7 Responses to “YM as a Crutch?”

1.  Anonymous  on 6/16/2006 11:51 AM  

   At my present church it seems like the youth group makes up for half the volunteer work. If children's church needs another teacher, it's from the youth group. If rooms need to be painted, grass cut, papers handed out, or someone needs help moving they come to the youth group for volunteers. To me it's starting to feel like a cruth for the hundreds of adults in the church who aren't doing anything. I'm not against kids serving by any means, but not if the attitude from the adults in the church is, "We don't have to volunteer because the youth will."
   
   I'm probably exaggerating, but that's how it feels sometimes.

2.  Anonymous  on 6/16/2006 3:22 PM  

   Thanks - so much of this applies in UK too!

3.  Anonymous  on 6/17/2006 8:27 PM  

   It sad to say but true, it seems many churches use or see the youth as a crutch. I can recall one time when I served, mind you it was the only church I ever served in, and I could never get adults to help. By help I mean sit in youth wed night for crowd control. I had ten or so youth. Anywho a game turned into lets see if the youth guy will kick any of us out and well all it took was my don't throw that or your out while I'm trying to teach for me to kick one out on the first throw. I love hard ball. The next thing I know (because no adults are present) I get parents in my face as well as the pastor. I'm not even given a chance to defend myself really. (It was a big family in the church) The pastor tells me I need to go appologize to the parents & child. I then hear for an hour how wrong I was for being the adult in the room from the parents. Yeah it's a crutch all right and then they take the little rubber end off and start stabing you with it. Don't get me wrong, I love the family and asked for them to sit in the youth which they said they would be glad to, never happened.

4.  Anonymous  on 6/20/2006 3:07 AM  

   There are also Churches that:
   
   1. See youth ministry as a vital ministry.
   2. Support and encourage their workers.
   3. Provide a budget above and beyond their means because they believe in the work.
   4. Aren't after instant results because they know a rooted, healthy work takes time.
   5. Struggle to understand the needs of young people but sincerely try their best.
   6. Expect a trained professional to step up to the mark and take a ministry to the next level - and why shouldn't they?
   7. Have leadership teams and those who "specialise" are the ones who have the most say about the particular work that they do and how they do it - not the senior pastor.
   8. Want all young people to hear the gospel and hav the opportunity to be part of the Church and Church life - even if it means mixing with their own kids!
   9. Recognise the calling on their youth leaders lives and don't coerece or pressurise them to "move on up".
   10. Love young people.

5.  Anonymous  on 6/20/2006 8:29 PM  

   Thanks Ali...
   
   To all... how did you know that God was calling you to youth ministry?

6.  Anonymous  on 6/27/2006 5:51 AM  

   I think we are all called to youth ministry (and children's ministry) in the sense that we need to "pass on the story of God" to the next generation. I happen to be employed to equip others to do just that . . . I know because I only have peace about my working life when I am engaged, in some way, with youth and children's ministry.

7.  Anonymous  on 6/27/2006 7:22 AM  

   I agree Ali, it's all about Matt 28. For some it's more than that. For some it's a calling God places on your life. if God is calling me to fulltime vocational ministry then all I want to do is go. I'll leave my carrier behind. I want his will whatever that may be.

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