There is a new book out called, “Church Planter.” It’s written by Darrin Patrick and Mark Driscoll. I haven’t read the book yet, but I will. I’m not going to read it because I am a church planter, although I’m sure this book will be beneficial for that. I’m getting it because of what this intro video says in regards to college age people.

Obviously I don’t know how the book will address this issue, but the claim of this intro video is that younger generations ultimately haven’t grown up because of a lack of discipleship. It’s filmed in a church that has died. And this author suggests it died because of a lack of godly men who then discipled younger men.

I think this is a much needed point to make. There are certainly faithful older men (and women) that have taken Jesus’ command to disciple seriously, but I’d agree that discipleship hasn’t exactly been a strong point in the Church as a whole. But I’d also suggest there is much more to this problem of “prolonged adolescence.” This issue of godly men in the church is certainly at the core of this problem. But it’s not the entire core.

Recent articles like, “What Is It About Twentysomethings?” and “Boys With Beards” have looked at twentysomethings with bewilderment, confusion, and even frustration. For instance, Mark Driscoll sees the results and outcomes of the lives of these people and is simply dumfounded. In The Slow Fade, we write to people of older generations to help them walk younger people toward adulthood. And, in my latest book, College MInistry From Scratch, I provide a practical guide to starting a ministry that cultivates this in and through a college age ministry. And I did that because I agree that this is a problem.

However, understanding WHY twentysomethings live and think the way they do is bigger than JUST a lack of discipleship received from older generations. Much bigger, actually.

My next book is focused on explaining this. I’m writing this book because I want to help bring understanding to the issue and provide practical solutions to helping it. There is much to this that I have been studying for years now, but have never written about – or even shared in seminars. But, it’s time. So, even though I’m already writing and my research is fairly extensive, if you have links to articles or resources that you feel could be useful for me in this project, please let me know!! More to come…