We are currently having a controversy in our church regarding our Youth. Not surprising huh? Our church is not large, about 100 in Sunday School and 200 in Sunday Church. Our Sunday & Wednesday Evenings we hold Youth Group. One night is "Vent & Get it off your chest" time and the other is biblical study. We have a great turnout and our Youth are very close. The problem is that the elders of the church have decided that the Youth need to be in regular services on Sunday nights. Since this decision was made 4 weeks ago not one Youth has shown up in Sunday evening services, and attendance in Wednesday has dropped 50%. I know December is not the best month to measure attendance but I am concerned about this issue. Personally, I don't care if my kids are in their pj's in a beanbag in the youth director's living room eating popcorn as long as they are hearing the word of God.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2004

Answers

If your leadership is interested in reaching youth they'll offer things that appeal to youth without compromising Biblical standards. At the moment very few youth are being reached, so your church's mission is failing in the youth department. Leadership interested in fulfilling the Great Commission should be very concerned about that, and working hard to fix it.

If they see the youth have dropped out and refuse to put things back, that indicates they're more interested in asserting their authority than reaching youth. They're ploughing ahead regardless of the fact few souls are being reached.

In my church the youth are only in the main service on Sunday morning. Sunday night and Wednesday their on their own. The younger kids are with us even less. They have their own activities these same times, AND Sunday morning. We realize we need to have a variety of activities tailor made to the age groups in our church.

I once visited a large church in Colorado Springs that had a Saturday evening service for the "shaved head, black t-shirt and gotee" crowd. Like the people this service was extremely cutting edge, and I don't think most of them attended the main service on Sunday.

The main service ran in the thousands, and most churches would be satisfied with that. The Saturday service ran about 650. That's 650 more souls receiving ministry that likely wouldn't had the church not offered something for them.

I recommend you respectfully suggest they restore things before the youth have found someplace else to go. Then they'll never be back.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2004

BTW, I need to tell you about that Saturday night service. It was full of innovations I'd never seen. First off, the pastor's Bible wasn't a book. He had the whole Bible stored in a Palm Pilot, so as he preached he punched buttons on this little electronic device he held in his hand.

They also believed in talking about what people are talking about in the group they're trying to reach. At the time the movie "Matrix" was out, and they knew most of the people had seen it. The sermon was on spiritual concepts learned from the Matrix. I was impressed by the way this young pastor found lessons from this movie. He preached a great Word.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2004

Subject Youth in Sunday Evening Services

Our church has a dedicated a Sunday morning and one Sunday evening in which the youth are allow to conduct this service by youth leaders. Sometimes, they have a guest speaker in which they help choose with their youth leader, they render the music, and they usher. They are taught how to conduct the service in every aspect. To me it is a way for them to work in unity and on their spiritual growth. The Sunday evening service has a rap session for 30 minutes and then a service. We always get a good turn with the youth, their parents, and other individuals just looking to hear the Word. At first, I had to make my children attend church, different programs or the different ministries available but now they want to go on their own and grow spiritual. My children are not like others, I did not let them grow from when they were babies as I did. All I need to do is sow the seed and God did the rest. Thank you Lord for all you have done. Sis. Nunley, I hope that you church elders think about what they are doing. They need to be reminded that the children are our future and God's Will always prevail. God Bless.

Your Sister In Christ, Natasha Stewart

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2004

Just had to add a comment--I have a pet peeve about the phrase "the children are our future".

As Christians--Heaven should be out future.

Children are not our immediate future and whe should not be governed by their likes and dislikes.

To me our immediate future is the Young Adult Group 21-40--that's the group that some of our churches are missing. This group of young adults represent a closer view of our future than children under the age of 12.

Just a pet peeve

Be Blessed, kc

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2004