Spiritual Relevance Trumps “Cool” in Youth Ministry
According to Time Magazine, sugarcoated, MTV-style youth ministry is so over.
Youth ministers have been on a long and frustrating quest of their own over the past two decades or so. Believing that a message wrapped in pop-culture packaging was the way to attract teens to their flocks, pastors watered down the religious content and boosted the entertainment. But in recent years churches have begun offering their young people a style of religious instruction grounded in Bible study and teachings about the doctrines of their denomination. Their conversion has been sparked by the recognition that sugarcoated Christianity, popular in the 1980s and early ’90s, has caused growing numbers of kids to turn away not just from attending youth-fellowship activities but also from practicing their faith at all.
In 2006, The Barna Group learned that of kids 13-18:
- 72% pray to God (81% in ‘98)
- 48% attend worship service at church (53% in ‘98)
- 35% attend Sunday school (37% in ‘98)
- 33% attend a youth group (36% in ‘98)
- 31% read their Bible (34% in ‘98)
Barna also discovered that 61% of adults in their 20s who had participated in church activities as teens no longer do.
Many youth ministers are realizing that they must change how they do youth ministry in order to reverse these trends. A few success stories of those who have are:
- Chris Reed grew his youth ministry from 70 to 200 by focusing on the five Christian principles taught in Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Church.
- Ben Calmer of Shoreline Christian Center (Austin, TX) has been focusing on activities that increase spiritual nourishment and has watched his youth membership double to 160 in 18 months.
Spiritual growth is far more important than funny videos and cool games. First, focus on solid spiritual growth. Without it, technology, marketing, and the “cool” factor are worthless. And that’s a principle that applies to any minister, not just youth pastors.
Special thanks to InkTank for highlighting the article.
Robyn Tippins Said,
November 30, 2006 @ 12:40 pm
My husband is a YP and we’ve seen real hunger in teens for spiritual growth. He spends more time with those who are genuinely interested in growing than he spends with the others in our group, and takes alot of flack from parents who wish their own kids were part of this group that hangs out at our home discussing theology all the time.
He tries to follow Jesus’ model of living life with those who want to grow (disciples) and still preach and teach to reach the lost as well.
We do very few youth-wide events (3 per year I think). However, once a quarter a fun event is planned in each small group and these groups meet to pray/discuss every week. Again, alot of grief from parents who wish it was done the way it was when they were kids.
Kids, just like adults, want to grow. We do them a grave disservice by basing our ministry on what worked (or didn’t) 20 years ago.
Andrew Conard Said,
November 30, 2006 @ 1:40 pm
Thanks for this article and bringing the subject to my attention. I agree that it is more important to pay attention to spiritual growth. I also believe that this is applicable to all believers. Although it is important to provide an excellent worship experience (for example), this is only one part of a larger focus on spiritual growth. Thanks!
Andrew
Blake Said,
November 30, 2006 @ 3:07 pm
Finally, an end to EXTREME Bible or EXTREME faith. *sigh*
Wendyj Said,
December 1, 2006 @ 12:25 pm
Thanks for sharing this! Its nice to see youth leaders are starting to be awakened to the reality that youth ministry can’t compete with Xbox, MTV, or MySpace! But the world can’t compete with absolute TRUTH either! One of the ways we’re putting a hault and the graduation evacuation (2 of 3 highschoolers stop going to church upon senior graduation - accdg to Barna) is to train & equip students in their faith! Know what they believe and WHY they believe it, so they dont walk away from the church when they graduate church. I would love the share more, but for sake of space I wont :} Feel free to check out our site (www.dare2share.org OR http://www.ministrymutiny.com) and get in touch with me at your convenience! Have a blessed day! Thanks for addressing the once ignored facts! Hopefully others will catch on and see the end of flaming poodles for entertainment has already come!
Celia Said,
December 3, 2006 @ 5:09 pm
I don’t understand today’s teenagers
I think their ‘culture’ and ‘in’ expressions are changing so fast it’s impossible to relate to them ‘on their level’ or in a ‘cool’ way - I’m 32 and out of touch even with people in their early 20s!
Just a comment - I read your article about making the gospel relevant to youngsters
I agree just the plain facts and a real example of a follower of Jesus to look up to are enough.
We young people of all ages (14-40’s) want mature genuine people to look up to who don’t look down on us, and who can help us see how to be real worshippers and disciples. And worship that has intellectual integrity and spiritual experience, not emotional hype and sentimentality. And teaching that makes sense of todays world and how to live in it not just doctrine and stories.
‘Cool’ is not a style anyway, it’s an attitude of genuine confidence in God and being prepared for anything, being satisfied (content) but not self-satisfied (smug). That’s the way I see it.
But many teenagers I come across seem uninterested in adults, scornful and abusive of them, only interested in each other and their technological gadgets. A shallow lifestyle they’re chasing after - not sensible at all. I have no idea how to respond when they heap insults and ridicule on me for riding a ’sensible’ bike and wearing suitable sensible clothes for the shivering weather or dazzling sunlight when they don’t seem bothered by any discomfort!
David Booker Said,
December 8, 2006 @ 3:59 pm
The longer I’ve been doing youth work the more simple i think it is - kids know God’s love because we love them with his love…simple, but so very costly in time and energy. Cool youthwork might be a way of making conections, but without costly love all you get it a big youth group, not people who fall in love with Jesus