I just read 2 articles written by different people and really on different topics, but after reading them both, I had the same question in my head: how do we really use our kids in our congregations?
One writer likened our congregations to coaches who train basketball teams but never play games. We teach our kids for years, tell them Bible stories, do activities which we hope reinforce Biblical principles, mentor, drill, but then don't give them authentic opportunities to really do something with all that training.
This author thinks that one reason our older youth find more and more reasons not to attend services and meetings and events is that they are not given real leadership responsibilities.
Now I know there are problems when we ask a teen to serve on the Missions Committee: he doesn't show up for meetings, she doesn't follow through on assignments, he sits there and doesn't contribute and frankly looks bored/scared/ticked off, she's only there 'cause I twisted her arm to be the token Youth...
But can we still think about this and correlating questions?
Have we talked to the kids about spiritual gifts? maybe given them a spiritual gifts survey ?
Are they really useful in the positions we've shuffled them into or are they merely token representatives?
Do we only give them Youth Sunday to orchestrate worship but no other time?
Do we give them real jobs within the youth group structure to fashion their own worship and events?
Are the upperclassmen mentoring the younger kids?
How does this work in your congregation?
Have you been successful in developing teen leaders?
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