What's on My Mind Today:
(thanks John Frye for reminding me to post- here's what I'm thinking about today at lunch)
3 Critical Issues American Churches must deal with before Youth Ministry will be healthy.
Issue #1
The Church must deal with their Systematic Abandonment of Children and Adolescents.
The church that meets my needs is killing their children, but it's doing it in the clever package of big numbers and complaint submission. The church's lack of attentiveness to the real needs of adolescents is not an issue preferrance or of convenience but an issue of justice. People with power, hiring a seperate staff, in a seperate building, with different programs even with the best intentions to/for people without power is asking for trouble. There's never been more money spent on teens than there is today. There's never been a greater gap between teens (especially high school teens) and adults.
Issue #2
The desire to morally educate children and youth toward "appropriate behaviour" by inserting "proper belief" and "correct doctrine" feels good in the short run, but is at best confusing to teens later in life and at worst faith killing.
Issue #3
The complete and total acceptance of myths regarding Youth Pastors and their roles in the church. Youth Pastors must also make some significant changes in this process for it to succeed.
(thanks John Frye for reminding me to post- here's what I'm thinking about today at lunch)
3 Critical Issues American Churches must deal with before Youth Ministry will be healthy.
Issue #1
The Church must deal with their Systematic Abandonment of Children and Adolescents.
The church that meets my needs is killing their children, but it's doing it in the clever package of big numbers and complaint submission. The church's lack of attentiveness to the real needs of adolescents is not an issue preferrance or of convenience but an issue of justice. People with power, hiring a seperate staff, in a seperate building, with different programs even with the best intentions to/for people without power is asking for trouble. There's never been more money spent on teens than there is today. There's never been a greater gap between teens (especially high school teens) and adults.
Issue #2
The desire to morally educate children and youth toward "appropriate behaviour" by inserting "proper belief" and "correct doctrine" feels good in the short run, but is at best confusing to teens later in life and at worst faith killing.
Issue #3
The complete and total acceptance of myths regarding Youth Pastors and their roles in the church. Youth Pastors must also make some significant changes in this process for it to succeed.
posted by mark at
2:14 PM
3 Comments:
Thanks, Mark! I knew when you came back, you would do it with relevant observations. Good stuff. I hope it will be taken seriously.
We're off to Israel & Turkey tomorrow. Keep us in your prayers.
Can the church do any of this without addressing the needs of the family as a whole?
Why not make Youth part of your service? Let them have authority and do some of the meetings? we do and they seem to like it a lot.
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