Adoptive Youth Ministry of Chap Clark

Chap Clark's vision of Adoptive Youth Ministry (AYM) emerges from his long-standing involvement in youth and family ministry, grounded in a deep concern for the increasing sense of abandonment and isolation among young people in contemporary society. Observing that youth often feel neglected both by society and the Church, Clark proposes a theological and pastoral response rooted in the biblical metaphor of adoption. His central claim is that young people must be integrated into the Church not as passive recipients, but as active members of the faith community, embraced and affirmed as adopted children of God. This approach calls for a fundamental shift in how Youth Ministry is conceptualized-not as a separate, programmatic endeavour, but as a core expression of the Church's identity and mission. Clark's theological framework for AYM is anchored in three key pillars: Christology, Ecclesiology, and Pneumatology. He argues that just as believers are adopted into the family of God through Jesus Christ, the Church is called to reflect this divine adoption by creating communities where young people find belonging, purpose, and identity.