Rodger Nishioka has a passion for young people. His call to work with youth is one where his deepest joy meets a hunger in the world. “Selfishly, I gain so much more than I give. But that’s the nature of the kingdom and the gospel. It’s humbling. This gives me an opportunity to share what has been given to me.”
Nishioka was the plenary speaker for the Youth Ministry Training Track at Canada Youth 2006. He currently serves as associate professor of Christian Education at Columbia Theological Seminary in Georgia, and previously spent 12 years as a staff person in youth and young adult ministry for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
His engaging lecture style and warm demeanour had his CY06 students laughing, debating and later complimenting his vast knowledge and experience. And though Nishioka praised the youth leaders he met during the week and was encouraged by their dedication, he had some concerns about how youth ministry often unfolds. “I’m wary that we are more consumed with entertaining our young people than engaging them,” he told the Record. “We are more worried about keeping them in the church than shaping disciples, and we are more interested in passing on a tradition — however rich — than we are in challenging them to live the gospel in whatever ways Christ is calling them to do and be.”
He went on to speak of a tension between tradition and “traditioning,” or what he referred to as “creating good Presbyterians.” “Our goal is not to make Presbyterians, but disciples. There can be a flavour of Presbyterianism, but that isn’t a goal of a life lived faithfully. Tradition is the living faith of the dead, but traditionalism is the dead faith of the living. We should value our traditions in living expressions of our faith, but I have no interest in traditionalism. That’s a dead faith.
“We confuse the fundamental truth that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, with the idea that the expression of Jesus Christ on earth, which is the church, has to stay the same. We’ve gone from rotary dial phones to Bluetooth technology, from vinyl LPs to iPods, and from Model-Ts to hybrids. As uncomfortable as it may be, if change is the nature of life, how do we accommodate that change in the church of Jesus Christ?”
Young people are yearning for three things, said Nishioka: community and belonging; theological vitality, which he explained as having passion and authenticity; and ethical integrity. “They want help with the tough decisions about life, including right and wrong and beyond. As a church, I hope we provide those things.”
Events like CY06 create mountain top experiences but churches are not very good at providing follow-up for their youth. “How we receive and welcome them back is huge,” said Nishioka. “Churches that do this well give young people the opportunity to share with the congregation, through testimony, photos and music. It’s beyond story-telling.”
He suggested congregations be open to changing their worship style to include a particularly meaningful song to the young person, hanging a t-shirt from the event in the church to remind everyone where their young people went and to honour that time in their lives, asking young people to write regular reports or reflections for the church newsletter, and using Bible studies that were used at the youth event.
He also said that because many of the contemporary songs used during worship at youth events focus on emotion, congregations should build upon that emotion later. “Young people may not be attentive to the theology behind the songs or aware of why a song was chosen. We must do thoughtful reflection on the words and why it evoked those kinds of feelings. What does it say about God? About us? I love that it starts with feelings, that’s okay. It’s like having a crush — you’re caught up — but to sustain that you must engage in thoughtfulness so you’re not giving your self away.”
“I’m not worried about The Presbyterian Church in Canada,” he said. “I’m so impressed with the adults here, and with their care and compassion and with what they’re willing to give. I’m very grateful for that.”
