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Youth Ministry

Revmitchell

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Interestingly, Youth ministry is a 19th century phenomenon. There was no such thing until the church went out into the world to teach the Bible to nonbelievers and children who worked in factories, coal mines etc.

This is a NON-Calvinist issue

Actually the only ones pushing this nonsense is cals.
 

Zenas

Active Member
Youth ministry is absolutely essential for a growing vibrant church. Without it you will lose a lot more of your young people to other churches, or to no church at all. Unfortunately, good youth ministers are hard to come by. The good ones resign to be pastors, so the pool is limited. Probably the most effective are the part time lay youth leaders, but they are often handicapped by their lack of training. Maintaining a strong youth program is a problem.
 

Marooncat79

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
29e24j5.jpg
actually LOVE IT!! I wonder if there is one with Spurgeon playing the Electric Guitar.

Now that is funny
 

Marooncat79

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Wed night prayer meeting is not commanded in scripture, but is not necessarily wrong.

It is only wrong when it becomes a matter of legalism and contention ie, Wed night is optional for Christians unlike Sunday worship proper which is commanded
 

annsni

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Wed night prayer meeting is not commanded in scripture, but is not necessarily wrong.

It is only wrong when it becomes a matter of legalism and contention ie, Wed night is optional for Christians unlike Sunday worship proper which is commanded

Youth group is not commanded in scripture, but is not necessarily wrong.

It is only wrong when it becomes a matter of legalism and contention ie, youth group is optional for teen Christians unlike Sunday worship proper which is commanded
 

Salty

20,000 Posts Club
Administrator
Youth group is not commanded in scripture, but is not necessarily wrong.

It is only wrong when it becomes a matter of legalism and contention ie, youth group is optional for teen Christians unlike Sunday worship proper which is commanded

You beat it to me Ann!
 

Marooncat79

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Again, I do not understand the importance of youth ministry. It divides the body along unnecessary lines, it encourages the 'generation gap', and it minimizes the importance of collectively coming together as one body.

I have never ever known of a good youth group and I have been in several churches.

PLUS-

I know of several several bad things which have happened as well.
 

matt wade

Well-Known Member
Again, I do not understand the importance of youth ministry. It divides the body along unnecessary lines, it encourages the 'generation gap', and it minimizes the importance of collectively coming together as one body.

I have never ever known of a good youth group and I have been in several churches.

PLUS-

I know of several several bad things which have happened as well.

In a previous post:

http://www.baptistboard.com/showpost.php?p=2163459&postcount=39

You mentioned that you ministered to homosexuals. How do you see it as acceptable to minister to a specific people group, based upon your comments in this thread?
 

Marooncat79

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I do not have a problem: one is within the church walls and the other was not.


One was "outreach/evangelism"

The other was within the body of Christ


BTW, it happened quite by accident--they were Bible Studies
 

T Alan

New Member
I do not have a problem: one is within the church walls and the other was not.


One was "outreach/evangelism"

The other was within the body of Christ


BTW, it happened quite by accident--they were Bible Studies

I call it providence, If I may interject briefly from the back ground.
 

rsr

<b> 7,000 posts club</b>
Moderator
This is a discussion forum on Baptist history. It is not a debate forum on whether youth ministries are right or wrong. Accordingly, this thread is being transferred.
 

T Alan

New Member
This is a discussion forum on Baptist history. It is not a debate forum on whether youth ministries are right or wrong. Accordingly, this thread is being transferred.

Don't try moving it to YOUTH topic Discussion sections, been there, done that , got moved some where.
 

righteousdude2

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
How much of an emphasis should a church have in youth ministries, if any from all.

Because of my love for kids; and a career that spanned 30 years, most of it in one form or another of working with youths and parents both in the church and in the secular world, I would have to say that youth ministry should be a major portion of the annual budget. Every effort to recruit and great leaders and subsidize greater programs, should be the mission statement of every church around the world.

I say this simply because the young people you reach today for Jesus are being groomed to be the leaders of tomorrow's church.

From the nursery to the college-aged young people, church should recognize that programs as feeders that recruit, train and teach the future leaders of tomorrows church! We can't afford to skimp on this vital area if we are really concerned about the longevity and even the legacy of the present church!

Great question Salty. And you got my nickles worth of opinion. :type:
 

go2church

Active Member
Site Supporter
As I read the thread I couldn't help but think that what MaroonCat79 (among others) are actually protesting is not effective youth ministry, but ineffective youth activity.

Ministry seeks to meet spiritual and physical needs, where an individual or group is. Activity seeks to keep people occupied for predetermined period of time.

Ministry seeks to reveal Jesus, to invest deeply in the lives of others. Activity seeks to attract a crowd, to entertain.

These are two very distinct things. As a pastor I'm not interested in activity, I want ministry.

Because there is such a variety of needs, ages, abilities, etc... there is nothing wrong with seeking to minister to young people, old people, single people, children, married people, where they are at in life. This shouldn't be the only ministry effort just as an hour long expository sermon through Leviticus shouldn't be the only type of preaching.

There is great power in the collective and all group specific ministry should emphasize (insist on) the importance of coming together and sharing in our love of Jesus in worship as the one that scripture says we are. Opportunities should also be sought out that intentionally bring different groups together for purposes other than collective worship.

We need it all, group specific and collective - eliminating one or the other doesn't make a church better, just incomplete.
 

Marooncat79

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I am convinced that older children need to be a part of the church community at large and not segregated due to age. I have seen too much bad stuff from youth group from bad peer pressure to abuse for my good.

I am totally at a loss as to why "Youth Group" is so important. Honestly, in 30 yrs as a Christian and in several states and churches, I have yet to see a good one, Ever.

I am for 3-4 Sunday school classes in church with everyone from 5th grade or so on up attending one of them. You can have different topics: one class going through I Samuel, one class doing a NT survey, one class doing the Doctrine of the Church, another on Mark, and of course a "New Members Class" (Which is almost an imperative to me, especially for new believers or those wanting to join the church
 
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