“The ‘generation gap’ theory was popularized in educational psychology and promoted heavily by vested economic interests in the community. Capitalizing on this theory, the popular churches began to emphasize the role of youth leadership. Adults were now urged to play a supporting rather than an active role in youth ministry. We again followed suit. Within the Adventist church, at first in North America, some of our youth leaders began to advocate that adults were no longer welcome in the AY society. The cry of youth for youth was heard, and the idea that only youth were able to communicate with youth or adequately plan for their needs was promulgated.

The youth society was in trouble. Membership was no longer required. Most aspects of devotional life or training for service had been eliminated.”

(Malcolm Allen, Divine Guidance or Worldly Pressure?, 121)