Thursday, February 02, 2023
Has Youth Ministry Failed Us?
A note of explanation:
This was written over 10 years ago. I occasionally go back and read old posts. Sometimes I am struck by how I missed the point. But sometimes I think I was spot on and would write the same thing today.
This is one of those posts.
Here are some questions I think must be asked.
Has segregating our teenagers really been an effective way to develop faith? Would we have been better served with a inter-generational model for the church?
Did families -- and even churches -- abdicate their responsibility to raise our children to have faith? Did we hire it done? Did we really think "professionals" knew better than parents the best way to impart faith?
Did we emphasize youth activities to the detriment of teaching God's Word?
And if so... then what is a better way?
Should parents be leading the youth ministries?
Numbers down? Kids leaving the faith? Then better start a youth program. Or fire the current youth minister and hire a better one. That has been our default reaction for years.
It may have been wrong.
So is their a place for youth ministers? I think so but with a couple of caveats.
I think parents and elders should retain control of the youth program. That is who is responsible for the spiritual formation of our children. Don't put that off on a youth minister.
I think we should think more in terms of youth evangelists. What if we hired a youth evangelist with a mandate to equip our youth to share their faith? What if we expected our youth minister to spend most of his time evangelizing teenagers and their families?
But one last thing seems really important to say. Youth ministry as usually done may have failed us. But do not blame the youth minister for your child losing their faith. It may have been the youth minister's job, but it was the parent's responsibility.
Well, these are just questions I think need to be asked. Not sure even how I feel about some of them. Not sure I know the answers. But I do know we better ask the questions.
Youth ministry is not about the future of the church. It is about the eternal destination of our kids. Big difference.
We have to do our best to get it right.
