The number of teens leaving the church and its youth programs continues to increase everyday. According to a 5-year study by the Barna Group, nearly 3 out of 5 teens leave the church as a whole after age fifteen. Less than half of them ever return to the church as an adult. This is appalling to any church family. The problem is with the churches youth programs not giving teens the essentials they need for spiritual growth, causing them to give up and leave the church. Teens need to be discipled and challenged. Instead of growing in Christ, these teens are completely disconnecting from the church. Today’s teens are looking for intimacy and maturing so they can be transformed. Four main causes are to blame for this problem.
The first cause is how church youth groups put too much focus on the social aspect of engaging teens. Nowadays, youth programs solely emphasize social events such as laser tag, ropes course, canoe trips, and pizza parties. Social events should not be the definition of youth groups. This is not engaging teens to contemplate about God or come together in fellowship. Teens are going to youth group due to the “fun” aspect of it. Since teens are only going to youth group to participate in the social events, this goes to show that church’s youth programs are not serving their purpose to help disciple teens. Instead, youth programs should gear tords activities that push tords engaging teens in fellowship and digging deeper into God’s word. Having activities that involve teens talking about scripture will bring spiritual growth and a yearning to want to learn more. In addition, there are ways to make activities fun and still incorporate those things.
Secondly, the church is overly protective when it comes down to the topic of discussion. Youth groups do not address the major struggles that teens go through, as they get older. They find the hard-to-talk-about subjects such as pornography, sexual temptations, sexuality, drug abuse, and masturbation as irrelevant, even taboo to talk about, when these are major issues that teens are experiencing. These teens should not have to deal with it alone. That is not fair for them to have to “try” to deal with such struggles all on their own. The church seems to want to shy away from these issues because they are awkward subjects to talk about, yes, but it is also very important to address to teens that these issues are real. Youth ministries should not lay aside these issues, but instead, address them to teens. Incorporate what God’s word says about committing these sinful acts and that they are not alone. Everyone struggles with at least one of these temptations. It is also important to let the teens know that the youth pastors are always available to talk with any teen about his or her struggles and that things will stay confidential. Stating that private talks with a teen will stay confidential brings trustworthiness. Having the opportunity to talk about a struggle with someone who is trustworthy will also help rid of that struggle with the guidance of an adult. Not only will it help rid of the struggle, but also the burden of having to deal with it alone is lifted.
Moving on to the third cause, which is that youth programs do not prepare teens to defend their worldview, nor do they teach on the meaningful depth of God’s scripture and really understanding what it says. Teens grow up, sent out into the world expected to know what they believe, but completely fail because they do not know “why” they believe what they do, nor how to defend it. Too many teens do not know how to defend the truth of their faith. Atheists shoot down young Christians with tough questions regarding their faith and why they believe what God says in the Bible to be truth. Almost all young Christians have no well-rooted response, making it hard for any conversations regarding religion to continue. Implanting the teaching of a Christian worldview to teens can easily solve this. Teens need to be taught scripture with logic and truth. Doing so, allows scripture digging and understanding, resulting in a solid worldview. Most of all, teens can love God and know enough intellectually to where it is comfortable for them to speak freely about religion and not falter when faced with difficult questions.
Lastly, youth programs do not make new teens feel welcome. By not kindly welcoming new teens to the youth group will make them feel rejected and like an outcast. New teens joining, a youth group is delicate because they are in search of a place where they can feel comfortable and accepted. Regular attending teens of a youth group do not attempt to welcome new teens. This prevents fellowship and interaction with one another. Youth programs are suppose to be an outreach to teens. This is the youth group doing the complete opposite. An easy solution is to make a welcome committee of teens whose job is designated to welcoming new teens to the youth group and introducing them to others. This makes the teen feel cared for and welcome to the youth group, which will cause them to want to get involved.
The solutions to these causes will fix the problem of church youth programs completely. It will only take creativity to come up with engaging activities that incorporate fellowship and God’s word. In addition, it cost nothing to brainstorm, meaning, no more money wasted on social activities that do not focus on spiritual growth. To talk about subjects regarding the struggles that teens face with might mean that an additional youth pastor assistant hired. Same thing goes for teaching teens how to defend and know their worldview. It might also have to be confirmed as “ok” to teach the teens by the whole elders of the church and its committee. Making a welcoming Committee, on the other hand, will also be of no cost and help engage teens. By implementing these solutions, youth programs can return to how they were and fewer teens would leave the church. Teens would be well prepared to face the world as a strong Christian.
(Tell me what you think.)
