Christian Youth Ministry is a faith-journey of accompanying young people towards an experience of Christ. Accompanying is a process; it is not sporadic interventions of activities done for the young. It is walking with the young. In this essay, I would like to reflect on the theological implications of the process of accompanying young people, in the African context. Taking the cue from the experience of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24: 13-35), I would like to present Jesus as the prototype of a youth minister, thus also to trace the progressive stages in youth ministry.
The two disciples are on the road to Emmaus. Why are they on the road? It is Easter Sunday – “that very same day”, and these disciples are running away from Jerusalem – the epicentre of the great event! They have […]
Author: selvam
Preparing Young People for Marriage
Selvam, S.G. (2004). “Preparing Young People for Marriage in Africa”. In Selvam, S.G & Kyomo, K.A., Marriage and Family in African Christianity (pp.217-227) Nairobi: Acton Press. Click Link for PDF file
Scaffoldings: Training young people in Christian lifeskills
Scaffoldings: Training Young People in Christian Life Skills. Nairobi: PaulinesAfrica, 2008.
It is a Training Programme for Building Christian Life Skills among the Young People of Africa. The title Scaffoldings alludes to the concept that at the beginning of learning, learners need a great deal of support; gradually, this support is taken away to allow the young people to try their independence. It is the same in the growth process of a young person as a Christian. Scaffoldings translates the Catechism into life-skills, and accompanies them in the process of life-skills building. The manual contains 4 sessions each on 20 themes as listed below.
It also has a student handbook. Copies of both volumes are available from Paulines, Nairobi; DBYES, Karen, Kenya; DBYES, Upanga, Tangaza.
This is not just a book but a […]
Beyond the Ordinary
Beyond the Ordinary: The Spiritual Journey of a Missionary. ISBN: 9966-08-127-5; Nairobi: PaulinesAfrica, 2006.
This book is a moving example of a popular autobiographical literary genre: the personal spiritual journey. It is also an example of African narrative theology. The author describes Beyond the Ordinary as “reminiscences of my spiritual journey” inEast Africaover a period of 12 years (1992 to 2004). He says: “The collection [of reflections and stories] simply commemorates the spiritual lessons that I have learnt as an expatriate missionary in East Africa.”
Sahaya G. Selvam describes African Safari as “reminiscences of my spiritual journey” inEast Africa over a period of 12 years (1992 to 2004). He says: “The collection [of reflections and stories] simply commemorates the spiritual lessons that I have learnt as an expatriate […]
Goal of Life
The goal of our life is to live with God forever. God, who loves us, gave us life. Our own response of love allows God’s life to flow into us without limit. All the things in this world are gifts of God, presented to us so that we can know God more easily and make a return of love more readily. As a result, we appreciate and use all these gifts of God insofar as they help us develop as loving persons. But if any of these gifts become the center of our lives, they displace God and so hinder our growth toward our goal.
In everyday life, then, we must hold ourselves in balance before all of these created gifts insofar as we have a choice and are not bound by some obligation. We should not fix our desires on health […]