If you’re a pastor, church leader, youth leader or parent, please take youth ministry and teenagers seriously. I’m convinced that the right kind of youth ministry is necessary now more than ever.
If you’re a parent to a teenager, make sure they’re involved in a solid youth group. If you’re a pastor, make sure the youth minister’s leadership reflects New Testament values. (This means more than just fun, games and a short Bible lesson.) If you’re a youth leader, build a Gospel Advancing, disciple-multiplying ministry that thrives for all the right reasons.
Pastors: Take Youth Ministry Seriously
For this to happen, churches must begin to take youth ministry seriously and view it as strategic. We shouldn’t underestimate its importance. For instance, some churches subtly de-prioritize youth ministry by bundling it under family ministry. Slowly but surely, teenagers stop showing up because the focus has shifted. When this shift happens (usually evident in a huge focus on children’s ministry and a dwindling focus on teen ministry), it’s obvious to everyone. Especially to teens.
But where most churches ultimately demonstrate a lack of passion for youth ministry is in the annual budget. D.L. Moody once said he could tell more about a person’s priorities by his checkbook than his prayer book. In the same way, I can tell more about a church’s priorities by its annual budget allocations than a mission statement or stated values.
Sadly, youth ministry is usually one of the most underfunded areas of the church. And these numbers show the church’s view of youth ministry.
So allow me to state an important case. Here are four reasons it’s more urgent than ever for the church to take youth ministry and teenagers seriously.
Why Youth Ministry Is an Urgent Issue
1. Generation Z is the first post-Christian generation in U.S. history.
Barna Research makes the not-so-surprising claim that the current crop of teenagers (nicknamed “Generation Z”) is pushing away from America’s Christian roots. In fact, the trajectory of the rejection of the historic Christian faith is skyrocketing. And the traditional church strategies to reach teens aren’t closing the gap. They’re not even coming close.
If anything, we need to re-establish the importance of reaching Generation Z in our churches. Plus, we must radically rethink the strategies we’re using to reach them. Sadly, most youth groups are stuck in the ’80s when it comes to reaching teens. We’re using Etch-a-Sketch strategies in an Apple world. Yet we wonder why we aren’t getting momentum.
But we must figure it out. We need the best minds of the church on deck to do this. The elders, pastors and leaders all must be involved…not just the youth leader. By the way, you can download a free copy of my book Gospelize Your Youth Ministry to help with this crucial conversation.
2. Teenagers are the church of tomorrow and of today!
We’re losing the church of tomorrow (teenagers) because we’re not taking them seriously today. Teenagers who’ve put their faith in Jesus have the Holy Spirit and a spiritual gift. We must unleash them now to use their gifts to build the church.
Throughout history, God has used teenagers to change the world. Think of how in the Old Testament God used David, Esther, Josiah and Jeremiah to lead battles, save nations and preach his truth. In the New Testament, God used the mostly teenaged disciples to advance his Gospel, first across Jerusalem and eventually across the world.
In church history, God moved in the heart of a 16-year-old human trafficking survivor named Patrick to eventually bring the Gospel to Ireland. Many of John Wesley’s circuit-riding pioneer preachers were teenagers. Jonathan Edwards said this of the first Great Awakening: “The revival has been chiefly among the young.”
In more recent times, God used a bunch of teenagers and 20-somethings to spawn the Jesus Movement. Out of it came another youth movement in the form of the Calvary Chapel and Vineyard churches.
When church leaders take teenagers seriously, the church thrives. Otherwise, the church (eventually) dies.
