Youth Services
One of the things I get to do quite often in this role is speak at youth events and "youth services".
Many of these are excellent (I was at a good one just this weekend).
A year or so ago I did such an event and wrote "my feeling is there must be other ways to do stuff, rather than a "service" in that style". Well that feeling remains!
On the plus side youth service provide an excellent place for young people to develop, to try things, to use gifts, to have a say in planning, etc.
But I wonder if we are not in danger of just propagating a meeting/service mentality, a Christendom hangover. Often these events include the "traditional" church service elements, except the preacher tells a few more jokes (well I try anyway!), and the music is allowed to be louder .Maybe that's OK. But I wonder if we have limited our/young people's imaginations to how they can be the people of God (including what ministry and leadership look like).I guess Alt.Worship is one response.
On the other hand, maybe these are good spaces for young people to learn the language and "rituals" or church, in order to facilitate integration? Or are we just repeating patterns from a fading culture?
One of the things I get to do quite often in this role is speak at youth events and "youth services".
Many of these are excellent (I was at a good one just this weekend).
A year or so ago I did such an event and wrote "my feeling is there must be other ways to do stuff, rather than a "service" in that style". Well that feeling remains!
On the plus side youth service provide an excellent place for young people to develop, to try things, to use gifts, to have a say in planning, etc.
But I wonder if we are not in danger of just propagating a meeting/service mentality, a Christendom hangover. Often these events include the "traditional" church service elements, except the preacher tells a few more jokes (well I try anyway!), and the music is allowed to be louder .Maybe that's OK. But I wonder if we have limited our/young people's imaginations to how they can be the people of God (including what ministry and leadership look like).I guess Alt.Worship is one response.
On the other hand, maybe these are good spaces for young people to learn the language and "rituals" or church, in order to facilitate integration? Or are we just repeating patterns from a fading culture?
Labels: Church, Youth Ministry
1 Comments:
good questions to ponder and ones I am working on
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