A corrective to adolescent drift : how five churches are using a rites of passage structure to develop and stabilize faith through adolescence

2016·5 MB·English

by  Hughes, William David

ACORRECTIVE TO ADOLESCENT DRIFT: HOW FIVE CHURCHES ARE USING A RITES OF
PASSAGE STRUCTURE TO DEVELOP AND STABILIZE FAITH THROUGH ADOLESCENCE.
ATHESIS-PROJECT
SUBMITTEDTOTHE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELLTHEOLOGICALSEMINARY
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
BY
WILLIAM DAVID HUGHES
JANUARY 2016
Copyright © 2016 byWilliam David Hughes. All Rights Reserved.
To MaryBeth, H, and their friends.
We have this hope as an anchorforthe soul, firm and secure.
-Hebrews 19:6a
CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viii
ABSTRACT ix
CHAPTER
1. THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETIING 1
2. BIBLICALAND THEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND TO RITES OF PASSAGE 26
3. LITERATURE REVIEW 56
4. DESIGN OF THE STUDY 91
5. RESULTS OF THE STUDY 111
APPENDIX
A. QUESTIONNAIRE 152
B. EMAIL INTRODUCTION 168
C. RAW DATA 169
D. ADVENTURE 526 ROCKS 182
BIBLIOGRAPHY 183
VITA 193
v
FIGURES
Figure 1: Arnold van Gennep's Rite ofPassage Model 9
Figure 2: Menarche as arite ofpassage 10
Figure 3: VictorTurner'stransition as aperiod defined by anti-structure 11
Figure 4: The adolescent life stage as marked by uncertainty 19
Figure 5: The adolescent life stage marked byfaith anchors 22
Figure 6: Cosmic Rite ofPassage 27
Figure 7: Shalom 30
Figure 8: Sin as the act ofseparation between shalom and the fall 31
Figure 9: An act ofincorporation required to complete the cosmic rite of passage 32
Figure 10: Circumcision as an act of incorporation into the Abrahamic Covenant 35
Figure 11:The Exodus as arite of passage 36
Figure 12: Exile as divinely ordained liminality 40
Figure 13: In Christ, the old creation has been made new 42
Figure 14: Bar/Bat Mitzvah as acoming-of-age rite ofpassage 46
Figure 15:Jesus' temple experience as arite ofpassage 48
Figure 16:Jesus' public ministry as arite ofpassage 49
Figure 17: Baptism as an initiation intothe church 50
Figure 18: Testing as a rite ofpassage 52
Figure 19: Ritual Classification 60
Figure 20: van Gennep's rite ofpassage model 66
vi
Figure 21: Hiebert's interpretation ofthe van Gennep's rite of passage model 67
Figure 22: Human Lifespan 78
Figure 23: Human Lifespan: Childhood, Adolescence, Adulthood 79
Figure 24: Adolescent Developmental Models 81
Figure 25: Hiebert's Integrated Approach to UnderstandingAdolescence 85
Figure 26: Rites ofPassage Models 88
Figure 27: National Community Church's Ministry Map 127
Figure 28: Parker Hill Community Church's Family Map 129
Figure 29: Preston Trail Community Church's Phase Timeline 131
Figure 30: Website Screen Shot ofGrace Community Church's Rites ofPassage 132
Figure 31: Website Screen Shot ofEastern Hills 133
Figure 32: Faith Path Foyer Presence 134
Figure 33: HomePointe's Faith Path Model 134
Figure 34: Exemplar Church's programmed Rites ofPassage experiences 135
Figure 35: Arnold van Gennep's Rite ofPassage Model 141
Figure 36: Faith Markers 142
Figure 37: Discipleship Pathway 142
Figure 38: FBCBeaverton's 2015 Graduation Recognition 144
Figure 39: FBCBeaverton's 1998 Baby Dedication 145
Figure 40: Tarin Fox's 2012 Baptism 145
vii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Iwould like to express mygratitudeto Walt Mueller, Duffy Robbins, and Adonis
Vidu for your laughter, insight, and experience in helping me better articulate ministry
to the emerginggenerations. Ialso wantto express my admiration forthe other
studentsthat make up our 2012 D.Min. cohort. Our camaraderie greatly enhanced a
wonderful learning environment.
Norm Langston and Dan Schuch, thank you for your constant direction in helping
me best organize mythoughts. Yoursuggestions proved strongerthan the writing
blocks. In addition, athank you to Bill and Lu Walker for your generous supportto
ensure this thesis-project would not be afinancial hardshipto myfamily.
Myfamily feels like we hit the jackpot with our neighbors. Thank you, Bill Wilson,
for identifying my editorial and grammatical errors so that the final version hasthe
appearance ofawell-written paper. Additionally, MindyWallace, Laura Small, and Mary
Stinnert, for your insightful suggestions in constructing bettersentences.
Cindy Fiala, Danny Howard, Brian Swiggart, Andy Broad, and Chelsea Bayne, you
guys are the real heroes behind this thesis-project. Thank you foryour willingness to
share with me your passion to ministerto the emerginggenerations.
To Kayla, mywife, there is so much more in store for you. Thank you for your
patience, double duty, and constant reading ofmy drafts. Thanks for being agreat mom,
afabulous worship leader and agreatfriend. Barrarahh.
viii
ABSTRACT
Biblical adulthood is not automatic and can get delayed or derailed in many
ways. An evaluation offive exemplarchurch's rites ofpassage strategy demonstrates
that apotential preventative measure occurs when the home and the church begin to
leverage significant milestones in the course ofadolescence, coordinating them with a
spiritual truth such that afaith marker is created and celebrated bythe community of
those who have alreadyacquired said faith marker. In coordination with an ongoing
discipleship strategy, the accumulation ofsuch markers will help highlight apath toward
astabilized and growingfaith in adulthood.
ix
CHAPTER ONE
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING
The goal ofadolescence is to not be one any longerthan you haveto be.
-Wayne Rice, Reinventing Youth Ministry
Your word is alamp for myfeet, alight on mypath.
-Psalm 119:105
As the psalmist declared, God provides anchors and beacons to illuminate life's
journey.1 In every adolescent's life, there are eventsthat shape understandings oftruth,
purpose, identity, and God. What would happen ifafamily, achurch, or alocal
community began to recognize such significant events or milestones as opportunitiesto
celebrate, solidify, and direct one's growingfaith in the holyGod ofthe Bible? The
intent ofthis thesis-project isto discover howthis is happeningwithin five exemplar
churches.
1.All Scripturecitationsaretaken from the 1984NewInternationalVersion, unlessotherwise
noted.
1