Comments on: 5 Problems American Youth Ministry Is Experiencing

By: mac in christ

mac in christ — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 02:54:00 +0000

I am not a youth pastor, but a long time youth worker and bible teacher. I am 58 yrs young and have been involved in youth ministry since my teens. (campus life – campus crusade, etc.) What I have observed over the years is cutural differences and not doctrinal differences. The older church generations have become afraid of what they see in youth ministries today. The music and vidio generation, reminds them of my generation (early fifties) and the rebelion that came along with those changes. What has been lost (at least to me) is the memory that every generation that comes along will bring with it it’s own brand of culture. What I have found over the years (that has worked) is to get inside that generation’s ideals and patiently but purposely redirect them toward Christ and His Gospel (biblical ideals) and bring them to real life thinking about the consequences of their thoughts and actions. Just remember – sin is sin and no matter how it is packaged, it will still have the same result if left unchallenged. Just remember how Jesus approached the woman at the well – He challenged her life style and offered her something better!

By: Lars Rood

Lars Rood — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:33:04 +0000

Chap said he loved it so what do you need me to do. I think your thought about the limit teaching about other religions is huge. I’m tired of the argument about counterfit money where they say you don’t need to recognize fake money but just to know real money so well you can tell when something isn’t real. I guess my hope is that we would be able to expose them to what many of their friends believe and do it in a way that allows them to affirm their friends and love them while somehow being able to relate to where they are at. The days of teaching students to “argue” someone to heaven are over. I’m done with any Evidence that Demands a Verdict. I just want to teach about how to Love people. (I also want to do it and not just say it)

By: scott aughtmon @lastingministry

scott aughtmon @lastingministry — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:21:57 +0000

Jeremy – Really cool post. I’m gonna tweet a link to it. I really like all your points but #2 and #5 really resonate with me. I think those are both really important aspects for a student ministry to have so that it can have a “lasting” affect on our students.

By: Chap clark

Chap clark — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:37:18 +0000

Love this. Great thoughts

By: zacworkun

zacworkun — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:44:13 +0000

great comments so far from all… but i would straddle it between time and expectations… we are often asking a lot of young students (thanks @jonwasson) in a short amount of time… think about it for many of us that labored under certain ideals and procedures as youth (if you grew up in or out of the church) and compare that to the explosive tendency of your last 5-6 years… i know personally that the last 5 years have been as nearly formative as the first 20 but the foundation to “launch from” was necessary for the recent excursion ad dialogue… great thoughts jeremy and co. let’s keep this going!