Does your church reconize the youth???

April 20, 2005

Does your "older" church members recognize your youth?

Our youth has been growing with leaps and bounds....We are a small/medium size church...around 80 members....and the youth is getting stronger. We have an average attendance of about 40 at our youth group. And I would be safe to say that out of the 40 that attend....35 are born again christian teens!!

Here is my problem... I have foudn that some members of our church think that the youth have no place there. They have talked bout the kids, gave them dirty looks...(I have saw this happen) and just act like they arent even there.

I believe that the youth is church of the future. And if we dont take them under our wing and help them along...how is the church even going to have a future?? These people arent going to live forever.

Me and my husband are the youth pastors, we also teach sunday school, he is a deacon, we are involved in every aspect of the church. And it is coming to a point that we are ready to give it up. (not give up on the Lord, but with everything else).

We have been talked bout because of the kids.....but let me state....we have a great group of kids...they dont cause trouble...they actually dont do anything...but serve the Lord. What is being said is bout the kids music....they listen to praise and worship music...and our church is a southen/country gospel kinda church. The kids are into southern gospel also...but also the p&w. They dont asked the choir to sing it or anything like that....they just listen to it at home and stuff like that.

We hav been told that we need to tell the kids that they cant listen to it cuz its wrong.....you cant mix the world with your christian life and all kinds of stuff....and we wont do it. I mean, we have to be doing someting right or God wouldnt be moving in our lives and the kids lives like He is. Kids are getting saved at youth group left and right.

We have come to the conclusion that they are scared and jealous of the youth. We have more to come to youth group and our once a month youth sevices than we have a mid week worship/prayer service. And they are afraid of the move of God that is taking place in the kids lives. These kids are hungry and seeking for God....they dont worry bout what others think if they would shout or raise their hands or whatever...they do what GOD tells them to do and thats it. They dont worry about what others may think of them. They are just obedient to the spirit.

I guess my question is....has this happened with anyone else?? If so, how did you handle the situation?? How does the congregation at your church handle or respond to the youth at your church?? And if you were a pastor...would you be proud of a youth group full of born again teens???

Cant wait to read your replies!!

God bless

April 20, 2005

Happens everywhere miss. My church is pretty good about recognizing youth, but we still have some old timers who just as soon not see them. Humans can't seem to be taught not to be prejudice after years of pre-judgeing people. It really irritates me. Being young myself, i still command the respect of people around me. When i don't get it, not for my merit, but because of my age, I tend to think those kind of people should take a crash course in humility.

Leonard · April 20, 2005

"Eccccch! This church is filled with the stench of youth!"

The youth are NOT the 'Church of Tomorrow.' You are the Church of RIGHT NOW. Most people who ever get saved, do so during their teen years, and are led to Christ by a friend or acquaintance, so by the time you're my age, everybody you know will either be saved....OR AVOIDING YOU!

I hope more churches will begin to recognize this.

sandy · April 20, 2005

4 the youth,

The first thing I'd like to share is a passage from I Timothy 4:12

'Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in your faith, in purity.'

From what you have said about your youth group they are doing these things. As their leaders I suggest that you teach them to honor and respect their elders while understanding that these elders are human beings that are liable to fail and disappoint.

I attend a small to mid size church of about 150 and we also have a dynamic youth group. The difference is I have never seen even one adult look critically or harshly at them. The youth frequently ministers in the services and they will periodically do special things on a Saturday night for the congregation and the church is almost always packed out (by the adults) to be a part of what the youth are doing. They have gone on missions trips which many in our church have financially supported. We are in the midst of 6 days of 24 hour a day prayer in our church and many of the youth have signed up to be a part of this. The youth should be an integral part of the congregation.

I heard recently that we should look for 20/20 in our lives. This means find someone 20 years older than us who can pour into our lives what God has taught them and we should find someone 20 years younger than us into whose life we can pour what God has taught us. I believe that if we follow this pattern we will very likely eliminate the hostility between the generations.

Next , as to the music. Oh my goodness , are the adults in your congregation really that petty that they would risk the eternal souls of the youth over the 'style' of music they listen to ?????

These adults are adults in name only because they are not showing any natural or spiritual maturity.Where exactly do they think the southern gospel style of music came from ? Turn on most country music stations and you will hear a similar sound. So why isn't that considered as much of the world as the style they don't like? Personally, I would rather listen to the praise and worship music every day of the week as I believe it is more centered on worshiping God and keeping our focus on Him.

Please don't give up on these youth - you and your husband may be some of the only ones to stand up for them and contend for their souls !! Pray Pray Pray for the others in your congregation that they will be convicted and repent of their attitude and PRAY for the youth that this whole experience does not drive them away from God. As their leaders encourage them to press into God and to know Him intimately, encourage them to listen to and participate in p&w, don't fall victim to a critical spirit (kids will imitate what they see and hear from their respected leaders), encourage them to spend quality time reading their Bibles and praying.

If I were a pastor I would be THRILLED to have a youth group filled with born again on fire for God teenagers. Fortunately for the youth at the church I attend that is exactly how our pastor feels !

I am praying for you and your husband and for this precious youth group that God has given you to minister to.

yomotalking · April 20, 2005

WOW! 4TheYouth.....that is amzing......it is COMPLETELY different in my Church.....

Leonard........hmmmm....your quotation......

"Eccccch! This Church is full with the stench of Youth!"

I wouldn't exactly put it in such extravigant form....but I can see your point......these days in my Church....the Youth are almost running everything....(Notice I said almost , not all!)

Everything is geered toward the Youth....even the worshiptimes.........

It's good that young people are included, but to extends like these?

Hmmmmm........not so good. Am I alone in thinking this?

Yomo

ConCo · April 20, 2005

Hi,

Our church recognizes our youth, in fact they have their own department, a monthly service, and even a Youth Convention which I think is very good. The problem I have with the Youth is that they don't give the same respect they want to their Elders. They are very disrespectful of the adults, yet when you approach them, they are always saying things like, "Why are you disrespecting me?" They don't want to follow directions, yet they want to give orders, even though most of time they don't even know what they are doing. I'm not saying that this is true for all young people, but it is true of many. What they fail to realize is, when they become adults they will get the same treatment from the kids that are coming behind them.

I definitly think the Youth should be recognized, but I also know that they have to be willing to meet us half way.

our3blessings · April 20, 2005

There is a wonderful book that I am going to suggest to you. It's called "The Bridger Generation". by Thom Rainer. I believe I posted something regarding this book months ago. It's an excellent read. And yes, the youth are or will be our church of tomorrow. We need to find a good balance for our congregations. No one person or group of people are more important than another. We all are part of Christ's body and we all play important rolls.

KJV

Romans 12:3

yomotalking · April 20, 2005

ConCo, you have summed this up well of most Churches today.....

May I reccomend a book called:

"Youthism and the Churches".....

It's not only an excellent read, but an eye-opener to today's "Youth Society" in the Church......

April 20, 2005

Thank you for all your replies....Our3blessings...I am gonna check that book out...thanks for the recomendation....and yomotalkign...gonna check that one out too..thx

And yes....these teens are our church future...they are our future pastors, deacons, elders, etc....thanks for the replies on that too..

And bout respecting our elders....Yes..that is definetly taught at our youth group. If I would catch one of the kids disrespecting a member....they would be in some serious trouble...lol

And yes Sandy....they have a MAJOR problem with the music. And I brouht up the same point about where southern gospel came from.....and you know what their reply was....well its different....I said HOW?? Tell me. And of course...they couldnt.

But ya know...I just had to get all that off my chest....I have a big brother taht I can take all my burdens to in prayer and He will take care of them.

Thanks guys for all your encouragement...please keep us in your prayers!!!!

PS...Leonard can you explain the quote about the stench of youth?? I would like to know what you mean by that....please...thx!!!

Scarletprayers · April 20, 2005

Your "older generation" is heading for a very sad destination. I grew up in a church where everybody was loved and respected. We went to church every time the doors opened. There were always 3 or 4 teacher for every childs class and they treated us just like their own children. I'm not quite sure when the actual services were over because after the Preacher left the pulpit we sat around and talked and the kids played in the yard and groups would go out to eat or to each others homes.

However the church is in a VERY bad part of town now, their memebership has dwindled down so far they are talking about selling the property and everyone that still goes there and another small church in the same area merging.

This happened for different reason than what your talking about, people married and moved away and only the older generation is left. But, it amounts to the same thing, all of the young people are gone, the older generation is dying out. I hope the people in your church come to realize how very important the young are to their church. It would be such a shame to loose it.