In his post An Open Letter to YouthWorks Tony Jones, heretical “theologian in residence” at the emerging church Solomon’s Porch, gives a bit of history concerning YS:

Let me join the chorus of voices welcoming Tic Long back to Youth Specialties, now part of the YouthWorks world.  Tic was nothing but gracious to me over my ten years of speaking at the National Youth Workers Convention, even though I know that some of my content resulted in him and the YS staff getting grief…

The last time I saw Mike Yaconelli was memorable for me.  I wasn’t in Yac’s inner circle, but he was always extremely kind to me.  He was in Minneapolis to speak at an event for Youth Leadership in 2003, the same year he died.  He let Doug Pagitt and me know that he’d be in town and that he’d like to treat us to a beer and a cigar.  So we took him up on his offer and met on Saturday afternoon at the Calhoun Beach Club — I could go there today and show you the table at which we sat; that’s how well I remember it.

At the time, YS was publishing books by emergent authors, an arrangement created by then-publisher, Mark Oestreicher.  Yac was taking some heat for that, particularly from the old guard at YS — some of the long-time speakers and authors.  Doug and I had heard that, and Yac confirmed it.  He said that his son, Mark’s, work on contemplative spirituality was also irksome to some of YS’s more conservative constituency.

But then — and I remember it like it was yesterday — he said, “YS has always been about pushing boundaries.  That’s why we started it.  It was never really about youth ministry; it was always about radicalizing the church for Jesus.  It just seemed to us that youth ministry was the way to do that.”

He continued, “I’ve been afraid that we’re losing our edge, becoming too mainstream.  So, you know what, if YS goes down in flames because of what you guys write, that’s great!  At least we’ll be true to ourselves.”

That sentiment, I think, was the impetus for Marko publishing my books and Tic inviting me to the NYWC.  They got some angry mail for that — I remember one letter from a church’s board of elders telling Yac that YS was apostate because they let me speak — but I hope it was worth it… (Online source, bold his)

See also:

TONY JONES AND COURTNEY PERRY ET AL 

SACRED WAY OF TONY JONES AND THE EMERGING CHURCH

WHICH SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES?

EMERGENT PAIN AND DISCORD IN THE EMERGING CHURCH

TROUBLE IN EMERGING CHURCH PARADISE?

RICK WARREN: LOVE NEXT GEN!

SADDLEBACK CHURCH PASTORS USING ROB BELL TEACHINGS