Acknowledgments
Acknowledgments
Scott
I’m so thankful to the following people who’ve made this book possible:
Cindy, my wife, who holds an unwavering belief that some of my ideas are actually good ones.
Rock Harbor Church, who taught me everything I know about working with young adults.
Pastors Tom Elenbaas, Tim Wilson, Greg VanderMeer, Tanner Smith, and all my friends at Harbor Churches who’ve provided opportunity and passion to work with young adults in our churches and who’ve been willing to try, fail, and repeat with enthusiasm!
Doug McClintic, who astutely developed “Doug’s Law” and showed me what it feels like when an older generation successfully equips a younger one.
Jeff Dunn-Rankin, a young adult at heart, who ate BBQ in Texas with me and got it into my head that we could actually help churches reach young adults.
Chris Sasser, for actually doing so many of the things in this book (and making them work).
Those young adults who provided stories or statements for this book: Chelsea, Jordan, Michael, Louis, Gabe, Zach, Carol, Lexi, Malorie, and Ryan.
Katie Kuatz, Jordan Stonehouse, Matt Kooman, Chelsea VanNoord, and Chris Thompson, who all contributed to the creation of the workbook.
Mark DeVries, who not only made my words sound like something a human would say but provided the wisdom, know-how, and encouragement to make this project a reality.
Mark
I’m so grateful for our team at Ministry Architects, particularly my coauthor, Scott Pontier, for working to develop systems that actually help ordinary churches engage young adults in a sustainable way.
My young adult children, Adam and Sara, Debbie and Trey, and Leigh have fueled my passion for helping ordinary churches have thriving, magnetic ministries with a generation untethered. You’ve been my best conversation partners and most lively co-conspirators in this venture.
The bold, creative, unconventional young adult ministry staff at First Presbyterian Church in Nashville inspires me every week. Ashley and Josh, thanks for continuing to try things no one expects to work and doing what’s needed to make them succeed.
Our conversations with partners, editors, and contributors are too numerous to mention. But I want to express particular gratitude to Laura Addis, Debbie Freeman, and Leigh DeVries, who each contributed to this project in invaluable ways.
Our digital communications guru, Barry Hill, helped us find ways to unconventionally distribute this project to ensure that this primer won’t be our last word on the subject but the first prototype in a series of clarifying and expanding iterations. The Moose is loose!
Our Ministry Architects churches have provided us with the greatest dojos in the world to practice our craft. If this resource has the impact we’re dreaming it will, it’s thanks to your unwavering commitment to move us beyond theory to practices that produce lasting fruit.
And finally, of course, Susan, the bride who married me when we were barely young adults ourselves. You’re the smartest, most hilarious member of our family. Whatever is beautiful, noble, and holy in our young adult children, I blame it all on you.