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specific phase of life seriously,” (40) and become “familiar
with what is going on in teenage brains in order to
disciple youth for Jesus Christ” (38)—effectiveness in
ministry to youth will depend largely upon one’s familiarity
with this cultural and biological phenomenon.
It is difficult, however, to discern exactly how the
category of adolescence is expected to inform youth
ministers. Baxter emphasizes that youth ministers must
“limit the pressure” (50) on youth in light of their current
situation. He states clearly that this does not mean
that pastors are to lower the standards of Christian
practice and belief as they pertain to youth (50), yet he
does not provide a clear answer as to what it does mean
to limit pressure on teenagers. In addition, his discussion
throughout chapter 2 on deviant teenage behavior
seems as if he has allowed the category of adolescence
to provide excuses for teenage sin and rebellion. This
concern is again found in Baxter’s chapter on the gospel
in which little to no room is given to important issues
of sin, repentance, justification, or sanctification (see
103–23).
Furthermore, in his insistence that teenagers are currently
encouraged to grow up too fast, Baxter is not careful
to identify the actual cause of teenage immaturity.
Baxter argues that, “Today’s teenagers are faced with
tremendous pressure to be ‘adult-like’ in their thinking
and actions” (49). Requiring students to assume adult
responsibilities such as “making car payments, grocery
shopping, caring for younger siblings” impedes teenagers
from growing at a “healthy developmental pace”
(49). As a result, teens’ desire for independence often
entices them to embrace “adult-like” behaviors such as
smoking, sex, drinking and reckless driving (49). But is
such foolish behavior really to be blamed on the expectation
that teens should accept growing responsibility?
Baxter fails to ask whether lowering such expectations
may actually perpetuate teenage immaturity and
the kind of deviant behavior described above. Indeed,
psychologist Robert Epstein has argued that the category
of adolescence harms teenage development because
it robs young men and women of the opportunity to
accept greater responsibility and to temper their unruly
impulses, thus keeping them from steadily growing into
the adults they were meant to be (see, Robert Epstein,
Teen 2.0). This is especially tragic because Baxter desires
to see teens grow into adult maturity but clinging
uncritically to the category of adolescence will hinder
teens from doing just that.
Derek Brown
Ph.D. Candidate
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
ApParent Privilege. By Steve Wright. Wake Forest,
NC: InQuest Ministries, 2008, 175 pp., $14.99.
During the first several years in the family ministry conversation,
there were drastically opposing views with
the most drastic opinions calling for the disbandment
of local church youth ministry. Four years ago the growing
concern with discipleship in the local church took a
decided turn for the good with the release of ApParent
Privilege by Steve Wright. Wright, a seasoned veteran
local church youth pastor and parent of three teenagers,
offers this follow-up to ReThink that raises the stakes for
parents and church leaders everywhere. Wright begins
with a strong statement of parental responsibility and
influence in the lives of their children. “For years parents
have bought into a lie that the greatest influences in
their children’s lives are peers, media, and others outside
of the home” (17). Wright maintains that it just is not
true. The foremost purpose of this book is the primacy
of parental discipleship in the home. Wright weaves this
core biblical principle throughout the entire book.
Wright is quick to explain that the landscape has
drastically changed. He outlines the new landscape in
four ways that parents must never cease evaluating :
shifting battleground, shifting morals, shifting to a Post-
Christian nation, and shifting adolescences (31–38).
Two of the evil one’s greatest tools for destroying families
are ignorance and denial. Wright calls parents to be
aware of the shifting landscape of a culture that caters to
their children.
Capturing the intent of Deuteronomy 6, Wright
outlines the power of words in the faith growing process
with children. He contrasts this with the oppositional
voices that are speaking to children and is quick
to point out that those voices are now coming from
more subversive means, especially the Internet. Internet
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