# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S371
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

YOUNG PEOPLE’S WORK 371

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

WALTHER LEAGUE

BIENNIAL GATHERING

BOARD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE'S WORK

SYNODICAL

(

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WALTHER LEAGUE COUNCIL

six age 14—16
(elected)

six age 17-—20
(appointed)

headquarters

youth
volunteer

regional

staffers

Walther
League
Societies

Region

III. Functions of Youth Ministry

A. Theological Basis for Youth Ministry

The Board for Young People’s Work is aware that
a theological basis for youth ministry must be dis-
covered in the actual practice of youth ministry at all
levels (District, parish, one-to-one) and clarified in
complete consultation with those intimately involved
with young people. The board will attempt to arrive
at such a basis as it carries out its functions and re-
sponsibilities in youth ministry.

B. Materials

As the Board for Young People’s Work provides
“materials and training for youth and adults on parish
and District levels for a variety of avenues in minister-
ing to youth inside and outside the church” (7.73 c),
many people will be enlisted to prepare materials, pro-
vide training, and evaluate all efforts. This enlistment
of support will be necessary if the board is to accom-
plish its objectives and is to receive adequate feedback
for revision and further study.

Attempts will also be made to develop a variety of
avenues in ministering to youth, for the Board for
Young People’s Work realizes that young people have
varied interests, ideals, and commitments. Such an un-
derstanding encouraged the board to establish a “Rural
Youth Ministry” project in Paris, Il. It is hoped that
the action research in this community will lead to new
perspectives on the needs of rural youth and will assist

WALTHER LEAGUE
TRUSTEES

6 adults
(appointed)

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annval Jor

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DISTRICT
YOUTH BOARDS

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| YOUTH COMMISSIONS [ ~~

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aa YOUTH COMMITTEES

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Youth Interest Groups
Droma, Arts, etc.

the board in designing and recommending other forms
of youth ministry at the community level. In addition
the Resources for Youth Ministry will become a re-
source for both a variety of programing on the parish
level and a forum for the discussion of new ideas in
youth ministry.

C. Liaison

The Board for Young People’s Work recognizes that
young people are “whole” persons. That is, youths in-
volve themselves completely and totally in all facets of
the church’s life. They are involved in “youth ministry”
not only as recipients but as contributors to the ministry
of the church itself.

Thus a theological basis for youth ministry must be
developed as the board joins cooperatively in the work
of “other synodical boards and agencies in their concern
for young people’s work, including evangelism, steward-
ship, social welfare, Bible study, family life, professional
church service, Christian literature, and the like”
(7.73 d). Such liaison is necessary if we are to affirm
the “wholeness” with which young people invest them-
selves in the church. To do less would be to forfeit
meaningful and varied perspectives on youth involve-
ment in the church.

Further, contact with all the youth and various youth
groups in our church is necessary if a theological basis
for youth ministry is not to be shortsighted or partial.
Conversation with young adult groups, college young
people, young people involved in such programs as