconceptnotasapassiveexpectation,but
as affirmativepractices thatleadtochanges inyouthministryandleadership.Inthe
introductiontheylistfourwaysinwhichhopeis,orneedtobe,manifested:i.mediating
hope,whichisthehopethatimpelsustobeagentsofhopetotheyouth;ii.Villagehope,
whichconstrainthosewhoaredirectonindirectconnectedwiththeyouthtobepartof
the process of restoring and strengthening youth leadership and ministry; iii.
Transcendenthope,whichbringstheawarenessofGodspresencetoandfortheyouth
and;iv.Criticalevaluativehope,whichisthehopethatembodiesPauloFreiresconcept

ofaliberatingpraxis.Thispracticescallspeopletogethertocriticallyreflectontheir
environment,realityandtransformitthroughactionandcriticalreflection.
Alongwiththecoremessageofthebookthereareseveralperipheralthemesthat
intunewithboththecoremessageofthebookandthereadingwearedoinginthe
classroom. One of the peripheral themes is the relevance of vocation. The authors
understandthevocationofthosewhoworkwithyouthhavemuchtosayintermsofwhat
theybringintotheministry,thewaytheyapproachtheirrolewiththeyoutheitheras
pastor,prophetofapostle.ThisthemeisalsointunewiththetextwereadinclassofFred
P.Ediewhenhetalksaboutthesenseforvocationalempowermentandhowitweavesthe
educatorownvocationandthepurposeofthechurch.
Oneotherperipheralthemeistheaptitudeleadersshoulddisplay,skillsneededin
order to reach the youth. The examples brought by the authors are connect, care,
collaborateandcelebrate.Thewaytheauthorsunderstand,thoseskillsmustbeappliedin
orderfortheleadertoconnectwithyouthandbuildatrustworthyrelationship.FredP.
Edie also talks about this theme when he is listing the components for Christian
EducatorsImagination,onthefifthcomponent,Asenseforwhatmakespersonstick,
hecreateshislistofskillsandaptitudescontainingamongothers:attendingthewhole,
[understanding that] human beings are not mere sponges, [understanding that] social
location shapes how and what people know and see, and interest in grasping and
contributingtotheoriesoftransformation.
Thebookshoweditselfmeaningfulandhelpfulregardingtheworkwithyouth
ministriesandleadership.Despiteitsfocusonleadershipandministrythisbookisinthe

samemeasuremeaningfulandhelpfulwiththeReligiousEducationrealm.Theinsights
on the language spoken by this youth generation, the expectations that they have
regarding those who are dealing with them and the experience of youth leaders and
ministershelptoformtangibleapproachesandstrategiesforaliberatingpedagogythat
will take under consideration the needs of the group, their expectations and how to
addressissuesthatarerelevantforthem.Thebookalsogivesseveralguidelinesonsteps
totakebefore,duringandaftertheworktomakeitworthwhileandwillbethegenesisof
transformation.