Making Jesus Attractive: The Ministry and Message of Young Life

Making Jesus Attractive is an in-depth look at the history and theology of this parachurch organization dedicated to ministry with young people. Beginning with the theological background of founder Jim Rayburn and moving through the decades of the ministry this book examines not only the articulated theological statements of the organization but the lived theology as well. This book provides a thorough overview of the theological underpinnings of the Young Life organization and challenges their model of an attractive Christianity providing insights that could be utilized by all youth ministry workers. With the inquisitiveness of a detective and the precision of a surgeons laser knife Schoon Tanis offers an incisive historical and theological analysis of Young Life. She applauds their methodological commitment to incarnational ministry and identifies the corresponding tensions resulting from a lack of theological reflection. Making Jesus Attractive provides an engaging historical perspective for those committed to navigating the contemporary challenges of incarnational ministry. --Darwin K. Glassford Calvin Theological Seminary and Harderwyk Ministries Rev. Gretchen Schoon Tanis PhD is a graduate of Kings College London and Western Theological Seminary and an ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America. Gretchen is a professor of youth ministry currently living in Hannover Germany. She has previously held positions teaching youth ministry at Hope College Northwestern College and Western Theological Seminary and is currently pastoring at the Reformed Church in Hannover.