Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean, a professor at Princeton University and author of many books, including "Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church," took some time to visit with me about problems our culture is having around inculcating authentic Christian faith and doctrine into our youth. We talk about many realities in the current context, centralizing around the importance of a proper Christology (set of doctrinal understandings around the person and work of Christ). To my surprise, I didn't even get to the heart of my questioning around the nature of liberal Christianity because we had so many other foundational things to cover in the relatively short time we had together. She was very gracious in my bumbling nature. I think the conversation could be useful to people striving to minister to youth in their churches. I actually think the conversation is more useful to people trying to understand how Methodism got so divided and who are asking the questions around if this division even needed to happen in the first place. Rev. Dr. Dean is in a very different place from me with respect to the undergirding theology that animates us, but we seem to be of one mind about what does and doesn't work with respect to making new disciples. I hope you enjoy!

Links:

“Almost Christian” book that made such a positive impact on me: Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church https://a.co/d/05RCFWR

Other books

- Delighted: What Teenagers Are Teaching the Church about Joy https://a.co/d/53zSOVv

- Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church https://a.co/d/b8rHpax

- Godbearing Life-Art Of Soul Tending For Youth Mini https://a.co/d/awsTont

- Innovating for Love: Joining God's Expedition Through Christian Social Innovation (The Greatest Expedition) https://a.co/d/bG65DoC

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