Hungry for Hope: Letters to the Church from Young Adults

What are young adults’ deepest concerns and hopes for the Christian church?

In this remarkable volume, young adults voice their concerns and laments about the church’s past and present, as well as their hopes and dreams for the church’s future. Unlike many current books on youth ministry, this is not a book about how to attract young adults back to church. Instead, it is an invitation to listen to young adults as they offer important insights regarding the capacity of the church--and the world--to flourish going forward.

The authors begin by invoking courageous curiosity, proposing this posture as a necessary mindset for the church as it approaches present-day challenges. They also point out that the young adult experience is too often shaped by tokenization, and offer an alternative approach rooted in relationships where young adults are valued co-creators in our shared future.

Turning their attention to the world we live in, the authors name the hard realities that shape our human experience, while also offering guidance for finding our way in the ruins. They identify climate catastrophe, grief and lament, and mental health as crucial issues that define our times. They also examine how churches have caused harm and how young adults have been grieving the church’s failures; among the themes they explore are abuse of power; marginalization, inclusion, and liberation; and sex, shame, and intimacy.

Seeking constructive ways forward, the authors illuminate the importance of community and consider how the church might become more fully centered around Jesus. They call on churches to go beyond the walls--that is, to care for their neighbors and neighborhoods--in order to become trustworthy partners in God’s work in the world. Finally, the authors consider themes of scarcity and abundance. They encourage the church to adopt a more faithful narrative rooted in God’s abundance, so that the church will be better equipped to participate in the vital work of restoring people’s relationships with God, with each other, and with the earth.

The young adult contributors to this volume are driven by a deep hunger for hope. Their poignant, powerful insights are essential reading for ministry leaders, congregations, youth groups, and anyone who cares about young adults’ engagement with Christianity.

Contributors:

Shaya Aguilar
Talitha Amadea Aho
Catalina Morales Bahena
Cherice Bock
Madeline Burbank
Lindsay Fertig-Johnson
Kristina Frugé
Abby Grifno
Kara Haug
Jimmy Hoke
Sarah Brock Iverson
Jia Johnson
Amber Kalina
Eric H. F. Law
Baird Linke
JD Mechelke
Jeremy Paul Myers
Kristen Glass Perez
Amar D. Peterman
Soong-Chan Rah
Drew Stever
Nicholas Tangen
Amanda Vetsch
Reesheda N. Graham Washington
Kayla Zopfi

Jeremy Myers is the Bernhard M. Christensen Professor of Religion and Vocation at Augsburg University, where he also serves as executive director of the Christensen Center for Vocation. His academic focus includes vocation, the spiritual and vocational development of young people, and the role of local congregations in engaging with the public sphere. He is the author of Liberating Youth from Adolescence.

Kristina Frugé is director of Congregational and Community Initiatives with Augsburg University’s Riverside Innovation Hub. Equipped with twenty-five years of ministry experience and a master’s degree in congregational mission and leadership, she works with congregations exploring their call to become vital neighbors.