Teens and Church
The 11/6/06 issue of Time magazine includes an interesting article in the religious section by Sonja Steptoe entitled" "In Touch With Jesus." The by-line reads, "Sugarcoated, MTV-style youth ministry is so over. Bible-based worship is packing teens in pews now." The author notes how churches tended to believe "that a message wrapped in pop-culture packaging was the way to attract teens to their flocks" and "watered down the religious content and boosted the entertainment." But recent data indicates that this strategy did not work. Sociologist, Christian Smith, writes that "The vast majority of teens who call themselves Christians haven't been well educated in religious doctrine and therefore don't really know what they believe. With competing demands on their time, religion becomes a low priority, and so they practice their faith in shallow ways."
Steptoe then reports that churches are focusing less on entertainment and more on the Bible and enjoying more success reaching teens. At one church the youth pastor vetoed the church purchasing a pool table for the teens because it wouldn't attend to their spiritual needs. Instead his youth group wrestles with questions like, "Why doesn't God answer all prayers?" The youth group has doubled in size over the last year and a half.
It sounds to me as though while youth like entertainment as much or perhaps more than the rest of us, they, too, are looking for meaning, depth, and substance in their lives? The church cheats them out of engaging God and wrestling with the hard questions when it keeps everything light and frizzy. What are your thoughts about ministering to youth and appropriate strategies?
Steptoe then reports that churches are focusing less on entertainment and more on the Bible and enjoying more success reaching teens. At one church the youth pastor vetoed the church purchasing a pool table for the teens because it wouldn't attend to their spiritual needs. Instead his youth group wrestles with questions like, "Why doesn't God answer all prayers?" The youth group has doubled in size over the last year and a half.
It sounds to me as though while youth like entertainment as much or perhaps more than the rest of us, they, too, are looking for meaning, depth, and substance in their lives? The church cheats them out of engaging God and wrestling with the hard questions when it keeps everything light and frizzy. What are your thoughts about ministering to youth and appropriate strategies?
posted by UCC Medfield at 6:12 AM
1 Comments:
My fellowship youth group in the 70's was given a lounge (acutally the first floor of the Parsonage) with a pool table. Although our group did grow quite significantly, religion did become a low priority and by the time we graduated the program was in disarray.
My experience with todays teens, primarily through the Boy Scouts in organizing Vesper services for the Scout trips is that they do want to participate. They come with a good background to provide favorite readings or ideas for the services.
I am really impressed with the work Wendy and others do with the youth at UCC and the passion I see when the groups report on their mission work. i am looking forward to my son participating...
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