What do we typically expect from youth ministry in the United States?
EXPECTATION #1: A YOUTH CULTURE THAT IS ATTRACTIONAL TO DRAW STUDENTS
The burning question is: how can we structure our youth group in order to maximize the number of students who come?
Let’s offer lots of fun games. Add unhealthy food as a draw for hungry students—pizza, cupcakes, soda, ice cream. You’re also taught from the Bible, but it’s typically on the lighter side. The cynics tell us: “We dare not challenge teens with teaching that is substantial, deep, and theological. That’s too much.”
Some will supplement with sleepovers, camps, or retreats—all meant to draw the native teen out of his daily context to offer some relational bonding, more fun, and more teaching (again, typically on the lighter side).
EXPECTATION #2: A YOUTH CULTURE THAT IS A SEPARATE SUBCULTURE OF THE CHURCH
Some churches encourage, fund, and facilitate a separate youth culture, independent of the rest of the church. Maybe they offer a youth service, which runs at the same time as the main service. They provide options, like a theatre with different movies playing in different rooms. Parents attend the main church service, teens go to the
To continue...read the full-length post originally published on this site.
