1. Matt, you’ve worked with Campus Crusade for Christ around the world. What have seen in your work with young people that makes the “Living Dead” approach work for you?
No one wants to be a zombie. When it comes to monsters, most youth would like to be a vampire or maybe a werewolf; but zombies are disgusting…They’re stupid and rotting and gross. It’s a great metaphor for our spiritual lives when we are wrestling with our sin nature and our new nature in Christ. We’re alive in Christ, but so often we sink back into old behaviors and patterns and ways of doing things…dead things. Then we become these disgusting creatures…neither dead nor alive. As it says in Revelation 3, “You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.”  It’s a great place to start a conversation with youth…Are you dead or alive or some mix of the two? How do we move toward life?

2. Is it possible for youth to experience something less than a truly transformed life? How can youth workers help kids see this deficit and want to do something about it?
It’s not only possible, it’s common. We all struggle with becoming more like Christ, and we won’t achieve that until we’re in His presence. The thing I’ve noticed with youth is they think they’re alone in this…They don’t realize their friends and, yes, their youth leaders are also trying to figure out how to follow Christ better and experience His resurrection power. When we come in with the certainty that we’re all wrestling and hold out the hope of our current transformation and future glorification, we really can help youth move toward Christ. In my experience, most youth who are believers already want that…They just desperately need some encouragement, advice and spiritual insight to help move them in the right direction. If you’re able to bring these things up in a humorous, low-key way, that really can help everyone enter the conversation without becoming defensive.

3. Anything else you want to say to youth workers?
I’ve been on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ for 12 years; for several years before that, I volunteered with high schoolers at my church and taught high school literature and theater classes. I know a lot of times people don’t really understand what you do, and it can be a thankless job at times. I just want to say thanks…Thank you for serving the Lord with our youth, and thank you for turning our young people toward Christ. If there is anything I can do to help you…if your youth want to send me an email or you want me to Skype in or call during one of your Bible studies or want me to come speak at a retreat or whatever, please let me know. I’m passionate about our youth, just like you; and if there’s a way I can help, I’d love to take a shot at it.

4. Can you introduce the excerpt we’ve included to Night of the Living Dead Christian?
The “Monster Gallery” is a light-hearted look at some of the real-life monsters we run into in our everyday lives. These can help start conversations about how to find true spiritual transformation, the effect of parental relationships on our relationship with God, the effect of sin on us and those around us (especially our families), Bible translations, interacting with Jesus through Scripture and many more. Enjoy!