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Young People & Recreation


Dr. Shane

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Is it just me or are there others that think the church should do more for our youth than have a gym night a few times each year?

When I was in college I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and Intervaristy Christian Fellowship. We would have a lot of fun at our meetings - much like AY. We had small-group Bible study between meetings and socials on Saturday nights.

I think the church has a group of "conservatives" (for lack of a better word) that make a lot of noise when a youth leader does anything "liberal" with the youth like have a movie night, rollerskating night, line dancing, etc. This limits our youth leaders to what they can do with the youth.

At the same time the church competes with the world. Like it our not our youth can choose to go to the movies, dances, concerts, sporting events or other such things instead of coming to church activities. The world offers the youth Proms, Holloween parties, Spring breaks, R-rated movies, booze, gangs, arcades, concerts, shopping malls, etc. Yet it seems to me we are too wrapped up in ourselves to give the church the time that is needed to create and sustain such programs.

I contrast this to the church in Latin America which has active youth programs and very young congretations. When I enter a church in Mexico I find that about 50% of the members are under 30 years old. I often speak with teenagers that are on fire for Lord. I also visit with young couples with a couple young children that a looking to live for the Lord and spread the Advent message.

I think a big difference is priorities. To those people, the church is a priority. They look forward to attending prayer meeting, vespers, Pathfinders and AY. Many enjoy their youth like grandparents enjoy their grandchildren.

It seems to me this is an issue the North American (and perhaps European & Austrailan) needs to deal with.

Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com

Author of  Peculiar Christianity

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Our church has an amazing youth program, with a wonderful youth pastor. It thriving and growing and I hope that it still is when my kids get to be that age. They seem to always be doing something! Right now they are on a mission trip at an orphanage in Mexico.

Toni

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I'm not sure I agree with you that the church doesn't do enough for our youth. I believe that our youth decide what they want to do. I know when I was growing up in New York City all the church's had plenty of activity's for youth of all ages to do. We or I should say for myself I chose not to partisapate. Not because I didn't have a good time, but for varise different reasons. So I would blame the youth more than the church for not getting involved more. My 2 cents worth.

pkrause

phkrause

By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. {5T 451.1}
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I'm on the other side of the coin, I do agree with Shane. There is not much to offer the youth in terms of activities and opportunities to build frienships. Our church, for one, simply does not have enough youth to afford many friendships. Thus, the youth look outside the church for friends. And when they find friends, they have fun with them.

A remedy then would be to provide more and more opportunities for youth in the church AND THE COMMUNITY to become involved.

If youth are the future of the church, is there any wonder our Adventist faith is not growing in North America?

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</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Cricket said:

A remedy then would be to provide more and more opportunities for youth in the church AND THE COMMUNITY to become involved.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

I agree with this! I think that is why our youth program has just really exploded. They have been actively recruiting the youth of the community to join in on the church youth activities, one program being something they call "GameStation" where they have been working really hard in the community to bring youth in.

Toni

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