Bryan J. Hickey

Notes on Reading

Notes on reading and reflection

Reviews and reflections on books, journal articles, theses, and other works covering theology, philosophy, and biblical studies.

Book18 min read

Sustainable Youth Ministry: Why Most Youth Ministry Doesn't Last and What Your Church Can Do about It

by Mark DeVries

The problem with most youth ministry isn't the youth worker — it's the system. DeVries makes a compelling case for infrastructure over superstars, with practical frameworks that hold up remarkably well almost two decades on.

Journal Article8 min read

Models of Youth Ministry in Action: The Dynamics of Christian Youth Ministry in an Australian City

by Ruth Webber, Andrew Singleton, Marie R. Joyce, and Arrigo Dorissa

A Melbourne-based study maps youth ministry activity onto Canales' typology and concludes that dynamic, youth-owned implementation matters more than which model a church adopts.

Journal Article13 min read

The State of Play in Australian Youth Ministry: An Exploration of the Patterns and Impacts of Youth Ministry Roles in Australian Churches

by Graham D. Stanton and Miriam Pepper

A sobering empirical snapshot: 81% of Australian churches have no youth minister, and nearly half have zero teenagers at services. Full-time youth ministry staff are linked to better retention, but part-time roles aren't. The data paints a picture of systemic under-investment.

Journal Article10 min read

'On a Mission': Christian Youth Workers in Australia in the 1960s–1970s

by David Fagg

Through three case studies, Fagg shows that the pioneers who made youth ministry serious in Australia also helped split it from secular youth work. An important historical contribution with real contemporary bite.

Chapter13 min read

Church as Formative Ecology

by David Fagg

How does the church form the vocation of Christians who end up in secular youth work? Fagg's answer, drawn from fifty interviews, is that it does so powerfully—and then largely abandons the people it has formed. A sobering but hopeful chapter grounded in real voices and real tensions.

Book13 min read

The Spirituality of Fundraising

by Henri J. M. Nouwen

Nouwen reframes fundraising as spiritual ministry rather than necessary evil, grounded in prayer and mutual conversion. Strong on contemplative practice, weak on economic justice and power dynamics. Centres wealthy donors' needs problematically. Helpful starting point, incomplete guide.

Book9 min read

Speaking in Tongues: A Critical Historical Examination: Volume 1: The Modern Redefinition of Tongues

by Philip Blosser

Blosser argues today's 'heavenly language' view of tongues is a modern redefinition. Historically, tongues meant xenolalia—unlearned human languages. He traces the shift via missionary failures, Reformation habits and cessationism, proposing Corinth faced a sacred-language/interpretation issue.

Book15 min read

An Invitation to Analytic Christian Theology

by Thomas H. McCall

Do hard questions threaten faith? McCall argues analytic theology—clarity, rigour, and conceptual care—keeps Scripture in the driver's seat. His invitation maps the field with case studies on sovereignty, Christology, and evolution, showing mystery isn't muddle.

Book13 min read

Scripture as Communication: Introducing Biblical Hermeneutics

by Jeannine K. Brown

Jeannine K. Brown's Scripture as Communication presents the Bible as divine–human conversation. Blending theory and practice, she teaches readers to seek authorial intent as communicative act, bridging meaning and application. A clear, pastoral guide that forms humble, attentive interpreters.