Old New Friends

This morning I learned that Tic Long has returned to a leadership role with Youth Specialties. The new owners of YS (Youthworks) carefully took the time to listen to some of the great voices in youth ministry (Walt Mueller, Duffy Robbins, Marv Penner, etc.) and took a great step. Tic was the president and "behind the scenes" leader at YS for 30 years, helping to guide it to the resource company that has helped so many youth ministers through the years.

Tic's appointment signals that the direction at Youth Specialties is moving ahead by looking behind--recalling the combination of creativity, community and edginess that has been the hallmark of the YS brand. This seems to me a resolution of much of the uncertainty of the recent past at Youth Specialties.

I feel like a relative who has learned of a family dispute that has been settled. While there remains hurt--I pray for my friends who are no longer in the YS shop--the direction seems to be that YS is moving to a place where youth ministers of all denominations and theological persuasions can get valuable help in the thinking and doing of youth ministry.

Welcome back, Tic.