Popular Provider of Youth Ministry Resources Now Part of Zondervan
by Jim Brown and Jody Brown
May 5, 2006
(AgapePress) - - Christian communications giant Zondervan has acquired Youth Specialties, a popular youth ministry organization. Youth Specialties provides publications, resources, training, and encouragement for youth workers and youth-oriented organizations around the world. Both Zondervan and Youth Specialties say the acquisition marks the culmination of a 30-year business relationship that has been "extremely positive and complimentary." Mark Oestreicher, president of Youth Specialties, adds that the new partnership gives his group "quite a bit more strength and stability" as well opportunity to expand what YS has been doing since its founding in the late 1960s.
Youth Specialties produces the YS National Youth Workers Convention every fall and hosts the CORE training day every spring for thousands of youth workers. YS has been accused by one Christian author of dabbling in New Age spirituality at those conferences. Cathy Mickels -- co-author of the book Spiritual Junkfood: The Dumbing Down of Christian Youth -- stated last fall that the YS conferences introduce students to labyrinth walks, yoga, and contemplative prayer practices. But Zondervan's Scott Bolinder says Youth Specialties has been a leader in its field for nearly four decades -- and that the takeover is a "perfect fit" for Zondervan's mission.
"We're thrilled at Zondervan with this acquisition, which basically is a logical conclusion to a long, long relationship with a partner that we've been in business with for close to 30 years," Bolinder says.
Zondervan president and CEO Doug Lockhart echoes that sentiment. "Youth Specialties has consistently proven itself as an innovative and trusted resource committed to meeting the unique needs of youth ministries," Lockhart says in a press release. "We look forward to embracing the entire YS team into our family and to supporting their efforts to reach the next generation."
Karla Yaconelli, widow of YS founder Mike Yaconelli, says her late husband would have been totally in favor of the decision to partner with Zondervan, which is the leading publisher of Bibles in the world.
"This partnership will enhance who Youth Specialties is and what we do," she says. "Our focus will remain the same -- equipping youth workers -- yet teaming with Zondervan provides us with both long-term stability and additional resources." She expects those resources to increase the reach and offerings of YS, and to allow it to try what she calls "new and innovative things."
Zondervan is a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's The News Corporation, which owns 20th Century Fox and Fox Broadcasting.
