When does a person leave the Youth Group?

Also, our "youth" group is still involved in indepth studies, so they are appropriate for adults. The trips they take, they do so in conjunction with other churches, attending camp with other kids of the same sex and a similar age.

There are certain things that are "age appropriate", but as far as youth groups at church, I don't think there's a cutoff limit per se.

 

and what is this about an "age of consent"? Who in your youth groups is acting in this sort of fashion during youth group functions????!!!!!

No matter what age they are, the adult should be putting the "kabosh" on that sort of thing during outings!!

 

When they graduate from high school or get married, they leave the youth group. We have a college and career group as well to transition them out.

Before that group was started, a lot of former youth would hang on in the youth group because they didn't want to go to the adult Bible study. Unfortunately, this college and career group still participates in many youth events that I don't personally think are appropriate.

 

One thing I've discovered with our youth group is that they complain that things are too easy and they want more indepth study.

Our adults say that things are too hard and they want things watered down. (I actually taught a youth lesson to the adults once, and an adult lesson to the youth, and the vocal ones in both groups were happy.)

I actually had a man tell me recently that people don't want to learn, they just want to be told what to think and then go home. (He was not observing the behavior of others, he was talking about himself.)

I will not water down the gospel for those who don't want to study. I have slowed down when we got new people, then caught them up to speed and carried on.

However, dividing youth by age is completely artificial. I can see benefits in it, but holding it as a requirement is something man-made.

I've had more youth simply claim that they want to be taught and not entertained than I have adults.

 

It depends.

 

I think that generally, when a person graduates from HS, then they should move on to a college aged program.

 

Is this post for real? Seems like the poster is stretching a bit to make a point that is, in and of itself, a weak argument.

 

and Maverick,

its perfectly legal for an 18 year old to date a younger person. What is not legal is going beyond mere dating. It might not be wise for most people, but its legal.


I also think having various classes available for people is a good idea. We have several adult classes, and of course people are free to choose which one they attend.

We also have a high school class, which deals with issues that high schoolers have. And a college and career class that deals with their specific issues. BTW, since the teachers of these classes are indeed older than the students, it still fulfills that part about the "older teaching the younger". After all, even if they were all in one big class together with the adults, they'd still be being taught by just one teacher.

And we all come together for all the other church services, too. This is not segregation. Its just meeting people's needs where they are.

 

Now, when my wife and I started dating, she was 14 and I was 19. We got married when she was 18 and I was 23. We've been married for 17 years.

It seems as if this would be considered wrong by many people.

I agree about the problems with the age of consent, but that concerns extramarital sex, not relationships.

 

In the fellowship I pastored for 8 years, Children were up to age 12, Youth were up to the age of 17. Then we went to Young Adult until 29, Adult 30 - 54, Senior Adults 55+

 

My grandfather was 53 when he and my grandmother married... she was 25. He was actually 2 months older than her father and 3 months older than her mother. They had a wonderful life together.

Age does not have a thing to do with marriage. Determining factors should be Christ as center first of all, maturity of both parties, then love.

 

marriage ages is off topic (ducking and running)

We don't have a college age group - so our "graduated" youth go to the adult class and feel totally isolated, in my opinion. Still socially involved with other youth group members, but now exiled to hang out with the old folks.

Not sure I would like it....

 

I hung out with my youth group until I was 23 years old. We didn't have a college ministry and my Youth Minister saw the importance of keeping us involved.

I have some college kids involves with my student ministry. I will not turn anyone away as long as they do what is asked of them.

 

I have adults involved in my youth ministry (they're not ready for the tough meat yet), and I have some young children who are involved with the adults, as they are spiritually mature and ready (or even more ready) than the adults for the tough spiritual things.