Why is it that most youth groups have bought the lie that, to be an effective youth group, you must put on a night of entertainment so that the local young people will come, have a truckload of fun, hear a short message from the Bible, and then maybe come back next week for more. For many people, the local youth group is nothing more than a place to hang around, have a fun time, come back next week, and start all over. That is, until you move on to better, more fulfilling entertainment.
Sadly this is what our teenagers want to find when they come to youth night at church (and it's what many of the adults view as the youth minister's job). What do you think of when you think about what a successful youth group looks like? Do you picture it's a crowd of sweaty, smiling young people running around the church hall, playing a rowdy, mindless game, and trying to have fun or is it place for discipling our youth, building strong Christians and then using what's built to reach out to the non-Christian.
There are times that we should have games, go on youth outings that are entertaining. However, the focus should not be on entertaining them in order to keep them coming. Our focus is to grow these young people in grace and knowledge. So that they can give a "defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you…" (1 Peter 3:15).
It is an unhelpful pattern to only provide entertainment because it teaches young people that church is either entertainment or boredom.
Show me in Scripture where we are commanded to entertain. I could be wrong but I don't think God intended us to merely entertain . We're to be a place of love, salt, and light. Our attraction lies in this, not in activities or entertainment. It's the changed life and the loving Christian community that must attract the outsider. We are to live "honorably among the Gentiles, so that, though they may malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge." (1 Peter 2:12). Reflect on Acts 2:42-47. Here we see how the early church lived, which reflected Jesus and was deeply attractive. Note the end of the chapter, "And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved."
And parents. . . it's not up to your pastor, youth pastor, or youth leaders to get your children interested in spiritual matters. That is your job. They are placed in your children's lives to assist and encourage. Speaking as a mother of two teenagers. . .I praise God that he has placed the desire in my heart to teach my children the things of God and I also praise God that since they have been old enough to be a part of a youth group our Senior Pastors (past and present) and our Youth Pastor desire has been to focus on discipleship and not entertainment.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
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Great post. This is how we still do church like they did it in the 60's. Back then, there were few entertainment options beyond "kick the can" (a little humorous exaggeration folks!) and the church became more of an entertainment center.
ReplyDeleteBut today, youth have a trillion ways to have fun. And why should they choose the church? We can't make things as fun as the XBOX or iPod on a consistent basis.
So we must give them what they really need rather than what we think they want: Jesus.
And we'll do some fun things on the side for fellowship.
But I would much rather have 5 youth who love Jesus and are digging in the Word and growing in Christ than 50 who just think our church is the "cool place" to hang out.
Brian,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree brother! May we always strive to glorify God as we teach our youth, children and adults the Word of God.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteGinnie this is your little brother here, Have to give my opion here being that I have tought youth and understand what you are saying and agree with some of what you are saying, But at the sametime you have to look at it from this stand point, What is the porpuse of a youth group to reach the young lost by training and equiping the youth to be dicples, corect? We need to look at it from another stand point. From a lost stand point if you will. Kids that are lost or have never been to church who might be interested about church but view church as a boring place that all they do is teach these high risk kids that feel like. no one cares no one will listens. That are out getting there thrill in drugs and on the street,
By having fun things that they can do and things that maybe the adults see as not nessery, believe it our not those things get the lost into the church and they find out that church is not a boreing place but a place filled with love, But I can promise you one thing as someone that has worked with youth if you have a youth group that is filled with nothing but teaching and preaching number one you will not reach the lost youth as effectivly . number to your youth that have been coming to your youth group will slowly fall away. and number three your youth group will slowly grow stail and die. another point that needs to be made is you where talking about the parents needing to teach there kids the bible this is very true but what about the kids that are coming to the youth group that they are saved but there parents aren't, how then are these parents gowing to get fed? usually they are the ones doing the feeding. so see there is more that goes into a youth group than just paying games and bunning around playing kick the can or going to the amusment park, but at the sametime there is also more to it than studing and preaching all the time also,
All of these things have to be a fine mess woven into each other to reach the lost and to reach the ones that are saved,
I look at it as a fishing net, What do you do with a fishing net?
I know you fish with it. (DUH)
But is this not what we are trying to do as christians?
We are fishing right fishing for the lost and trying to keep the fish that we have already caught. So what are we going to do stop teaching the fish that we have already caught? NO But at the sametime are you going to stop fishing? NO you are going to do both. YOu are going to teach the fish you have already caught and continue to fish for the fish that are lost, and the start teaching the once you catch them. Hope you understand what I am trying to say.
Love your brother
Ken
AMEN SISTER!!! You know I totally agree with you on that one!
ReplyDeleteWe miss you guys, tell the kids "Hi" for us.
Love, Krisy