HISTORICAL ORIGINS OF PROFESSIONAL EVANGELICAL YOUTH WORK IN THE CHURCH

This research represents an attempt to definitively and constructively trace the origins of professional church youth work within one branch of Christendom the evangelical church. The writers would recommend additional definitive, documentative articles tracing the history of youth work among the modernist denominations as well as parachurch organizations. There is much to be learned from both the mistakes and successes of historical youth ministry. Several years ago, the catch phrase for the feminist movement was, "You've come a long way, baby!" A study of the history of the youth ministry movement indicates that the same can be said for youth work in the evangelical church of the 1980s. However, it can also be said that there is a long way still to go. Anyone working with teenagers today needs to maintain the balance between a sense of satisfaction with the heritage being established and a sense of humility in facing the tasks still to be accomplished. © 1991 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.