Preparing Teens for Christian Service
Statistics indicate that churches lose nearly 50 percent of graduating seniors who enter the work force and close to 90 percent of those who attend a secular college. For all the activity and challenge churches have been providing for teens, Christian service has not been embedded in their priority structure. Of all the avenues our students will travel in pursuit of "success" the local church may not even be on the map.
Churches lose nearly 50 percent of graduating seniors who enter the work force and close to 90 percent of those who attend a secular college.
Our national Youth Department refers to this as a "black hole" in youth ministry. While no ministry will totally fill this void, Sunday School may be as effective as any at closing it. After all, strong commitment to Sunday School often indicates greater involvement in other aspects of ministry.
By taking advantage of the opportunity we have each week in Sunday School, we can work our way into a future where students’ faith will be active and vital. Here are some ways Sunday School can help keep students involved in ministry and prepare them for the future in several aspects of life.
For students to identify with the church in their future, the church must identify with them now. Young teens are looking for somewhere to belong. They should find it upon their arrival at the junior high scene. A memorable reception for these new groupies in Sunday School is a must. In the fall, a back-to-school event with upper-grade students sharing creative, Scripture-based "survival tips" and personal invitations to the younger students to attend can pull in a few kids who haven’t been involved.
By making Sunday School a primary avenue of pursuit of regular attendees and guests from all youth contexts, the relational element of classes will become intrinsically tied to the overall ministry. You tend to get what you talk about, so promote Sunday School extensively in all youth settings. Make it the youth group "place to be" on Sunday morning. Deeper levels of involvement in all areas will likely follow.
Although most students are eager to move up the ladder of seniority, those inadvertently lost over time slip through the cracks during times of transition. Immediate attention must be given to students apprehensive of the change. Reception events and personal encouragement will nudge them to the next level.
Individual focus is enhanced with classes broken down as much as leadership and facility allow. Younger students may seek inclusion with the older, but upper grades will perceive that they have "outgrown" a class if age range is too broad.
If students don’t learn to connect their faith to the outside world, they may eventually put it aside. Campus life definitely tests one’s dedication to Christ, but class time in church can prepare students for class time out of church. They’ll pay attention to leaders who, from a biblical perspective, deal with issues they face Monday morning.
Prepare students for your group’s Campus Missions effort (resources available through the national Youth Department http://youth.ag.org/). A short-term elective can recruit and train CM’s, but don’t segregate key students from others for long. Follow CM commissioning with strategies that take kids from kickoff events to living the life on campus and initializing powerful conversations about relationship with Jesus.
Get families, and you’ll get students. Work to develop relationships with parents and family members who don’t attend. Sunday School is the best channel of pursuit since it coincides with the main family gathering–AM worship. Don’t breeze over conversations with parents when calling for students. Plan events that need parental assistance. Eventually, they may accept invitation to service and Sunday School.
We help students keep church in their future by helping them prepare for their future in church. Vocation should not be a separate issue from spiritual life. Whether planning to attend college or enter the work force, graduating seniors will benefit immensely from "Life Prep 101." This quarter-long class draws a graduating class together to deal with pertinent topics from finding God’s will to money management to effective decision making.
What will it take to stand for Christ on a secular college campus–or serve Him "full time" in the work place? This class provides an excellent forum for guest teachers–perhaps former students. Talk about students’ current intentions. Help some find places of service before they graduate, and encourage others to tie into fellowship wherever they go. Keep in touch for accountability.
You’ve said it yourself, "Teenagers are not the church of tomorrow. They are the church of today." So don’t wait to plug them into overall church life. Some of the most unlikely students are begging to be a significant influence on the lives of others and will jump at the chance to be equipped for service in the main church setting.
Help students understand spiritual gifts and discover where theirs might apply. Teach on tithing, respect for authority, requirements for service and leadership. Invite staff members to teach and appeal for involvement in areas like children’s outreach, drama, sound, or ushering. Vitality will pervade the congregation as they see youth serving the church. When you see students "on the job," commend them for their faithfulness.
Through hands-on participation in the life of His church, service to Christ can become second first nature to youth. When students’ faith becomes indispensable and inseparable from life outside the church–at school, home, and work–their future will be blessed, as will yours, because you prepared for it–-in Sunday School. Now.
