Youth Group: a call for aid.

[Nightshade X]

Hey, everybody. I'm asking for prayer concerning the youth group at my church. Here's the story...

My church is going in a new direction with the youth group. For simplicity, I will say that the youth pastor has left under less-than-civil circumstances. While I feel that a change absolutely must occur with our youth, I think we're going about it all wrong, and it's becoming indicative with what I see the Church, as a whole, doing wrong. More and more, I'm seeing our church wishing to draw in a massive amount of youth and, while I would like to see the same thing, I feel that we're going about it all wrong.

My heart is set on a small-scale operation: touching the hearts of the youth that we have, healing their brokenness and their pain, making them whole again, and showing them the love of God in a way they've never experienced. However, it's now becoming a numbers game, where the amount of people in a ministry is becoming more sought than the hearts of those being drawn in. It's something that I keep seeing in the Church and, if something is not done, I feel the Church will die out because of it. No matter what happens, though, I will not abandon the few that we have in favor of a mass that may or may not yet exist.

This is my request. I plead with you... I beg you all to heed it. I plead this case before Almighty God and I beg Him to move in this process of restructuring. I ask that the Spirit of the Lord God be present in this time... that He would guide our pastor in making the correct decisions, not in generating a massive youth group that has no heart, but cultivating a group of youth that are passionate for God... that has known the presence and the healing touch of our Lord and Master... that has experienced the life-changing love of the Living God, and would seek of their own accord to make His glory known to this generation.

Anyway... sorry for the long post. Thanks for reading.

[Tenshi no Ai]

It sort of reminds me when we had/have issues with our youth. Right now how things are going (at least in my church) there probably won't be a youth anymore :/ It really is sad to see things like youth's fall apart, knowing how much great suff can come out of it. Even though a small amount comes, it's the quality of the experience, not the quantity. Well, quantity can be nice with the whole "bring your friend" thing to be able to share with others, but definately not priority.

I'll be praying...

[SP1]

This is an problem that a lot of churches have, I think. The idea is: "If we can be a magnet for kids, then the parents will join our church." In my opinion...no. If the kids actually show up, the parents just drop them off and leave. I think the real key is to get whole families to want to come to church, or at least the parents (who will drag their kids with them, so perhaps some of the them will see a good youth group to hang onto).

Our church has been through about 4 youth directors in the last 5 years or so. Our current one (25 or so year old female ex-kindergarten teacher) is, I think, a keeper. She's not got any great "makeover" plan, she just moves along and keeps the kids engaged. Nice and slow is the way to build (or in our case, repair) those bonds.

Praying for your situation.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Yes, discipleship is largely ignored in many churches, its not a numbers game - peoples souls aren't statistics we broadcast via Power Point or something. They are human, they have emotions, they have wants, needs, desires, hopes and struggles.
As a youth leader I try to help the existing youth grow in their faith.