I have been popping in for a squiz at your site every now and then. As a youth ministry consultant myself, I was surprised at your groups comment regarding their experiences of young people’s relating to God in terms of the mystical etc. I would agree accept to say that the young people that I encounter in my work, (and I work cross denominationally and with young people in non-Christian circles)aren’t demonstrating these things from the angle I might. What I mean by that is, while the more mystical side of God (as well as the other things you quote from Powell) conjours up certain things in our mind, I wonder if we have missed the mark on what the young people might think or call it. Perhaps we think they aren;t into that when in fact they are, but they wouldn’t call it mystical because of the historical connotations that go with it. So when I meet with a young person in youth detention who seeks to engage in journey with God rather than try and sum him all up on day one (as particularly we in evangelical circles are prone to promote!) he calls that journey. I call that a more mystic (and Christ-like!) approach to faith. I’m not sure I am making sense of what I want to say (mystical perhaps!?!)… we should do coffee in the New Year. I live in Bris-Vegas and do stuff on the G.Coast from time to time. What’s say we go for a coffee sometime? Drop me a line. Cheers.
Mark G
thegladman@gmail.com