What do you say?

I'm reading a book called, Families at the Crossroads, by Rodney Clapp. He is probably most noted for his book, A Peculiar People, but I've been pretty fascinated by this book as well. It is not what you might expect the title to suggest; a combative, cultural confrontation of postmodernism and it's effects on the home. It's rather a mild indictment on the church, and it's misuse and misinterpretation of what a family and home is. It's a reclaiming of it's true biblical roots, not it's nineteenth century post-industrial American definition.

There is a lot of insight in this for the church, but there is one quote I want to look at today, thinking in terms of youth ministry. On page 64, he says:

"The home once served major economic and social functions. Now it is a 'haven' from the 'real world'. It is a retreat for the wage-earner and a nest for children who await true personhood in the form of intimacy, which tend to be cheapened and diluted because they are not seen to have a tie to the truly significant wider world."

I couldn't help but think of youth ministry as it functions in most churches moving in tandem with the direction of the family that Clapp notes. In the, what Chap Clark calls, "ghettoizing of youth ministry", we have removed the significant role of children in our churches, much like has happened in the family. They are placed in a holding pattern, where we shove them off in their corners until they are "mature" and ready for "real ministry". Of ministry along these lines, I am the chief of sinners, and believe the time for correction has come.

It's no wonder students leave the church in droves, graduating from high school, youth group, and the church all in the same summer. They are growing up without us. Because of this, we don't need to just rethink how we do youth ministry, we need to rethink how we do church.

Do you remember the day when students were depended on and necessary to make sure Sunday School, the nursery, choir, and other ministries in the church happened, let alone functioned? Now, we don't allow our students near the nursery, they have to audition for the choir, if they are allowed to sing in them at all, and we certainly wouldn't allow them to teach Sunday School. I'm not advocating they become the theological experts in our churches, but have you heard some of the theology taught by adults in Sunday School? Maybe the best way for students to know what they believe, is to learn and wrestle with it while they teach it. Put them in partnership with an adult to mentor and guide them. Sure it might be messier, but I'm not sure it could be any worse.

I'm becoming more and more an advocate of moving back to an integrated, cross-generational church; one where students are just as involved as the adults in the day-to-day running of the ministries. I think it's one of the ways we will see students stick around; they won't leave something they are invested in, passionate about, and willing to die for.

Maybe they'd rather teach a class than play a video game. Maybe they'd rather change a diaper than play Bible bingo. Maybe they'd rather feel engaged in worship by helping lead, than always shoved in the first three rows of the church for the effect of showing how successful we are because "they" are "here". Maybe we allow them to be the significant contributers to the kingdom now, because they can.

The one's who have the most to lose in the long run, the adults who are their parents and grandparents; also have the most to say about whether this happens or not. So, what do you say?