10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People

Author

David Yeagar

Who should read it

Any youth or kids minister, leader or parent who wants to engage young people as motivated, invested and growing disciples.

Why

How do we help young people in our ministries be more than passive recipients of information? How do we help them develop ownership of their faith and their life in the body of Christ?

While not a Christian book, 10-25: The Science of Motivating Young People contains insights that can help us understand what motivates young people. As the author says, “if we want to engage, teach and support our young people, we need to tap into the basic neurobiological systems that drive their behaviour.”

Some of the core ideas from the book are:

- Young people are motivated by respect and status from both peers and mentors.
- They are particularly sensitive to, and motivated by, avoiding social pain such as humiliation and rejection.
- When young people are held to high standards while also given high support, they are more likely to feel respected and capable.
- Transparency with young people is crucial for gaining their trust and engagement. A statement like, “I know I've got high standards, but that's because I believe you can do this,” helps young people understand that criticism is not the same as rejection.

So how might the ideas in this book help us in youth ministry?

First, no matter how frustrating young people can be, we need to communicate in our ministries that we value and respect them.

Second, as members of the body of Christ, young people are not simply recipients of ministry; they can contribute meaningfully to the body. When we give them genuine opportunities to contribute and take responsibility, they are likely to become more invested and motivated disciples.

Third, this book helps us see that small adjustments in the way we interact with young people can remove unnecessary barriers to their growth in faith and service. We don't need to lower our expectations of young people. Instead, we can combine high expectations with high support, communicating both, “I believe you can do this” and “I'll help you get there.”

Publisher

Penguin/Cornerstone, 2024