There is a sermon that every youth pastor wants their Sr Pastor to preach and it is one that tells the congregation that the youth and youth ministry is not just important, it's essential.
Yesterday, my Sr Pastor preached such a message. But he didn't just stop with the youth. He also went into the spiritual casualty-ridden demographic of young adults too.
Adolescents are a seriously underrated, seriously overlooked and seriously serious generation when it comes to church. If you allow me to take my youth pastor hat off for a moment and speak as a sinner saved by grace, you'll see what I'm talking about.
One hundred years ago, the term adolescent was used to describe the period in one's life that started at puberty and ended when society expected that individual to contribute. Because females hit puberty earlier, the adolescent stage started at 15 years of age and ended at 16.5 years of age. Fast forward to 2011, and, based on the average female, adolescence ranges from 12 to 26. So we have gone from a period of 18 months to 14 years!!!
Our youth are going through emotional, physical, intellectual and relational changes earlier in life and have less and less responsibility later on in life.
So what should be an exciting, changing and empowering time in their lives has unfortunately turned into an apathetic, disorienting and enslaved lifestyle.
Our youth don't care about Church because the Church doesn't care about them (notice the capital C, Christian!)
Instead of embracing the changes they are experiencing, they are wondering where they fit in this world. And instead of feeling empowered and unleashed to lead, they are forced to sit at the kids table when it comes to communion and community.
They don't need purpose. They need permission. They don't need detention. They need attention. They don't need our titles. They need our time. They don't need lectures. They need mentors.
If you want to be seriously serious about following Christ, then be seriously serious about pouring yourself into a young person. It is the only way to really leave yourself behind in this world. You can have a career, a family, material possessions and collect fame and fortune, but if you really want to create a lasting ripple in this life, help a young person become devoted to teaching, serving, leading and witnessing for Christ!
-NW
Yesterday, my Sr Pastor preached such a message. But he didn't just stop with the youth. He also went into the spiritual casualty-ridden demographic of young adults too.
Adolescents are a seriously underrated, seriously overlooked and seriously serious generation when it comes to church. If you allow me to take my youth pastor hat off for a moment and speak as a sinner saved by grace, you'll see what I'm talking about.
One hundred years ago, the term adolescent was used to describe the period in one's life that started at puberty and ended when society expected that individual to contribute. Because females hit puberty earlier, the adolescent stage started at 15 years of age and ended at 16.5 years of age. Fast forward to 2011, and, based on the average female, adolescence ranges from 12 to 26. So we have gone from a period of 18 months to 14 years!!!
Our youth are going through emotional, physical, intellectual and relational changes earlier in life and have less and less responsibility later on in life.
So what should be an exciting, changing and empowering time in their lives has unfortunately turned into an apathetic, disorienting and enslaved lifestyle.
Our youth don't care about Church because the Church doesn't care about them (notice the capital C, Christian!)
Instead of embracing the changes they are experiencing, they are wondering where they fit in this world. And instead of feeling empowered and unleashed to lead, they are forced to sit at the kids table when it comes to communion and community.
They don't need purpose. They need permission. They don't need detention. They need attention. They don't need our titles. They need our time. They don't need lectures. They need mentors.
If you want to be seriously serious about following Christ, then be seriously serious about pouring yourself into a young person. It is the only way to really leave yourself behind in this world. You can have a career, a family, material possessions and collect fame and fortune, but if you really want to create a lasting ripple in this life, help a young person become devoted to teaching, serving, leading and witnessing for Christ!
-NW
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