On Religious Culture

I'm contemplating today about culture--specifically the difference in culture between Protestants and Catholics.

Side note: wouldn't you think that the term "protestant" would be a derogatory term... seeing as the whole basis of the name is that they "protested" which I guess I isn't an inherently bad thing... but still?

Anyway, I'm reading this book called "The Complete Guide to High Impact Youth Ministry" By Ron Luce, the guy who founded Teen Mania Ministries (most well known for their "Acquire the Fire" event). Anyway, this guy has a ton of huge ideas and encourages people to dream big, yada yada yada. He says there is really no excuse for a youth group to encompass an entire town or region, having up to 1,000 kids. Basically his goals and assertion that we should all have the same goals, makes me feel like crap.

I mean really... is this guy part of reality? He seems to think it's easy to get teens to Church. I wish I knew the kids he did... or maybe I just am not good at recruiting people. If that's the case, then, according to him, I'm not doing my job well.

And then I think, "well maybe he just doesn't know Catholic Culture". For all I know, protestant youth groups are busting at the seams just like he says... but I know very few Catholic Youth Groups with over 100 kids regularly participating.

Part of the problem is, I'm not sure how to define Catholic/Protestant Culture. I have some Ideas of course: Protestant culture seems almost more charismatic, more of a focus on the Holy Spirit, and in some way more "grassroots". I have more problems defining my own Catholic culture... but maybe that's usually the case with a culture that one is engrained in.

Either way, if you can enlighten me as to the nature of either culture, the reality of such a large following, or how to better get youth involved, please feel free to post. This may be a topic I will visit more once I have though more about it.