#bergler

"Given the history of youth ministry and juvenilization, it should not be surprising to find that many Americans have an inarticulate faith characterized by moralistic, therapeutic deism. As early as the 1950s, youth ministry was low on content and high on emotional fulfillment. Religious illiteracy may not have begun in youth ministry, but most youth ministries did little to reverse the trend. Most youth ministries since the 1960s have followed the club model pioneered in Young Life and later adopted by Youth for Christ in its Campus Life program. Songs, games, skits, and other youth culture entertainments are followed by talks or discussions that feature simple truths packaged with humor, stories, and personal testimonies. This pattern works because it appeals to teenage desires for fun and belonging. It casts a wide net, by dumbing down Christianity to the lowest common denominator of adolescent cognitive development and religious motivation."