Absolutely. The most popular person in our time right now is Taylor Swift. Christian parents, God holds you responsible for instructing your children on why her music is evil (including others). But if you just play along, and have it playing in your car because you enjoy it, don't blame God when they go astray.
Couldn't agree more! Children should be in the same worship service with their parents. When we separate them, we are essentially telling the kids that Bible teaching and hymns are boring.
Every time I object to anything related to children's and youth activities, someone inevitably says to me, "Christians can still have fun, Karla!" It's so disheartening that hardly anyone questions it. But we would not have so many drifting away from Jesus if people were interested in helping the youth to delight in the Lord and His Word more than having fun in the worldly sense. I pray for world events to cause people to get more serious about preparing our children and young people.
Well stated, Karla. I have no problem with fun activities for the youth IF they are outside of, and in addition to serious biblical teaching. Modern churches vastly underestimate our kids' interest in, and their ability to comprehend and discern solid Christian teaching. If you take the seeker-sensitive approach and do wordly things to attact people into your church you will have to keep doing those same kinds of things to keep them there. It's no different with youth. In my experience, once most kids grow out of the skate-and-pizza-parties stage they have no real biblical foundation upon which to build, and therefore little reason to stay. There are exceptions, of course, but overall we're not preparing our children for a Godly life in a fallen world. We will answer to God for that.
One problem is if our kids are in public schools then their minds are being bombarded with about 32 hours of the world and spend only maybe 2-4hours on average in church. So important for families to pray and read the Bible together.
@@SarahR2D2 We visited a new church and a lady we didn't know wanted to immediately hold our little baby. It got me thinking about how strange it is that people are expected to just automatically trust people in church and dump their children off with them.
Problem is most churches force the children into the nursery, then Junior Church, then Teen church. The teen meet separately (Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening}. Then we move them into Adult Church, and the teens drop out because it is structured and calm instead of chaotic and noisy, and playing games. Family integrated worship needs to come back.
I disagree. I grew up in that kind of structure that you mentioned, but every 3rd Sunday was basically “family” Sunday when the children and youth choirs (separate age groups) led the music. When the pastor is preaching on topics such as marriage and marital things (sex), I don’t believe children should be present, especially knowing if your pastor can be blunt to a fault. I had a previous senior pastor who said he didn’t want hymns playing while participating in marital acts (and children were in the service). Children’s and youth churches are necessary. Age appropriate teaching is better than them hearing things that they’re not mature enough to handle.
I grew up with generations older than my grandparents who aren’t young and loved it. They encouraged and nurtured me growing in Christ. We need older women teaching the young women. We need older men to teach the younger men. We need foundational teaching mixed with parents and mature adults to help teach what it means to be a Christian. Amen Brother Spencer.
You are 100% correct saying that the way we trained our youth in the 90s and early 2000's to look has now manifested into Sunday morning parties of today.
You know who oversees the youth ministry in my church? The pastor and his wife. They’re the ones who just went to camp with the youth group. They lead youth meetings like church. Even the children know how to sit and obey through an adult service on evenings when there’s no kids church. We’re raising future strong Christian leaders not a bunch of furtick groupies. 🎸
I like your church. Just as too many modern churches lower their standards to appeal to the world, we lower our expectations for our children and in the process rob them of the chance to learn, understand and put Christian principles into practice from an early age.
@@MarkMay-cr6bv I’m so thankful this church is here. There’s two or three in the entire pacific northwestern part of my state! My pastor is working on actually planting a church in my town which I’m super excited about cuz I’ll be able to serve in both churches but the new one is so close to my home I can be there daily to help. There’s more bars than churches here lol
@@JustSara376 I'm in Longview. More bars than churches, indeed! We're looking at a reformed church in Vancouver because there are so few biblically-solid choices here. I'm happy for you that you have a good church in your area that can feed you and takes seriously the Christian education of the youth. Good luck with the church plant!
As an older mom of two adopted kids (11 and 13) I am opposed to youth anything. I’ve seen too much in lifetime and wonder what happened to my daughter (their birth mom who is almost 44) at church or youth camp. Something happened to her between 3rd and 4th grade and I don’t know what it was. She won’t tell me. She may have blocked it out. She went from cheerleading and being a straight A student to failing and refusing to participate in anything. Maybe someday I will find out what happened. Plus I personally know someone who abused all the girls in his youth group and is on the sex offender registry and still working in churches. I also met someone who was a youth leader at a church a couple of miles from me where my son was going to take martial arts classes and one of the instructor’s wife molested a teen girl. The man who started the transition house where my adult daughter moved into after the rehab house was arrested for abuse of children. He’s a youth minister. He has about four or five kids of his own. That’s just a few I know of personally. I’ve heard about more people I know but I have no proof of them. They haven’t been caught yet. Oh. And when my daughter was 15 and sneaking out of the house all the time, an older married man with 3 kids who went to the church gave her his phone number so she could call him next time she sneaked out. I went to the pastor when I found out and told him the next time that man made a pass at my little girl I would deck him! I don’t know who else from church did something to her because when I was young and raising kids I trusted people from church. Now I homeschool these kids and trust ABSOLUTELY NO ONE! Not even family. My husband and I haven’t been out alone since 12/2011. I’m tired. But I don’t trust anyone with my kids.
Yep. For me, it was my own father. I, too, have not been without my children since they were born, with the exception of overnight hospital stays due to sick child, surgeries, etc. Today is one of those days where I wish I had someone nearby that I could trust to watch my children for the day so I can get things done, hear myself think, just get a break...I love my children and I wouldn't trade motherhood for anything but yes, it can be *exhausting.*
@@katie7748 yes. It’s exhausting. I feel your tiredness. We just have to know it will be worth it. At my age there is no extended family or anyone to help. My sister doesn’t even keep her own grandkids. lol! I would be happy if I could just get the kids asleep by 9 pm so I could have a couple of hours alone before my husband gets home from work at night. I need time to read my Bible and wind down. Hoping God understands.
I grew up in a church with no youth group or youth ministry (though there were kids/teenagers) and I agree with everything you said. I like a saying I’ve heard before, “What you win people with is what you’ve won them to.” If people are coming to church for activities or their peers, then they aren’t coming for God.
Same as you, I grew up in a church with no youth group, youth ministry, nursey or any of those other "accomodations." I've never understood the whole separating children from their parents logic that's happening in these churches. And kids are going to church for their peers and not Jesus. It's becoming more evident and it's sad.
Brother Spencer I have a degree in Pastoral Ministry and Psychology. I’ve had classes in both children and youth ministry. I couldn’t stand it. I aced those classes while acknowledging those two fields are not my cup of tea or coffee. My heart is for the college students that are going to secular pits and wander away from the faith because their foundation wasn’t set up properly. I agree with you the children and youth aren’t set up to succeed as Christians as they get older. I went to Youth and hated it. I wanted something deeper in God and studying of the Word. Lord help us.
I believe that’s where we need people, to minister to college students. I have heard Christian college student report that when they got to college , Woke professors would ask “who is a Christian” in their classes. When the Christian’s woukd raise their hands , the professor woukd say to,them “ by the end of the semester I will destroy those false beliefs , you won’t be a Christian when you leave my class!” and the rest of the classroom,the non Christian students cheer like they were at a football game! And then the Christian’s were bullied and harassed by the non Christian students and sometimes the other professors too. So I believe there’s a deliberate effort to destroy our kids beliefs. Christian kids grow up into Christian adults and I don’t believe the Woke want that at all. I believe that teaching our kids a solid foundation , based on sound Biblical doctrine is vital. And giving these college kids a community of Christians to fellowship wieh sp,they aren’t always surrounded by unbelievers , and those that mock their beliefs. And I think that teaching our kids apologetics is vital as well. Teach our kids how to understand, and defend the Bible and their beliefs and how to answer those questions and techniques that the secular and woke use to try and tear down a young persons beliefs . I think understanding and being able to defend our Bible and our beliefs helps us really understand the Bible , and to grow as Christians in that understanding. I think understanding and defending our Bible, our beliefs can be a powerful tool for sharing the gospel …..It can plant a seed for God to grow in the hearts of unbelievers. I’ve seen videos of someone very good at Christian apologetics who can answer and defend the Bible and Christian beliefs speaking with an unbeliever who was desperately trying to destroy those beliefs and prove the Bible flawed, and wrong. And it was a wonderful thing to see . I could see at first the anger at being countered by the Christian and failing to prove their argument ……..then I believe I saw tiny spark of doubt in that unbeliever , as the discussion went on, and the Christian refuted everything the unbeliever brought up, with true belief, love and humility , I saw the unbeliever possibly doubting some of the secularist beliefs that they had been taught. I believe a seed was planted!
What a huge issue this is, thank you brother spencer for addressing this. I had a Pastor get angry and walk out of a meeting after telling kids ministry it was our fault that we didnt have more people joining the church. He said people chose churches based on how fun their kids ministry was. Very concerning...glad god opened my eyes to the church and this troubling trend in church culture. You are right Doctrine does matter! Too many churches dont have any doctrine. God has been removed and its all man centred. Sin is not addressed and sermons are just self help talks. Imagine pastors proclaiming to be life coaches!........
A church we went to had a problem with us not leaving our kids in nursery. When my children had to be removed because of crying I went with them. They would act strange because I stayed with them. This same church encourages parents to homeschool. It was so confusing to me
@@SarahR2D2 I have seen that with specific people who look down on children who want to stay with their parents at a young age. It is perfectly normal for a child to want to stay with Mom or Mom with her young child. People are out of line who want to break that attachment way too early. People are also way too trusting with others when it comes to their kids.
@@SETGL2010 💯💯💯 I was a teacher in the public school system and every school I worked at had a teacher that was arrested for inappropriate relationships
I am thankful to be part of a Baptist church that is following the instructions given by God in Titus chapter 2. These are some of the things are little sisters in Christ are learning. Sewing , cooking and crafting by the older women.
Youth Ministry is biblical. Don't you remember the 13th disciple in charge of that. His name was Blake or Chad or something. He had skinny jeans and spaghetti hair and oversized glasses that he didn't even need, a giant fur coat and rainbow high top Crocs. He "sowed seed" in the hearts of the Romans by staying "relevant". He had a really cool Moloch necklace that was just for "fashion".
I worked in youth ministry for more than a decade in 90's through early 2000's. Just talked to my husband about this same thing a few months ago, since we used to (shamefully) take these kids to youth events that were more hype than Scripture. The church budget went heavily toward youth ministry, targeting families with children (seekers?) The music events were darkened with flashing lights, loud, gimmicky. I believe it conditioned a hunger in the now-adults who cannot imagine church being reverent preaching and humble worship of our Holy God. Can't tell much difference between modern church and a nightclub nowadays😢
Pastor Spencer that is incredible insight on how these Steven Furtick are being made and proliferating water down fun Christian youth teaching to kids.
You are spot on with your comments. I hope some youth ministry people are listening. We need to know and understand what Church is for - instruction in the Word of God and worship to our Lord. (briefly stated by me) I have heard an adult state - he had trouble knowing where to attend as most churches are not fun. Help us Lord. I think the Youth Pastor needs to be what you are stating - mature etc.
Full disclosure, I was an IFB children's and youth pastor for almost a decade and I will say there is a common thread regarding complaints about the youth ministry and that is that EVERYBODY is seemingly full of complaints, but NOBODY wants to volunteer. The old Baptist habit of promoting people into specific roles based on availability instead of ability or calling is a major problem, sure dump on the guy or the young couple who are pouring themselves into connecting with the youth, but they're often not educated, trained, or even called to work with young people but they are faithful and told to fill the gap and they are as best they can but not given any tools for training for success except maybe one workshop at a conference they pay out of pocket for, and instead of stepping up and stepping in to help they disparage the leader, questioning their commitment. It's like this, if you don't integrate and work your youth into the ministry they indeed grow apart from it and the likelihood of them walking away from the church at adulthood is very high, so there's two options, no youth at all and it's a family ministry from the top down, successful at keeping church kids connected to the work, but because of the limited bandwidth of the Pastor, not much ceiling for growth or outreach outside families that are already churched, or having a robust youth team, all the complaints of the youth share the same core complaint, they don't like the limited or shallow reach from the youth leader, I can tell you from experience that people complain about the short-comings of the youth ministry but avoid volunteering or getting involved outside of a special event or outing adults like the plague. Plus more eyeballs means more accountability, It's easy to chalk up the failures to the perceived shallowness of the youth leader, but the reality it's the failure of the church body to serve their youth providing no depth or substance outside of leaving a man or couple with few tools for success, and lastly DO NOT criticize the youth leader if YOU DO NOT have a family altar. If you aren't teaching your kids the Word of God, you are in effect teaching your kids that Christianity is NOT something that should be practiced at home, you've already modeled an inconsistent double-standard Christianity if you aren't doing that with your kids.
I’d revisit my old youth group days in a heartbeat. What a lovely time of life! I’m glad there were no ornery folks trying to take that away from my friends and me. Remember folks, Jesus told the grown ups they must become like children, not the other way.
Churches would be better if they were family "integrated", meaning children sitting with their parents and everyone in the congregation hearing the same message. Children can learn how to sit and do something quietly for an hour or so. Children can play together before or after the service, when parents are fellow-shipping. If children think that church is all about loud fun and games at a young age they are going to be dismayed when being an adult entails them just sitting and listening to "boring" preaching. I still don't understand why parents are expected to enter a church and then hand their babies over to a nursery and send their other children to Sunday school and "junior church"? How is this different than handing children over to other people to raise via schooling or daycare? It's the parents' responsibility (and one of their ministries) to teach their own children the Bible. Many homeschooled children would already be learning the Bible at home. Timothy learned the Scriptures from his own mother and grandmother. It's the children that don't have their own parents leading them spiritually (perhaps bus ministry children) that would even benefit from a children's Sunday school program. The rest shouldn't even need it, if their parents are doing their job. All of these things divide the churches and families up, it doesn't create unity. Some churches take it even further with lots more programs and "fun activities" catering to different age groups. They divide the women from the men with "women's Bible study". They may separate seniors and young singles, etc. If churches focus on these things they are appealing to entertaining the flesh and not serious study of the Bible and reverence towards God with Biblical musical worship.
I really don't know what to say about Halloween decor. But some Churches do things called Trunk or Treats expressly because they want a safe place for kids to come and get candy because of other stuff that's going on. If they used to be called Harvest parties and now they're trunk or treats. It's a shame that people can't feel safe
@@Veretax That's the problem with compromising churches. Instead of the pastors making a sermon about the demonic origins of Halloween, they go along with the congregation by trivializing that which the church shouldn't be participating in. When will pastors tell parents to tell children that which isn't acceptable to God? God have mercy on us; the church is guilty of "not being a party pooper." "Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers..." - 2 Corinthians 6:14
For me in the 1960s youth group used to be a Bible Study on Sunday morning with age groups, then sitting with your family for the sermon. Then all the girls would to one house for the rest of day and all the boys to other house for the rest of day. Then we all came back for the Sunday evening service. Church was for Bible study not entertainment.
Thank you brother for this video. I made this observation a few months ago while talking to my wife. My thought was, "Have the people who grew up in the entertainment driven youth group era of the 1980's and 1990's finally grown up enough to start churches that reflect their old youth groups?" I was never in a youth group in church. By the time I started going to a church that had a youth group I was seventeen years old. I started helping the youth minister with the youth group and found out quickly that he needed all the help he could get. Our primary focus, which stayed with me in every youth group and college ministry I was in charge of afterwards, was to get the Word in them first and foremost. If there was still time for a little game or something after the teaching time, then we did that, but the Word was first and they all knew it. I have always been a believer in the phrase, "You keep them how you get them." If you bring them in by entertainment and foolishness you will need to keep up the entertainment and foolishness. If you bring them in by teaching the Word you will be able to keep them by teaching the Word. I have started to notice a shift in people, however, at least in my area. More kids and youth are hungry for the Word and less interested in the entertainment and food that a lot of churches use to draw them in. I am hoping that this trend continues and we see a new generation of people who know the Word of God and doctrine and will grow spiritually.
My daughter had a wonderful youth experience. Her youth pastor had a great balance of engaging them and having fun while teaching some serious biblical substance. She recalls him changing the course of the evening if he saw some behavior that needed to be addressed or heard something , saying he cared more about the state of their souls than having fun.
Growing up I always loved church bc it was a complete social club. It was Pizza Hut, basketball Fridays, beach, amusement parks, field days, summer camps, Xmas caroling (late night surprise visits as it's custom in Hispanic countries). I wonder if there was anyone saved in there.
I owe a lot to growing up in a church culture that didn't pull the kids & teens out of the main service to go play with puppets or whatever. We all sat there and heard the word of God. And this is in the Caribbean where services are 3 hours+ but I'm glad we were brought up with the discipline to sit and learn alongside the adults
Everything in this video I’ve said 25 years ago . The Church had a split when it separated young from old and children from parents. Brother Spencer wonders if this will bite us later on . Well I say it already has 25-30 years ago . That bite is now become septic and infected. So now we have a split over worship stiles and music. Most of the crazy in church today has come out of youth ministry .
If you wanted to create a system to make young people feel alienated from the rest of the church, without them noticing and without the parents objecting, you couldn't design a better system than typical American youth systems. We can minister to children most effectively in the context of the church, helping them to mature while helping the mature saints to consider the needs of the children. There is justification in scripture for ministering to children and youth, but there is nowhere in scripture that advocates for a children's or youth ministry separate from the rest of the church.
My husband and I do the teen group at our church ages 6th through college. It has been such a blessing especially since my brother passed away at age 15 about 3 years ago. I never told him about the Lord. I thought I had forever with him and now it drives me and my husband in our teen group. There is never a class where my husband does not preach the gospel. But he just finished a class on “But WHAT Jesus” talking about the false Jesus’ in the world and the church. We just finished the “Inclusive Jesus” which allows for female pastors. It was crazy in our group we had about 4 kids out of 15 which said it was okay for a woman to pastor a church. We went through scripture and now they understand why God doesn’t allow it. But thank you for your videos because they helped my husband and I understand this topic so much better. He used the example of the water and if it goes to your stomach it’s a blessing but if it goes to your lungs it can be deadly. Long story short: thank you so much for your ministry!
My youth pastor was single and he talked about sec a lot. When he got married he came back and told us that both parties were satisfied on their wedding night. Too much tmi for teenagers looking back. Smh.
That man needs to be reported. That’s not just tmi, that’s unbiblical, inappropriate, and abuse to subject a captive audience of minors to that disclosure.
Everything you said is spot on. I attended a mega church in Rockwall Tx. I learned that they were only interested in youth outreach. And gimmicks. The Spanish side also hired a woman to be an assistant pastor. I left and hope many more do
Funny you mention Furtick. Did you see the videos from his YTHX camp? Absolutely wild stuff! There is no way anyone involved in that development of that event is redeemed. Just no way. And yes, the 30-40 year olds wanting to sound like their idea of a 16 year old is maddening.
"The Grand holy master apostle Spencer" 😂😂😂😂 Thank you bro Spencer for always coming thru with edification and just common sense , that is much needed by this world. May The Lord Jesus Christ guide and protect you and your beautiful family 🙏❤️
My youth leaders were three older couples who kept us so busy serving in ministry and also having fun social times it left little time to be involved in the world. They received no pay but a reward from Christ for investing their lives is us. We had youth meetings, took two buses to downtown Norfolk, VA inviting military people to church, visited nursing homes, went to special meeting and Sunday afternoon singing events, hymns only. I am so grateful I grew up in the fifties, graduating in 1960. My husband and I did youth ministry and had to resign because so much of it was worldly and fluff. I agree with your assessment about the youth programs of today.
Youth ministry is for children under 3 and called the nursery and it's only to be used when your child is being disruptive. You take your kid to the nursery until you can get them back under control.
When I was attending a charismatic church, I volunteered in the coffee shop for a teen concert. the music was screamo. Loud & I couldn't understand what I was doing there
Age segregation in the church should have never been a thing; as I understand, it came from mid-century secular culture (teen movement of the 1950s/60s), and pragmatism. Books like A Weed in the Church by Scott T Brown and Critique of Modern Youth Ministry by Chris Schlect are some books on the topic. It's odd to me how youth ministry is often billed as an entry into ministry as a whole (pastors who "start out" as youth pastors)...so essentially we're giving the youth to the least experienced/mature person as a warm up of sorts...? This is a highly sentimentalized (also highly lucrative according to Voddie Baucham) area that needs to be rightly biblically evaluated and reconsidered. Oh, there's a documentary, too, called Divided (it's here on RU-vid); that's worth a look as well. Fathers, disciple your children.
This is why children don't want to come to vacation Bible School anymore. They are in Children's church on Sunday where they get entertained, fed and do crafts. So called Bible clubs on Wednesday night take the place of family worship and the adults taking turns get burned out trying to come up with ways to entertain them, so they don't want to work in VBS anymore
Finally broke away from the baptist church and resigned ministry there and have never felt more free in my Christian life. I haven’t looked back and it’s been such a breath of fresh air.
11:26 I dated and praise God for His mercy in meeting my wife. Years later, good Bible teaching has revealed to me that hands-off courtship under the supervision of headship is better. Not arranged marriage, but the father should have the power to veto and the daughter should trust him enough to be ok with that.
THANK YOU for addressing this HUGE problem. Our youth minister has long hair and wears several rings and is the pastors son. If I had kids I would not let them join the youth ministry. MAKE YOUTH MINISTERS MASCULINE AGAIN!!! 🤪
Nothing wrong with long hair on men as long as they're not *actively trying* to appear feminine. Throughout history, across all regions, men have had long hair. Not only that, but every single depiction I have ever seen of Jesus shows Him with long hair. Not ONCE have I ever heard ANYONE accuse Him of appearing feminine. It's *hair.* Get a grip.
Ask parents why they homeschool and that should be the same argument against youth ministry. Sorry not sorry. The whole concept is the church removing the role from a parent in the absence of their custody. Second of all, they tend to hire the young, handsome, hip youth pastor that inevitably cross the line with the teens or children. 3rd they are ineffective as most youth are leaving the church. Voddie Baucham has a great sermon on the failures of youth group especially the entertainment and the segregation of age groups.
Maybe in some churches the goal is to remove parents but youth ministry in healthy churches is just an opportunity to gather students together so they can learn and do life with their peers. We both agree that parents are the primary discipler of their kids (if the parents are believers). Parents should be taking their kids to church but this is a small portion of the Christian life because discipleship is a daily lifestyle. As a 30 year old I appreciate the wisdom and company of older believers but older believers aren't where I am in life. I want people in their 20's and 30's who are going through what I'm going through to relate to me. Youth kids are the same way we should encourage adult relationships with them but they also are kids and want to be with their friends and do activities with their friends. Children leaving the church after high school is not necessarily a reflection of the fact that youth ministry is failing but rather that parents are failing to disciple their kids. Now I would argue most youth ministries are not equipping or challenging parents to disciple their kids but to say youth ministry is ineffective because most kids leave the faith isn't that strong of an argument, especially if you believe parents are the main ones to disciple children. I see it as a supplement of what should already be occurring in the home. Unfortunately, there are many kids who come to youth group who don't have believing parents so that requires mature leaders to come alongside them to disciple them. Voddie is one of my favorite theologians, his work on family worship and discipleship is top notch!
@@dustinsmith8865 I would throw the whole program away if it would save one child from a creepy preacher. The segregation is as a result of sending children to school system that is segregated
@@SarahR2D2 Considering there are just as many issues with lead pastors regarding their inappropriate conduct does that mean we throw away going to church altogether? The church that I pastor at has a predominantly homeschooled demographic and we have a quality youth group. All I'm saying is it doesn't have to be one or the other. You can have kids who are disciples by their parents who also get good fellowship and fun with their peers at times to give them balance.
@@SarahR2D2 I’m referring to the fact that other pastoral positions are just as likely to be immoral in behavior. Your comment makes it sound like youth pastors are predators and you’re also assuming such people are pastors. All I’m saying is that you’re looking down on youth pastors for being predators and using that as A reason why youth ministry shouldn’t exist when in reality all different pastoral roles are statistically just as guilty of that same or similar immoral behavior. You’re reasoning seems to be that since youth pastors are predators we should eliminate youth ministry but since other pastoral roles are not exempt from predatory behavior such as adulterous activity, abuse of spouses, etc what then do we do with the pastors of the ministries they lead? Do we eliminate those ministries to protect people?
I've been thinking about this topic lately. Kids can grow up in church, be entertained when parents attend a service, know the christian vocabulary, but never surrender to God. I think that childrends ministry should be mainly sowing the seed. But should we expect that teens and young adults come to church because they want to know God, be eager to learn the Word? I think that children of believers sometimes go to youth gatherings just for the friends and fun. To make their parents happy perhaps. We don't want our kids to stop going to church, so we try to keep them entertained...and if they stay because they enjoy the show, do we count them as believers? Would they still be going if we took away all the extra and gave them just the Word of God? Would they be interested in the main thing or everything else...? I hope you get my point, I'm not a native english speaker.
Thanks for addressing this “ gripe “ Spencer! It needs to be talked about. Last week we observed quite the opposite of the fun, goofy, light-on-scripture youth ministry. We sent our teen to a Bible camp which actually did great in depth Bible studies . She called us the day after we dropped her off as she was really upset. Turns out the male leader called her out in front of everybody that he could,” see down her pants to her underwear and everything “ ( her shirt left about a 1” gap when she walked - she wears baggy clothing purposely to keep the attention off her body) Long story short - she was treated as an outcast by most of the group , no love , no kindness , only harsh judging because her hair color was a shade redder than acceptable to them. She loves the Lord and was really looking for a group and friends that take Him and His word seriously. Well maybe this group took things a little too seriously ! I know this is totally the exception to most zany youth groups today. Either end of the spectrum is concerning. We picked her up and they seems glad to have her go.
Here's the problem with your statement: "So that _we can make our own decisions_ about what's best for children ". God already decided what's best for children, and professing Christian churches need to comply with His directives. Show me a church that makes its own decisions, and i'll show you a church that's not following God. A church that does what is best according to its own standards is not practicing the truth. They're practicing their own traditions.
"Teenagers" didn't exist until the invention of High School in the late 1920's/Early 1930's. Before that, you graduated school at 13 after 8th grade and went to work/dated/married/set up households. Why teens get frustrated and then get into all kinds of trouble as a result. They are biological adults (capable and willing to have children) but are legally/professionally/scholastically still treated as kids. But they aren't. They are frustrated sexually mature adults forced to still live like kids. It's a hell created by the education system.
@@acky6174 Thanks. It's just history. Few know it now and, most that do, ignore it., but it's a fact that was taught in university level American History courses in the 1980's. It's the elephant in the room when dealing with "teen problems" today. Instead, we blame the teens and teachers; not the unnatural environment they are forced to endure.
I agree with you on Youth Ministry, Spencer. I do believe the youth ministry should have pastors that act as a spiritual mentor, like John Avery Whittaker in Adventures in Odyssey, who teaches the scriptures to the children while they can have some fun.
I don’t like that a lot of churches squeeze their youth group/teen stuff into the dark corner of the basement and seemingly forget about them aside from one summer mission trip. My own church growing up had two services Sunday morning back to back. We would attend wordhsip service with family or friends and then during the other service we would have our own separate Bible studies/small groups split up into middle school and high school along with girls and boys. I doubt it’s perfect but never once did I feel forgotten, neglected or like I wasn’t getting substance from church.
Sadly Ive watch churches neglect actual Children Ministries in the Church. Now they are Dried up with 80 year olds passing every year or so and the Church really going nowhere . Definitely need the right kind of Children Program's to get them ready to carry it on when they are older.
As a 33 year old mom, I have not been able to find, in person, any mom willing to teach me Titus 2 style. They are either doped up on psych meds, their family is in shambles and they are busy wallowing in ashes, or they never considered that they have a Biblical role. Just my experience.
Spencer, I could not agree with you more about these two services in churches! It is insanity 😐 Why are churches catering to the youth like this?!! The Christian radio stations are playing the genre of music the youth want to hear, as well.
As a youth pastor, my philosophy is to mirror our Wednesday order of worship after our Sunday morning order of worship. I teach for 30-35 minutes (mostly verse by verse), we sing worship songs which I always intentionally choose to fit the text. We pray and have discussion on how to apply the text as well. I understand the argument that youth ministry is not explicitly biblical but it can be done in a way that intentionally equips kids to be disciples. My view of youth ministry is that it is a supplement to what should already be occurring in the home by the parents who are the primary disciples of their kids. Youth ministry allows kids to gather in a Christian environment with peers to do life together. Yes, we should have older men and women pouring into younger kids and being the primary presence but all people of all ages also like having people their own age to relate to as well. It's a balance! I would also say that youth ministry offers an opportunity to reach unchurched kids. I have had the opportunity to reach younger guys bringing them to church and connecting them to quality believing friends as an influence. I think Spencer gives a balanced assessment of youth ministry here and I appreciate it.
