We try to select worthwhile books
to review and recommend to our readers. We do that with
awareness that while there are many good books and one cannot
read them all, there are special books that we believe deserve
special attention and have a unique role to fulfill. Walt
Muller’s Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture is one of those
books. It is a book like Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey that plays
a unique role in our mission to make kingdom disciples.
I have used Total Truth as a
companion to my book, Making Kingdom Disciples, a New Framework,
in several seminary classes. Now this will be a third required
reading with Mueller’s book. It is outstanding at representing
solidly Reformed kingdom theology, with all the covenant
ramifications, plus an up-to-date understanding of the rising
generation. He demonstrates the importance of understanding the
youth culture in order to communicate in a sensible and
life-oriented manner.
Engaging The Soul of Youth
Culture is not just another book on pop culture, but it is a
book with solidly biblical and theological principles that
enables Mueller to demonstrate an understanding of his target
audience. One of his targets is the parents of teenagers. He
writes to help them understand their children and the postmodern
culture in which they are engulfed. He also writes for youth
workers who work with parents in discipling their covenant
children. He also writes for Christian educators who have
regular contact with students in churches and schools. Mueller
might include preachers and pastors in the Christian educators
category but in case he doesn’t, this a book for every pastor to
read, even if his ministry is only to senior citizens.
Mueller and I agree that the kind
of discipleship that is needed with the rising generation is
transformational discipleship, which results in a kingdom
lifestyle. We also agree that with the rising interest in
spirituality among the young people, we must not necessarily
equate that with true spirituality in the Christian sense but we
must take advantage of that interest and seek to communicate the
truth of the life changing Gospel of Christ. Most adults do not
have a clue as to what is going on just under the surface in the
life of most teens. Teens have questions and many are clumsily
trying to voice those questions, but either we are not listening
or we are not answering their questions. Mueller’s plea is that
the church and home must start listening to the young generation
if we are committed to advancing the kingdom and reaching them
with the truth.
Quoting the late Francis
Schaeffer, Mueller writes, “If we try to talk to our young
people before listening to their reality, we will only beat the
air.” And the tragedy is that most adults are not aware that
they are not listening.
How can we help our youth find
meaning to life and know how to address their unmet needs?
Mueller concurs that the rising generation is finding it more
and more difficult to make sense out of their world and where
they fit into it.
Because the church and home are
often failing to fill the instructional void in their lives, the
media is stepping in a taking up the challenge. Unfortunately
that message is often destructive and contrary to God’s reality.
Mueller doesn’t pull any punches
in this book. For example, he doesn’t hesitate to say that “In
effect popular culture gives them (youth) purpose. Because it
has listened to them, the young are returning the favor.” The
media is providing them “maps of reality” but not a reality that
correlates to God’s. There are numerous studies that indicate
that young people are expressing their “religious interests,
dreams, fears, hopes, and desires through popular culture.” He
says, “Once we know the reality of the young people, we can
communicate the gospel in ways that can be heard and
understood.”
If I have not convinced you that
you should read this book, I’ll conclude with this statement
from the author: “The church faces a moment of unprecedented
opportunity. The youth culture is calling. If we fail to listen
and faithfully respond, we’re effectively telling them we don’t
care or we have nothing to say.” The challenge is to listen
before we speak so that when we speak, they will listen.
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May 2006 Book
Review
