Smyth and Helwys, 2006, 87 pp., $12.00,
http://www.helwys.com
If you can’t find time to read Patricia Hersch, Chap Clark, David Elkind, Walt Mueller or Christian Smith, then this is your book! Hestorff does a great job distilling these writers’ ideas in less than 100 pages. Although the book is filled with great citations and insightful statistics, it focuses on six major psychological characteristics of today’s adolescent culture: loneliness, busyness, stress and disconnectedness, friendships/clusters, extended adolescence and their search for truth. In the “search for truth” section, one student cited in this section identifies herself as a “Catho-bapt-presbo.” You figure it out!
At the end of each chapter, Hestorff provides an outstanding section titled Youth Ministry Response. Beyond simply pigeonholing Millennials, this book offers some creative and practical ways our ministries can be modified to reach them. However, at times I struggle between accommodation and admonition. I’m not sure Hestorff makes that distinction clear.
Although YM2K is a great read for those who want a quick look into the psyche of today’s adolescent culture, try to find the time to read Hersch, Clark, Elkind, Mueller and Smith as well.
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Larry H. Lindquist, youth ministry professor, Denver Seminary, Denver, Colorado.
