Fuller Theological Seminary
Kara Powell
Kara Powell, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI), helps lead the TENx10 Collaboration, and is the Chief of Leadership Formation at Fuller Theological Seminary (see fulleryouthinstitute.org). Named by Christianity Today as one of “50 Women to Watch”, Kara serves as a Youth and Family Strategist for Orange, and also speaks regularly at parenting and leadership conferences. Kara is the author or co-author of a number of books including Faith Beyond Youth Group, 3 Big Questions that Change Every Teenager, Faith in an Anxious World, Growing With, 18 Plus, Growing Young, The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family, Sticky Faith Curriculum, Can I Ask That?, Deep Justice Journeys, Essential Leadership, Deep Justice in a Broken World, Deep Ministry in a Shallow World, and the Good Sex Youth Ministry Curriculum.
What is the ministry challenge keeping you up at night?
As young people distrust institutions like the church, how can we help churches and leaders reimagine youth discipleship to mobilize caring, Jesus-centered adults to invest in young people?
What is the greatest hope for God’s work in 2023 you’re dreaming about?
Mobilizing theologically and ethnically diverse Christ-centered denominations and organizations to collaboratively champion relational youth discipleship radically focused on Jesus.
What is a non-ministry activity that brings you joy and energy?
Spending time with my husband and our 3 adulting children, and working out at the gym.
What are the top 1-3 essentials for the Church in America to address to reach those who are spiritually open, but not yet following Jesus?
Churches have the opportunity to regain trust with those who are spiritually open through empathetically, proactively and tangibly loving others, including (and especially) those who live, believe, look, and act differently than them. It's time for faith communities to be known more by what we are "for" than what we are "against."