Youth Ministry Needs the Rest of the Church Family - Luke Dockery
Young people are leaving the Church—and it’s not just a trend, it’s a systemic failure. Luke Dockery, youth and family minister at Cloverdale Church of Christ and adjunct professor at Harding University, is on Christianity Without Compromise (formerly Smashing Idols) with host Jake Doberenz to discuss how youth ministry often operates in isolation, and why that’s a problem. Drawing from his book Youth in Family Ministry: A Handbook, Dockery outlines a compelling alternative: rooting youth ministry in both the physical family and the faith family. He explains how typical church structures—age-based programs, youth group silos, and entertainment-driven events—can unintentionally push teens away from lasting Christian faith. Together, Jake and Luke call the Church to rethink what it means to be compelling—and faithful—for the next generation.
Key Takeaways:
The dominant youth ministry model often isolates teens from the broader Christian faith community, which undermines long-term spiritual formation.
The Church must intentionally build intergenerational rhythms where both the physical family and the faith family share the work of discipling young people.
Christian faith thrives when young people are known, loved, and spiritually mentored by a variety of adults—not just youth ministers or parents.
Important Links:
Sticky Faith resources from Fuller Youth Institute
Youth In Family Ministry: A Handbook by Luke Dockery
Luke Dockery serves as the Youth in Family Minister at the Cloverdale Church of Christ in Searcy, Arkansas, where he has been since 2019, and also as an Adjunct Youth Ministry Professor at Harding University. Previously, he was the Associate Minister of the Farmington Church of Christ for 13 years. Luke received undergraduate degrees in International Business and Spanish from Harding University and his Master of Divinity degree from Harding School of Theology. In addition to youth ministry and teaching, he is a founder of Deeper Youth Ministry and works for the Center for Christian Studies.
Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at jakedoberenz.substack.com.
