Hurt: Inside the World of Today’s Teenagers

Sayo Ajiboye
DMin Creating Onramps for Calling
Sept 2007
Hurt: Inside the World of Today’s Teenagers.

Chap Clark

Abandonment is a word that assaults the ears and wrenches the gut, it causes the hearer to throw up a defensive guard and seek a hiding place. It is this strangely and

hurtfully disconcerting because the book deals with the population that we trumpet as the hope of the church and our world, our young people.

At the foundation of this book is a fact of distance that is moderated by age. The book describes early adolescence in words such as “turfs” that require “a commitment of time” if the adult world ever wishes to “access it.” The book claims that it has an empirical basis for concluding that the adult world is largely “clueless about the world of young people.” It goes to greatly long winded length to try to prove this fact. Why not disagreeing with the essence of this claim, I am concerned at the way it was presented as the core of the reactionary subculture among young people. The efforts to show this “prove” leaves the first part of the book a difficult, wordy, highly repetitive read. Its conclusion is unassailable however; the adult world needs to make a conscious effort to “understand them in order to care about them more effectively” (p.11, 12, 13).

The book describes the mid-adolescent years as “a terrain that disallows compartmentalization but demands multiplicity of roles that composes the personal sense of self.” It describes the world of the mid adolescent as “dark and lonely corners where sanitized conformity seldom penetrates.” It is a world in which the strategic capacity to construct bridges between one layer of life to the other is drastically curtailed (p. 19, 20).

The author identifies adolescence as a psychosocial independent search for unique identity or separateness (p.28). It is a “journey from biological adulthood to societal adulthood” (p.28). It is a process bounded by the concept of individuation and the willingness to take responsibility for action. According to the author, the process of individuation has been affected by massive changes in culture. This critical developmental process has been described as starting in childhood parental attachment [John Bowley], childhood separation and individuation [Margaret Mahler], second separation individuation [Peter Bloss] and the concept of the youth charter [William Damon] (p. 33). The author wrote about the Post World War II idealization of the family and the subsequent attack on and dismantling of that ideal and the structures that maintains it. In the intervening post World War II Years, the family has been redefined from a unit based on natural biological linkage of committed individuals to a free flowing arrangement anchored on a sharing of resources (p. 34).

Mid adolescents are being forced to design their own world. And create their own social systems (p. 47). This trend is greatly accentuated by the “self protection and self promotion” of institution and organizations that purportedly represents the young people. There is a sense of “parental abandonment.” The author noted that only 20% of young people will ever be attractive or talented enough to merit focused attention of the organized, institutionalized adult world. The author affirms that this 20% receives 80% of all the resources that the adult world allocates to young people. The remaining 80% of the population of young people are left – pretty much – to fend for themselves. Does the focused attention that the 20% receive make them secure? The author seems to be convinced that it does not. It rather makes them feel like targeted fattened calf prepared for slaughter! Thus for this group the sense of abandonment is heightened and greatly multiplied. Relationships are not safe, intimate settings are eroded into an estate of oblivion; “loneliness thus becomes the central experience of the American adolescents” (p. 50). This systemic abandonment by adults and organizations in the young people’s life thus forms the foundation for an extensive and nearly impenetrable subculture of isolation (p. 55). The author later delved into the specifics of factors affecting American mid adolescents and theorized that each of these factors could be viewed from a “peer cluster” philosophical perspective (p. 80).

While I am concerned about the strong dichotomization expressed in the book, I can conveniently agree that the essence of all the author’s positions are present in and figure prominently in a multiplied layered format in Global Urban situations. Dichotomization and the “us against them” rhetoric even when supported by seemingly empirical data, often fail to stand up against strong scrutiny. Urban youths have faced the reality described by the book forever. The call for holistic outreach of adults focused on understanding issues from the perspective of young people is great. There is a concern however that the pendulum swings right into the other side and parents abdicate their responsibilities to the young population. A loss of mooring by the adult population actually requires a closer investigation; adult population has a responsibility from which they cannot be allowed to divest themselves.

One World or Many: The Impact of Globalization on Missions

Sayo Ajiboye
DMin Creating Onramps for Calling
Sept 2007
One World or Many: The Impact of Globalization on Missions

Richard Tiplady

276 pages

Is our world dirty because it has shrunk in size and is now afflicted by the miriads of challenges that faces the small world? Are the impacts of global companies negative or positive? How does this affect Missions? What is the impact of globalization on faith? In fact, how do we define and contextualize globalization within accepted boundaries of culture, faith, economy, nations etc? Is globalization a new process or is it an ancient force? Has Christianity not always been the vanguard for a globalized world? These and many other posers are the opening salvos a reader receives when he picks up this book.

Tiplady infers that it is the end of global bipolarity as represented by the Cold War East-West divide that catalyzed the acceleration of globalization. He affirms that there is not one single factor that serves as a driver of globalization, rather it is a multidirectional deployment of mobile capital and an explosion of influence among players who are not nation states but are strategically located to deploy technology for economic and or ideological reasons in a way that nation states cannot do.

Ruth Valerio chapter focuses on the danger of wholesale transference of hegemonic thinking that surrounds economic globalization into the structuring of the operations of the Christian Church and ministries. The “bigger is better” thinking can redefine how the church engages with mission and it can affect commitment and long term focus. She noted that there is a battle for the hearts and minds of the people targeted by globalized transnational corporations whom she referred to as McWorld and that mission agencies who are working in this context must “partner rather than poach.” Ms. Valerio believes that a transnational tent making construct is a valid way for missions to engage with and use the resources of globalization. Valerio agrees with Cox (1999) who wrote that the “realms of economics, culture, morality and religion are not as separate as we think” [1] Valerio expounded the concept of “beings in relationship.” This concept flows from the idea of the Godhead in relationship. It can affect the way we view globalization which can be characterized either as “a ceaseless interchange of mutual love” (p. 30) or as a veritable tool of mutual destruction. .

Sam George fleshed out the idea surrounding the destructive impact of globalization in a very constructive manner. He looked at globalization from the perspective of cultures and located globalization in the medium of a range that have Terror-Culture (Jihadist Perspective) and Techno-Culture (The MacWorld Transnational corporations) as polar opposites. He affirms these two cultures are representative of global youth and that both cultures are concurrent, subversive, and intersects. The church must form a cross cultural missiological paradigm to engage with both of these cultures as they are inherently imbued with the capacity to “reprogram perception” and “create cross-border civilizations” (p. 38).

Sam George deals further with the concept of terrorculture. He has this insightful thought: “one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter” (p.57). He makes the daring assertion that “terrorists are global citizens” (p.58). This section of the book is very relevant to our course; it identifies reasons why youths from diverse backgrounds give in to the terror culture. This basic reason is that “they seek for something missing” (p.58). He referred to New York Times (2001 Dec 7) who called these young men “an angry generation longing for jobs, more freedom and power.” George quoted Samuel Huntington who defined the concept of the “youth budge” and affirms that terrorism peaks with portions in the history of nations when percentage of the 15 – 24 years old in the population exceeds 20%.[2]

George follows Huntington (1996) in affirming that behind the terror culture is an acute sense of justice and a willingness to take measures to establish fairness in the world (p.61). He listed a need to react against the artificial distinction between neighbors as one of the factors pushing young people into enrolling violence as the ultimate tool of identification. For this group of young people, faith provides a much needed howbeit twisted, philosophical, foundation (p.61).

Terrorist acts are “sacramental acts” often with “a clear theological foundations” (p.61) , it “adds value, purpose and significance to otherwise completely marginalized lives” (p.63). For these young people, death means more than life and “self destruction is used as a tool of ultimate rebellion.” “Martyrdom is a final act of power” that is left for a generation that has been “robbed of broader transcendent meaning” (p. 64). Terror-culture ultimately fulfills the logic of Martin Luther King Jr. that “if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.” Terrorists are “fragile young men struggling to find a cause worthy enough to live for” (p.65).

I read the remaining 276 pages and nothing impacted me like the Sam George’s writing. It is insightful to note that global culture of all shades is rooted first in urban culture, which is rooted first in familial culture. It is crucial to note with George that identification or shall we say misidentification is at the root of the global cultural shifts.

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[1] Cox H. (1999). In M. Dempster , B. Klaus & D. Petersen (EDs) The globalization of Pentecostalism: A religion made to travel. Oxford UK: Regnum.

[2] Huntington S.P. (1996). Clash of civilization and remaking of the world order. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

The New Friar: The Emerging Movement Serving the World's Poor

Sayo Ajiboye
DMin Creating Onramps for Calling
Sept 2007
The New Friar

Scott Bessenecker

199 pages

Helping the poor by placing self underneath and rejecting materialistic life are the core concepts of this book. It is gilded by other thoughts like taking of vows to live a life of personal poverty and the rejection of a shopping mall mentality. (p. 13, 14, 16). The New Friar is focused on vow driven individuals who have chosen voluntary ostracism. It promotes a vow driven economy that is gender inclusive and is committed to the fringe; is willing to start at the edge of the society and is powered by youth.

The book sets out to explain the thesis and the operational modalities of new movements whose absolute commitment is to the poor, those involved in the movement strongly desire to be “incarnational,” there is a sense of a calling to “be” the gospel rather than just to preach the gospel. These movements form devotional communities that are strongly missional and marginal. The missionality of these groups is critical to their existence, this missionality is defined by a willingness to go to “the least of these.” These movements are also strongly communal, and their communality is defined by a commitment to share.

These groups search for a path of downward mobility, they are often composed of young people who willingly leave a life of riches to seek survival in and identification with a life of poverty. There is a strong identification with the ancient Franciscan ideal. It can even be said that the patron saint of these movements is St Francis of Assisi. The assumption seems to be how can one sooth the pain you have not experienced?

These groups often seek out places of intractable poverty. This is poverty that has become entrenched over generations and is very difficult to dislodge, there is virtually no toe – hold with which people trapped in these situations can climb out of their circumstances. The New Friars seek to focus on the “push forces” that can help those that are caught in webs of intractable poverty to break free. Key among these forces is “an empowering influence with entrepreneurial capabilities.” This is often what is most lacking in situations of intractable poverty and the people in these movements seek to be that presence.

New Friars are almost Utopian in their propositions surrounding “the principle of economic solidarity.” They seek to bring to life the concepts entrenched in Deut 15:11. “there shall be no poor among you”. New Friars see themselves as God’s tool to bring this concept to reality in our days. They insert themselves into the communities in need, identify challenges within the communities; empower members of the communities to access systems that were hitherto closed and inaccessible; they confront the forces that perpetuate intractable poverty. Prominent among the forces that these expeditionary Friars must confront are cultural forces, personal forces, spiritual forces and communities moving from the point of despair to the point of resistive action.

Every one working among young people should be aware of the concept and the proposals presented in the New Friars. I am personally challenged by the stories described in New Friar. I must confess however that the concepts of downward mobility will be a hard sell for the people with whom I work… downward mobility? My people’s questions will be immediate and unrelenting. Does Christ not come to lift us up? Did he not become poor that we may be rich? I see in this the conflict between the halves and the have not-s. For those who have, it is a privilege to live poor, for the poor, living rough is an heritage that is undesirable; it is like a yoke that must be thrown off the shoulder, broken. Why must I commit to an heritage that has restricted my forbears? Why must I stay in a situation that has not profited my mates? This is the realistic cry of the poor in Africa. This is the reason why our people will risk the sand-filled wastes of the Sahara and the dinghies of the Mediterranean Coast to try to reach Europe – a sort of a promised land. The beauty of New Friars however is this: It removes all the focus of action from me and my efforts; it places action in and around us and our community that is empowered. To use the term of Martin Luther King Jr. the New Friars are setting precedents across the earth, where the hopeless huddle together and receive the wisdom to become “the beloved community” This is a hard sell in my context but it is a probable sell, we shall try

City Reaching: On the Road Community Transformation

Sayo Ajiboye
DMin Creating Onramps for Calling
Sept 2007
City Reaching: On the Road Community Transformation Jack Denisson 277 pages

This is an optimistic book about the power ogf God to transform whole communities, it is a book about processes; its emphasis is on partnership of the people of God to facilitate change in the city; its focus is on America.

Change is necessary in our cities; quoting Bill Bennet on the “Index of Leading Cultural Indicators,” there has been a 500% increase in violent crimes, 400% increase in out of wedlock births, 400% increase in divorce, 300% increase in number of children living with a single parent. This is all in a period that there was a 40% increase in population. The author quoted Michael Reagle’s concept of the “widening gap”. This concept states that the ratio of decay within the American Communities and the capacity of the church to respond has continued to widen over the years (p.6). He also quoted John Dawson who referred to Christians as “bewildered survivors bereft of a unifying purpose” (p. 9).

The author referred to the explosion of the church in the global South and called this the “dream hour” of the church in spite of the challenges faced by the Western Christian community. 10,000 South American per day, 140,000 African per week and 90,000 Chinese per month become Christians He doesn’t go forward – however – to discuss the impact of this on the communities that he referred to. He also used data in a manner that troubles most social statisticians; he presented figures that are not represented by a common baseline. He did not ask the pertinent research question, why has the massive movement into the church in these climes not affected social change in the nations? The author therefore quoted facts that did not address his own thesis. Writing as a person from the global south, it is true that there is indeed a world wide assent to the message of Christ in the nations, but there is a simultaneous reality that we do not have a Nineveh, at least not yet.

Furthermore, as I read the things that were written by the author about awakening in America, he wrote about “unprecedented stirrings of interest in the things of God…,” the analysis seems to be based on what I will term a ghetto assumption. It is the assumption that the experience of my team is normative of everyone else on the globe.” If Promise Keepers mobilizes a city or a region and maybe reaches a million men, can this event or movement be said to represent the norm in the society? Can we seriously agree that change has come to our cities based on this platform? Has a critical research of impact been done? Has the result of such an event or movement been randomly evaluated? Are we making assumptions based on the borders of our turf within our philosophical ghettos? For a movement to claim impact on the society, we must evaluate its impact on the workday week and not just on Sunday attendance in a regional church.. We must ask ourselves about our impact on Microsoft, on Macdonald; on Boeing. The Church requires stratified scientific evaluation of community engagement and not project based on wishful assumptions.

Rick Warren was right in saying, “we must penetrate the culture. We need a church with the capacity that bridges cultural chasms and responds to the actualities of our surroundings. (p.41,42). The church must determine culturally appropriate strategy to congregationalize the people “where they are.”

The least common denominator required to reach a city is unity. This unity so defined must be relational unity rather than cooperation based on a project. Relational unity defines a goal for the city and allows each segment of the church determine how it fits in to this goal and what part it is to play.

The author writes about the need for spiritual power and states a need for an exponential increase in this power of the church within the nation (p.73). This power will not come from performance of task but also from fulfillment of God’s purpose. What is God’s purpose in the context of now for the church in America? The author joined others in his writer’s time span to focus on a time ina Year – Year 2000. He locates this as the period for the “Fourth Great Awakening.”

We are in the Year 2007 and for all the expectations surrounding the Year 2000, the Gospel still NEEDS to be preached today, the cities of America still requires an Impacting presence! Does this detract however from this detract however from the validity of the Concept built up around the Year 2000 – a mobilized church, responsively focusing on communities that surround it and engaging with its realities in a practical manner? I dare say no. The church will benefit – however – from shifting the focus from the battle to fixing our attention on the War.

The author requested his readers to avoid tunnel vision which high visibility actions can generate. He insightfully noted that high visibility does not necessarily imply high impact; he noted that high visibility actions can actually result in a low to no impact scenario. Most purposive actions tends to start as a low visibility actions, in it, we build relationships, we work from the grassroots, we pursues internal and structural change we avoid sensational presentations.

The author sought to avoid specifics for the strategic. Since this course is specific to urban situation and the authors seems to be focused on reaching the cities, I cannot but wonder about this book being a policy makers support manual for large organizations. It may be a little out of sort in the intensive trench warfare of urban outreach. People do not – as rule – do most of the things that the author suggested, the tendency actually is to ignore his suggestions. The book represents the dichotomy between the cry of the real urbanites – often minority, poor ministry leaders and the leadership of the successful suburbanite church. Does the book offer strategic insight for relationships to the suburbanite leadership crowd – Yes, Are they apt to take it? No. So the research question then is this: How do we equip action agents where they are without assuming a need for suburbanite intervention?