As an Ipswich Town football fan, I am watching with interest the change of direction the club is currently going through. A year ago we were a large club for the sleepy smallness of East Anglia – built on a dynasty that had lasted decades, we were a real family club – great values for investing in our youngsters and local money to do it with. Ambition was quietly driven with 5 or even 10 year plans! Very rarely was the boat shaken.
This year suddenly a violent wind has completely upended our farming community! Marcus Evans has emptied his pockets into the coffers and demanded high octane ambition, big names and big change... We are now a modern, highly professional, brand of a club. But the change has impacted on the pitch in an uncomfortable way. The team are having to change and adapt to Roy Keane's unfamiliar and harsh ways... The players we have not used to and not suited to this style of play, this style of management, this style of training or this style of club. It's not to say the old was necessarily better or worse just that if you radicalise a club with new personnel and new ideas you have a tough road ahead in seeing that through. We are now in a right mess and the thing is - we simply cannot go back. The really is no option to return to the sleepy little big club of the east, even though we have only won one game all season and though expected to get promoted this season are languishing very near the bottom! The only option is continue the plan through – allow Keane to stay on and import all his old players from other clubs that respond to his methods, understand him and can play his style.
There are teams of several different styles and natures – all are different but all have varying levels of success for different reasons. No one can say that one way is definitively the best way.
In response to this I feel I have noticed a [generalised] pattern amongst youth work. The idea being that different ypes of youthworker are like different types of football team. Not one method is the best but by identifying them we can seek to reap the best fruit from each and also try to match the characteristics to enable teams within churches/organisations that strongly compliment each other.
Evangelistic Youthworker
...is likely to enjoy detached Youthwork and lots of community based youth groups – will often question whether they are meant to be in secular Youthwork – and quite often are. Often extroverts and outgoing personality types. Really needs a Discipler Youthminister alongside or there is a strong possibility of a lop sided work that gets alongside a great many yp but struggles to keep hold of them or know what to do with them after they get to a certain level of openness and response to the gospel. Will get/be in bands to do assemblies that make a big splash
Evangelistic Youthminister
Conversely, an evangelistic Youthminister will be found more often in the church setting – more uncomfortable around non-Christian young people, more often an introvert or just fitting obediently into the minister job description, whatever the reason the youth group will have a strong evangelistic flavour – the young people catch their enthusiasm and drive for evangelism and are motivated and taught to go out and reach their friends... Often strong emphasis on justice and mission. Their worship event will be seeker friendly and regular gospel message and challenge to respond.
Discipler Youthminister
This type is the most churchy! Will build a strong community amongst the yp and will often be typified by a strong worship service. Good, grounded, often well-rounded disciples will result BUT the risks are those more edgy yp who find it harder to 'fit the mould' in this church setting. Many times this kind will follow a more traditional discipleship pattern which leaves active learners at a disadvantage.
Discipler Youthworker
This kind of Youthworker – if they can be persuaded – would have a great impact in more school based Youthwork because, given the right circumstances, they can build fantastic rapport and relationships with the students and build huge inroads into the school environment. Usually good at assemblies that challenge and provoke. A good mentor.
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