Why I've Given Up On Youth Group

I've had this post's title rolling around in my head for a number of days now.  Originally, I wasn't even going to come close to actually writing this.  I figured it was too big of an opportunity for me to not get my words out straight and thus offend people.  But, like so many times the personal truth in my title won't leave me alone.  I have to share: 

I've always been frustrated with my youth group and youth groups in general.  Am I completely knocking the youth group model of ministry? No.  But, I do believe that it too often and too easily becomes a place to entertain.  Youth group morphs into a social club disguised verbally as "fellowship time",  exclusive cliques form, and God ceases to be the obvious focus.  Once this happens, it's terribly difficult for the people deeply invested in the group to acknowledge.

  Now.   I am not saying there is no place for fellowship or fun stuff or games or just chillin' with folks.  What I am saying is that youth group should be and can be more than it is often allowed to be.

Youth are more willing to 'dive deeper' than one might think.  As Dr. Faith Kirkham-Hawkins (Emory professor of Youth and Religion, as well as YTI's Director)  put it in a seminar she led at a N. GA Conference event,  "Teenagers are showing up to youth  group, and they're coming in droves.  But, they're still dying inside."   How good of a job are we doing at bringing them Life?

This past Wednesday was my first time back to youth group since having been gone for the summer.  To put it simply,  it left me terribly upset, angry and sad.  At one point I had to get up and go stand out in the hallway to collect myself.

We played games for a good while, sang songs for a very good while and prayed once.  This isn't just a description of a one time event at youth group either,  it's pretty indicative of what goes on generally.  Youth deserve more than that.  Youth need more than that.  And, I know for a fact that it's not just me who feels this way.  And it's not just because I am an 'older' youth.   We deserve more and we need more.

I realize that my frustration with youth groups -- and only a smidgen of it is mentioned here -- is seen in context of my own personal experience.   Though I am not coming at this from a specific single local church's perspective, my perspective is shaped mainly by larger membership churches.  And, honestly I think that is a huge contributing factor.

My main worry in all of this is that I don't know if I can, or even if I should, try to play a role in bringing about change.   I do know though that the best I can do personally at the present is to keep my mouth shut until I can figure things out and responsibly act not out of negative emotion.

So, until further notice I've given up on going to youth group.

Most every Sunday morning you will find me in a pew -- hymnal, Bible and church bulletin in hand -- in my home church's sanctuary.  Come September, every Wednesday evening you will find me, in a room full of adults, as a member of a 'Christian Believer' (part of the UMC's Disciple curriculum) class.  And, I'm perfectly happy with my conclusion.  I can't say that I'm content (dare I say that we as Christians will never be content?), but I can say that I'm at peace.

Comments

[Deb]

Natalie-
You have hit the proverbial nail on the head! I have been in youth ministry with my husband full time for 10 years, and in lesser capacities for 10 years before that. May I say youth ministry can be difficult?! The needs of youth don't change from generation to generation - the need to encounter Christ personally and genuinely. However, the way to meet these needs for students who gather with a wide variety of maturity and understanding can be a challenge. The mechanisms for meeting the needs demand change due to shifts in culture. When I was a teen in youth group, it was meaningful to stand by a fire with friends and sing "Pass it On". However, today many students are groomed to look for the fast paced, quick serve - immediate satisfaction, high energy meet-God, feel- good entertainment. Sounds like you have grasped the value of Be still and know that I am God. You are every youth minister's dream, need, gift from God. We take students like you and put them into student leadership among their peers. If you need to be fed in a different forum, keep going after it. However, sounds like God just might be prodding you to move from "Student coming to have needs met" to "Student coming to serve while meeting needs." Often when God puts unrest in our hearts, it is the beginning of a call on our life. Be sure to ask Him "if" and "what" that may be for you. You truly have a lot to offer this ministry family that you are a part of. Maybe you are just the person to lead that small group of peers into an intimate Bible study. Maybe you are the one needing to attend to demonstrate your passion for Christ over entertainment. Maybe you are the one to come alongside your youth pastor and encourage him/her to Keep-on Keeping-on in pursuit of leading others to the cross. Whatever it may be, the sure thing is that God wants to use you and this passion in your heart. Ask God to use you, and then prepare to have your world rocked!

[Matt]

Natalie,

I understand how you feel about youth group. Honestly, I can get fed up with our youth minister's way of ministry myself. But I will say this...although we often may not look the part, our youth group is far from dying. How many kids would be able to come to a positive place like church if we advertised youth group as simply a sit-down and discuss bible session? I'm not bagging on those, but for our town...we're dealing with sheltered kids who often don't get the opportunity to be kids outside of the pressures parents already put on them. Simply being able to bring youth into the church realm gets them familiar with the church. It gets them in the arena, and I'd go ahead and say youth who've never been to youth group have less of a chance of going to church later in life than those who do go to youth at our church.

I'm far from the foremost model for youth. In fact, I'm really just one of those regular youth who comes but isn't the strongest in their faith. But when our youth leader finally gets everyone quiet around the room...his lectures really do provide a great message. Realistically, you're right: not everyone will pay attention during Wednesdays and Sundays, and not everyone will take advantage of the short prayer time. But at least for those like me, who grew up coming to youth because I heard it was a fun, positive place...it's meant the world. Who knows where I'd be if I didn't have a model like our youth minister to compare my life to? We can clearly do better, sure. We can inovlve ourselves in discussion and prayer more, sure. But giving up on us isn't the answer. For those of us where just ONE, just one Wednesday or Sunday night changed our way of thinking...I think that's an amazing feat that's been accomplished. Those perhaps few, perhaps several, that are prone to this kind of breakthrough...I think you owe it to them to stay and offer your amazing talents.

-Matt

[natalie]

Hey Matt -- Thanks for commenting...

If you look at what I quoted, I didn't say that the church is dying. I said that they're dying INSIDE. And I agree with you; I don't think we should advertise our youth group as a "sit-down and discuss the Bible" session, nor do I think that we should actually have a "sit-down and discuss the Bible" session all of the time.

Fun events ARE awesome ways to attract youth -- and people of any age -- to the church and familiarize them with it. As for youth group attendance correlating to "church attendance", I have to disagree with you. And, I could find some stastics to prove it, but I'm feeling a little lazy...

As for you being "far from the foremost model of a youth", I think that's ridiculous. Youth are youth, people are people, adults are adults and Christians are Christians. Some people would argue with me on that (and on some levels I would argue with myself), but basically I believe that. I just wanted to get that out there.

In my post I am not trying to say that I think 'there's nothing to be gained from listening to our youth minister talk'. Far from it. And I'm not saying that he, or any of the leaders, is anything but an excellent role model. He is, they are.

I tried to get across in my post that I think youth group -- both ours and those across the country -- can be much more, and that they are supposed to be much more.

Like you said, it's a wonderful and amazing and encouraging thing that youth can come to youth group and just once experience something that changed their thinking.

Wouldn't it be great though, if that could happen just about every single time? Wouldn't it be great if we could all really get to know each other, beyond "Hey, whatsup how's school?" ? Wouldn't it be great if we could get down to the nitty gritty and support each other in our struggles? Wouldn't it be great if the focus wasn't on us but was on God? Wouldn't it be great if we sat down and really talked about Joy, and Love, and Peace, and a Hope that never fails?? Wouldn't it be great if we dropped all of the pretense? Wouldn't it be great if we were shown (forget 'what if we were shown', what if we SHOWED others) a God who made us, who lived among us, and remains with us? Wouldn't it be great if words couldn't even describe how awesome youth group is?

Wouldn't it be great if. . .?
Wouldn't it be great if. . .?
Wouldn't it be great if. . .?

I'm trying to say that youth group should be so much more than it is. The church should act more like the church. With all of my heart I believe that if youth group was all of these things, many many more people would be coming than are coming now.

Instead of kids bringing their friends in order to have a chance at winning a ride in a Hummer (have you heard about that?), we'd have kids bringing their friends by the busload to not only have a great fun time with an awesome band and silly games and prizes but to hear about a man named Jesus, the son of a God who calls God's self 'I AM'.

As for staying invovled, I would venture to say that I am in actuality staying. I am staying in church. I'm just not staying in youth group. And I am offering my God-given talents to the church and to the youth group. I do a bunch (read a WHOLE bunch -- though not nearly as much as some in some places ) behind the scenes that benefits not only our youth group but youth groups and youth ministries across North Georgia.

Currently, by me not going to youth group I am supporting our youth group the best that I know how. Funny logic I know, but it makes a lot of sense to me personally.

I didn't make half the sense that I wish I did or that I meant to... So bear with my random half-baked comment.

peace out bro.

-- NS

[PE]

Thanks for your honesty, your courage, and your boldness. Please forgive me if I babble and ramble...I'm an old Youth Pastor (in my 30's) and it's late (12:25am)...A few thoughts that your post provoked in me...I am sorry, that many Youth Pastors (myself included) have failed to meet the Spiritual needs of students like you. We are human and have many faults and tend to lean toward the easy way of doing things. Ultimately, I can only lead a student to a depth of intimacy with Jesus Christ equal to the depth at which I am myself. However, few of us are wise enough to see that a student may have more depth and even fewer are willing to admit it. The truly wise will join you in the quest for deeper relationships in Christ and/or will guide you to the "mentor" who can. In regards to the conflict of the Youth activities and such, I recommend the method of conflict resolution as mentioned in Matthew...I have deepened my own personal studies and in addition to our "Play-n-Pray" Wednesdays and Sunday night Bible studies will be offering an alternative time for more in depth Bible study and personal growth in Jesus...I have no answers, I have no excuse but my humanity...I know of many books that might be recommended, but the best is God's own Word. Any man written book must be taken with Salt. As humankind we have tendencies to infiltrate our writtings and teachings with our own personal beliefs and agendas...Please compare all books to The Book. With that said an older man written book that I have enjoyed is Charles Swindoll's "Living above the level of mediocrity: A commitment to excellence." (remember weigh this and any book against the Bible)...Keep reading, keep growing, and keep going...Hebrews 10:22-25 (The Message) So let's do it—full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching...Hebrews 13:13-17 (The Message) So let's go outside, where Jesus is, where the action is—not trying to be privileged insiders, but taking our share in the abuse of Jesus. This "insider world" is not our home. We have our eyes peeled for the City about to come. Let's take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus' name. Make sure you don't take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of "sacrifice"—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets. Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?

One last thought...physical age and physical maturity have nothing to do with Spiritual age and Spiritual maturity. Grow on little sister.

[Mike]

Nice post. I am a YTI alum (1995) and I think youth groups in general could learn a lot from the YTI model.

There is nothing wrong with having fun and being wacky, but I think youth groups fail when they dont treat young people as Christian leaders or potential Christian leaders.

As a YTI proffesor said, the original youth group were Jesus' Disciples--that most of them were most likely teenagers. Youth groups fail when youth are not taught or refuse to think critically.

I grew up in a suburban UMC In Indiana and we had a great youth pastor who emphasized service and thinking critically (don't know many other pastors who recommend 17 year olds to read Saul Alinksy or Paulo Friere).

But my YTI experience helped me connect the dots and really pushed me to develop a more critical intellectual framework.

Instead of simply going on mission trips, which we did quite a bit, we were taught to ask, why are all these poor people? What was Jesus' response to poverty and injustice? What has the Christian response been to injustice? And, what should you do?

Anyways, youth groups I think are important but they should be modeled in such away that allowes for youth to be leaders in their church and their communities.

[katie]

Not much original to add, I'm afraid, but here goes...It's hard to find a balance between fun and games and prayer and study time. We old people are so afraid of losing your interest sometimes that we resort to goofy games and songs as hooks to get youth to youth group. Except we keep forgetting that the hook isn't enough. I think part of it is that sharing faith is scary and if you share your faith and people aren't interested it's a personal kind of hurt. So it's safer to play dizzy bat or have shaving cream wars and say that we're fellowshipping in Christ's name. There's no law that youth group has to be on Wed. night. Maybe you could talk to friends or an adult in the church and ask for a Bible study or other small group to start up. At our church several of our "older youth" started attending the adult Bible study--and it was awesome! It was a great class for the youth, but better for the adults--who finally spent some time getting to know the students! I'm glad that despite your frustration with youth group you have found other ways to stay involved with church and with God. That takes guts.

[Matthew Querns]

Hmmm,

I think about three or four different answers to Kenda's question flew through my mind as I read this blog entry. While I am trying to decide which one to write, I now realize that I totally cannot relate to this young lady. First the question at hand, does youth group have a place in the post-Christendom world? My answer is absolutely! Now, back to the reason why I cannot relate with this person's blog. As a youth memeber myself, I was not going to youth group for a deep theological night. I was not looking to learn anything deep about my faith or God, that was reserved for Sunday School. Our author mentions the idea of youth group being simply a disguised social hour. My answer to that based on my own experience is... well duh! As a kid I always saw youth group as a time to do something that you might normally do with other friends but in a different context. However, in youth group you are in a Christian fellowship atmosphere. In this, I learned that hanging out can be done in a very right manor. I then used this lesson when I was out with other friends at other times. Now don't get me wrong, I loved our bi-annual retreats and our monthly Bible studies as well as our monthly service projects. These times were enlightening. But if I thought that each week would be more deep discussions, I might not have attended much. Again, Sunday School for me was the time and place for this, but youth group was a time for fun, fellowship, and service. Whether we were bowling, bible studying, or visiting the shut-ins, my faith and walk with God strengthen considerably in conjunction with what I did that morning in Sunday School. As far as any advice I would give, I would tell our young friend that if you needed to remove yourself for a time, then you should do so freely and search for what you are seeking. Then, as soon as you find the change or direction you are looking for in the group, you should present your suggestion to the group. I would go on to say that you might even suggest that you would help lead the new format yourself. However, if there is a general movement against your proposal, do not feel so conflicted. You seem to be finding a spiritual time in church service and in the Wednesday night bible study you attend. I challenge you to think about the youth fellowship that you have there for you and I simply ask, if you are given spitiral focus and studying time in other means that seem to work for you, is the present youth group situation really that bad?

Matthew Querns

[Ryan Landino]

Friend,

I admit I don’t know you or your situation fully enough to truly justify my words, but I feel for you. I left my youth ministry for the same reason in 9th grade. It takes a lot of courage to leave something you feel in your heart has so much promise.

The two years following the day I quit youth ministry, I shied away from all events. In this time, I had some serious talks with God that challenged my faith. I felt I wasn’t being respected by the leaders as an intelligent soul-seeker, and that made me frustrated. I slowly came to realize that as much courage as it took for me to leave, it would take just as much courage to try to find God in that messy situation. It was not easy.

I was lucky. A leader in my youth ministry sought me out. I realized there were others like me—like you—who wanted to be engaged in new ways, who were looking for genuine direction. These were few, but the leader led the three of us anyway, in spite of there being over a hundred others in our youth ministry. I was reluctant at first, but I truly felt God was welcoming me back. Before long, the numbers of “the serious group” swelled, and our identity of being “on the fringe” became our strength. This leader has since become my mentor and has worked me through a lot of personal issues of my own. I am now pursuing my own call to lead youth ministry so the same mistakes aren't made again.

The fact that I kept my ears open to God welcoming me back gave me the most rewarding and enriching two years of my spiritual walk. I would go on to college afterwards, and I would never again find that amazing depth that I found in my peers, and they brought out in me. I still seek it to this day.

Natalie, you have the courage to leave, and the courage to articulate your warranted disillusion. Please, have the courage to continue seeking God in all things. I will pray you will continue to have this strength.

in christ,
Ryan

[visco]

Natalie- I just read your post, “Why I’ve Given Up on Youth Group” and wanted to respond before reading all of the 33 comments (BTW:wow-that’s a lot, my blog doesn’t even get that many hits in a month)...

AMEN, sister! Thank you. It is so refreshing and good to hear your thoughts about this. I am a youth director with a measly 2 years of youth ministry under my belt and have often wondered just what “we’re” doing as youth ministers in this country, this culture, this world. You’ve reminded me that I’m looking for my answers in all the wrong places. If I could probe, I would love to hear more. What do you think youth ministry is? How has your experience of God been meaningful to you? Who, in your life, has demonstrated Christ to you, and how can youth ministers do that better? I’m in. I’m curious.

Now I’m going to read your numerous comments- and I wish you well as you continue to wrestle with this- may our Lord always be the light unto your path- even when that path winds in, around and through the shadowy places.
Sincerely- Abby Visco

[Tonya N. Lawrence]

Hey Natalie,

Its Ms. T.

First, thank you for having the courage to speak up.

Secondly, I am in agreement that YM has become the great social hour. Our research this past summer proved the same. Fellowship and events ranked the highest of those polled on what aspects of ministry they do best. Unfortunately, Evangelism and Bible Study came in a distant 4th and 5th. Your thoughts are valid. So, what do we do?

Perhaps, Esther can serve as our model. You stated that the youth deserve more and need more. I AGREE! Esther was positioned at such a time to save the people that she identified with and cared for from serious danger. You, too, could be positioned for such a time as this to not only speak up but to speak OUT! You are intentional and well respected by many. I am confident that your words will not fall on deaf ears especially when you show them that you are not the only one who feels the way that you do.

Lastly, as long as God is the major focus in you, you can share the experience with others. Be the leader that your group needs. Use your conviction to allow God to move through you and your youth group.

Even in the midst of this struggle, remain faithful, God will.

Ms. T

[natalie]

Thank ya'll for your comments... I appreciate your thoughts. Like I said earlier, I never thought this would become such a big thing.

The only thing that frusterates me about all of this is that what I've posted on the web is pretty much all I'm willing to post. I realize that while -- obviously -- I'm not required to 'protect' the specific people involved as leaders in my youth ministry, I feel like that is the right thing to do. Within this, I can't really update any further other than to say, that yes I have talked to leaders in my church and in my youth group about this after taking my time to think it all through.

I'm not just 'letting this go', etc.

I wish I could say more...

Ms. T -- Heyyyy!! It's great to hear from you. I hope Princeton's treating you well!

[Colleen]

Natalie,
Your youth group sounds like one at any number of churches today. As a youth leader it is often difficult to engage youth in meaningful spiritual conversation and development. We often fall for the idea that sucess in a youth group program is determined by the number of youth that show up each week rather than the number of youth that are reached each week. The desire to make it 'fun" takes precident over making it meaningful. But don't give up!
I would suggest a heart to heart with your youth leaders. They can't fix it if they don't realize it is broken.
Peace in Christ!
Colleen

[Byron]

Natalie,

I would like to commend you for having a hunger for God. The issue you are experiencing is one that is consistent in churches across the board. It is not simply a problem that is specific to youth but to all people who desire a closer walk with God. The primary issue is the fact that many ministries are inclined to give youth a fun alternative in urban cities so dangerous and mischievous options may be avoided and to possibly give youth in rural cities something to do. In both cases plenty of fun is experienced however, very little of God. I assure you however that you do not have to give up. There is a place that can give you the teaching and direction that you seek. The only issue is finding it if you can not receive it from your current congregation. Youth ministry is extremely important and it is essential for all of us, youth and adults, to find out how to minister God’s word to one another in post-Christendom.

Byron

[shay]

Hi. I would love to chime in as a wife of a youth pastor. I too feel your frustration as we desire to see a spritual lift and over all raising of the bar in our youth ministry. Youth pastors today have a great struggle because there is a viable need, as you pointed out, to bring spiritual depth to the youth meetings and also to reach kids who have not yet matured in faith. The tension in modern church youth groups is we have both Christian and none Christian young people in the same group many times. In my opinion it becomes almost impossible to create a youth environment where every ones needs are met. I would encourage you not to drop out of youth group but to inspire your youth pastor to start a discipleship group for the more serious and mature youth in your church. This can be accomplished by small groups that meet in homes for more serious discipleship and prayer. In closing I would like to just encourage you by saying that I have seen many kids come to faith in Jesus through Dodge Ball and pizza nights. So you have to remember as silly as some of the things youth groups do are, behind the scenes there are kids being reached.

[Patmos]

I totally agree with you.

[LutheranChik]

Hey, Natalie -- greetings from a RevGalBlogPal.

Your post elicited flashbacks of my own church youth group, back in the Dark Ages (read: mid-70's)...sorting world-relief fundraising materials for the congregation, and playing "anarchist volleyball" on the beach one weekend until our pastor yelled at us and made us play regular volleyball "...because you have to have rules." Ah, yes, those were the days. Which is to say, a lot of churches, even churches that pride themselves on their cultural hipness, don't have a clue when it comes to youth groups, and especially don't know what to do with intelligent, questioning and highly engaged teenagers who actually want to do theology in a serious manner and be an active part of the life of the Church, instead of stereotyped happy-camper mascots for faith-based adolescence that make the adults in a congregation feel good about having their fingers on the pulse of the new generation.

What I can tell you is...courage. You will find it much easier to find community and challenge, I think, when you get to college. In the meantime...keep hanging out with the adults. Speaking as an only child who's always felt more comfortable with older people than my own peers...it's not such a bad thing.;-)

[Aaron]

Hey Natalie, I just saw this on Marko's blog. i'm a 22-year-old YM and it's funny how much of what you said reminded me of my days in the youth group at my home church--a big church. I think Marko said you're in Charlotte? I hope it's a good time for you, maybe I'll run into you...

[Becher]

Natalie...

Impressive. I'm a fellow youth pastor, much like many others responding to this. My wife and I experienced the tragic loss of our second child only a week ago (November 27th, 06)... our first, Jon Michael, was born with a major defect and died an hour after birth, our second passed 16 weeks into the pregnancy. Both have been amazing trials. The first occurred two months prior to arriving at my first full time YP position, and the second... well... a week ago as mentioned earlier. Anyway, I dreaded having to stand in the front of my dearly loved teenagers and offer the tragic news. I was loved on, given encouragement, and prayed for diligently by everyone. Many cried, others didn't know what to do. I offered these words to my loved in that room, "we all walk into these walls with needs every week. A God longs to heal us yet our needs get all of our attention. I know I'm not the only one hurting tonight... let's hurt together... let's worship the healer as we sit among each other." We worshiped... we prayed... we saw life-change. High school students have endured more of life than most can conceive. I believe that it is because of that that they are more equipped than I ever was at their age, to care for others beyond reason. Not because they know how... but because they know why. I was proud of my loved ones... very very proud. Man I love those peeps.

[natalie]

Becher--

Know that I will be praying for you and your family... I'm so sad to hear about the death of your children.

I'm incredibly encouraged to read about how you and your youth group together acted as a community, even especially in response to pain and grief.

Our God is a healing God, and I take it that you and your students experienced God in that way. That is a powerful and transformative thing.

Thank you for sharing your story, brother. Know that you are heard...

God be with you.

[Becher]

Natalie...

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm convinced that had I stopped at being an "activity director" and not allowed my calling to motivate me towards authentic relationships, I would have done what most teenagers do when greif strikes their fragile lives... held it in and "went on with ministry." I'm not one to allow relationships built for kingdom purposes to be mediocre, stagnant, or surface. I've risked a lot in putting myself out there in front of high school students that don't always "give back" graciously. But... why would they... there aren't many who make a real life for real life transaction very easy. I have to say that the people in our lives that could hurt us the most are ones we invest most of ourselves in. For me... they're teenagers. And they have more power in my life than I thought I'd be comfortable offering someone. It's been worth every second. Without it, I would have plastered on the "everything is ok" smile, and "taught" some Bible verses on Wednesday. Instead, I found value in allowing the transactions of our lives to be that much easier to make. Not that I'm some hero (ha... far from it)... I can just say that I've discovered the difference between TEACHING vulnerbility, and LIVING it out. Life speaks... and students are listening intently.

[Sarah]

I came across your blog using Google.
I've run into the same problem.
I would walk into youth group and just see everyone in groups socializing and not even acknowleging me.
No one, not even the youth pastor, came to see how I was or even talk to me for that matter.
I quit going a while back and I feel awful about it, but I just don't like that kind of setting.
Our youth group is no longer unified; it is just separated into 'cliques'
So I know what you are going through and I hope and pray that we will get through this problem.

[Sierra Starr]

I go to Youth Group myself. But, my Youth is awesome. So many of us love His Word, and we have fun, too. We recently read on an interesting topic, demons. Our youth pastor was bombarded with questions. But, there is one girl there that is depressed, hurt, and is involved with things that i can not talk about. But with my youth, she is getting better. I dont know what keeps us together. Could it be the fellowship? Thats what keeps me going. I go to First Christian Church in Lawrence, KS. If you came to our group, you would see the stunning change from your youth group. But, don't give up on your youth group. Keep trying, and beleiving that you can show them what it means to forgive and love and show mercy like christ.

[Sierra Starr]

my youth pastor acknowledges everyone. he can see deep into your heart if you take him aside after the lesson. Try that with your pastor. he will understand. if he doesnt, well, come over to my youth for one wednesday. First Christian Church of Lawrence Kansas. God is our focus.

[MTR]

"It may, in the meantime, be subject of
serious consideration, whether those who are accustomed only to acquire
instruction through the medium of amusement, may not be brought to
reject that which approaches under the aspect of study; whether those
who learn history by the cards, may not be led to prefer the means to
the end; and whether, were we to teach religion in the way of sport,
our pupils may not thereby be gradually induced to make sport of their
religion." - Sir Walter Scott, Waverley

[Anne]

I am not a church person, so I'm not following everything spoken of above. But I am a born again Spirit Filled follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, with a heart for his children. I understand where you all are coming from, but I have a different perspective to share.

I will simply say this- We live in the end times, and it is children and young people like ourselves that the Lord is raising up to be in his army.

What youth lack today is an understanding of the Power of the Holy Spirit. That's why youth are dragged away by the alure of the occult- they are searching for the Holy Spirit. When someone is starving they will eat mouldy food. When someone is spiritually starving (even if sitting in a Church) they will eat whatever spiritual food they can find.

Many youth today have been created by the Father to receive end times giftings. They have been called, but will they prepare themselves to be chosen?

The real need of youth today is for the manifestation of the holy Spirit. I would suggest reading 1 Chr 14- if you hunger for these things to be real in your life, know that they can be, and will be if you welcome the Holy Spirit and seek the Lord with all your heart.

The calling of the Lord on my heart is to reach children, youth and young adults with the understanding that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today. Prophecy didn't end with the old testimate. Discernment was not for Paul and his times only- what Gift do we need more today that to know how God sees things?

Jesus is calling each of us to an intimate relationship with him. This is the desire of each and every heart, whether or not we recognise that that is what it is. This is the true heart of worship- simply showing in every way our love for our Saviour.

Children have an innocence that allows them a deeper understanding of the Spirit. Children pray with a sincerity and truth that adults struggle to attain. I remember those days, yet even now I struggle to pray like I did when I loved the Lord in the first place ( I was back slidden 7 years, praise God for his forgiveness and mercy!)

The Lord has a powerful calling for children today. We are in the end times, and he is calling us, young people, to rise up and to stand. We are to withstand the wiles of the wicked one. We need to understand that we are at war with the powers and principalities of darkness. The church is under attack, everywhere. Youth today have powerful callings, and Satan is trying to stop them from being chosen.

Natalie, your story is not unique, but it is extremely sad. Pray. Pray for your church. Pray against the wiles of the wicked one. Read Eph 6 10-18, beleive it and stand firm. In prayer, stand up for your church. The Lord must have a mighty and powerful plan for the youth of your church, because Satan's doing everything he can to interfear with it.

What it really comes to is this- The Lord wants to use youth today in a mighty way. Because of this, Satan is doing everything he can in order to stop these youth from meeting their potential. So take it as a compliment, all of you, your youth group has such a potential for the Lord that your a high risk group to Satan. He views you as a threat, and he is attacking.

I know I'm getting long winded here- but this is the point- Pray for your church. Tell your storm how big your God is (not God how big the Storm is). Speak to your mountain. Grasp the authority you have as a born again beleiver in Christ. Command the demons attacking your church to LEAVE YOU ALONE- you are bought by the Blood of Jesus! You are appointed and annoited for a day such as this. Read up on Spiritual Warfare, and get serious. Get serious about Jesus. It's time to stop playing church, get on your face and stop Satan from stealing soldiers from God's army!

I know this may sound radical, and you may not want to post this- but please, read the scripture, and know, the Gifts of the Spirit are for today, they are what youth need, and it is the presence of the HOly Spirit that youth crave so deeply. (That lovely warm presence that comes sometimes, but leaves quickly when fleshly conversation arises...)

Pray, Pray, Pray. Paul said to pray without ceasing. Scripture does not command of us anything we can not do. I will pray for you and your youth groups- but you need to pray for your own groups too!

Speak out the words- address the Enemy, and tell him that you are claiming your youth group for Jesus. Plead the blood of Jesus over your group, your church, your house, your heart, your mind, body soul and emotions. Ask the Lord for hedges of protection. Ask for the Full armour of God. God does not send us into battle unarmed!

Rise up, Church! Rise up Children of the Most High God! Rise up! It's time to pray!

So much for brief- hope it helps!