CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Last night (9/19/05) I went before the Board of Trustees of my church to propose a new youth program for the church. The idea of the program was to get kids interested in serving God and help them feel like they are a part of the church. The kids in the class I teach really don’t feel like members of the church and I proposed a plan to change that last night. It was a call for the members of the church to take a more active role in the youth ministry and to take time out to care for these kids and show these kids love. To turn their hearts to the next generation and turn the church into a hospital for broken hearts, a home for the lost, and a place where teenagers are exited to come learn, serve, and grow in the Lord. Well I met stern opposition to this proposal last night. The opponents of the idea believed that the church did not need a church ministry for teenagers, even though they admit that we do not have a succesful ministry as it is. This was quite a shock! These opponents were the same people who called for me to come up with a plan for revising the youth ministry. I soon learned that they had an agenda. They wanted the teens to go to other church groups too enjoy the glitz and glamour of “fun activitiesâ€

I have to say its a slightly odd, unexpected situation, but I'll be praying for you and your church.

Absolutely HS5000! I will definately pray for you and your churches decision. Connecting youth is vital if any church ever hopes to survive. If we dont dont teach and show kids Gods love, how can we expect them to know it, let alone teach it them selves one day!?

Our chruch is made up primarily of an elderly congregation, and its easy to see the lines between the different age groups. Instead of the elderly/mature members of the church reaching out to guide/mentor the young, they shun them as wreckless and obnoxious. Their theory is "let them grow up first" but the 'Growing up' is just what they could use help with!

*sigh*

My heart is definately with you on this one.

-kaji

Hey, friend.

May I just start by saying "thank you for standing up for youth." I know you will be rewarded by God for stickin' your neck out like this.

Furthermore, I sort of came through a program where the object seemed to be to keep us busy and give us minimal training or discipleship (a.k.a They played a game, then they told us "Get on fire for God. Yipeee. Wasn't that great. Let's close in prayer.") Coming from that, and having talked to some who went through that, it's a disastrous alternative. It leaves you thinking that all there is to God is what you received at your youth group: Temporary enjoyment but, finally, just another low after a high.

You might want to point out to the board that if they cart off your youth to fun camp where they'll be kept busy and kept from a deeper understanding of the gospel and the kind of love that Christ gives, you won't have a church after this generation. The only way that we as Christians can ensure (to the best of our ability) the survival of the church is to mentor, love, and firmly ground the youth in our churches now.
I'll be praying very fervently about this. I'd really like to know how this turns out, so post a follow-up here or PM me, if you don't mind. Thanks !

I'll be praying too. Thanks for pointing out that teen ministry is not focused on having fun.

I completely agree! Having fun is nice, but it gets tedious real quick when that's all that is happening. Also, while laughing and hanging out with friends is important to boost your selfconfidence, it would be much better in the long run for us (youth) to develop Godly characteristics and to deepen our faith more. In a society that is hell-bent (literally) on pleasure, we Christian Youth should be standing and shining God's truth all the more!

Edit: Btw, I forgot to say... I'll be praying

Holysoldier... I support your movement 100%

I'll tell you right now, where would I be without the youth group I went to (and continue to go every friday) 3 years ago.... Cause sunday church sermons were just no fun.... But the friday night youth pastor: Pastor Kelly. He got me sucked in right into God, and I accepted Jesus Christ. I don't believe that a formal "Sunday Service" wouldn't of been as effective towards me, as the friday nights were teenager oriented

infact, this is what you could do. Share some peoples testamonies of how youth group settings helped them greatly! Like mine!

See, games, food, fun. THAT is what attracts children and teenagers. Just like in Poland, if our programs weren't fun. If we didn't have games and fun dances and dramas and fun leaders. The children in Poland wouldn't of came to our programs. See what we did was First we advertised the night programs (with dances and dramas) THEN during the night program, we had games and fun and contests. And some dances and dramas. THEN Had someone speak about Jesus. And after that we'd all have barbeque.

And what our youth group is like. It's just full of kids, starts around 8 AM. we have worship (pretty dark room cause dark rooms are so cool) and lights on the band and whatnot. And I mean the pastor will speak. A really good and FUNNY speaker is what attracts teenagers. And like a cafe and videogames and stuff.... stuff that kids like, BUT it is critical that they get something out of the fun. They get Jesus. Or ought to atleast

See, FUN is what attracts many children into Church, and fun is what kids want in Church. That is why sunday service doesn't appeal to them. They get nothing out of sundays. "Why go to a boring place every sunday?" If you have a cool youth service. They'll go "Dude! they got a cafe, a hilarious speaker, and stuff" Emphasize that to them. That fun and cool music and bands and videogaming and pizza and soda can attract kids to church. Because it's church, AND fun. Well more fun than sundays atleast

SOON! SOON! Soon they will start going to the sunday service. If they are high in their faith and belief from going to the youth group/ministry a lot, they will begin to understand going to sunday service. And they will get much out of that too.

i know how ya feel...i have been in churches where all they care about is giving the teens something to do...the teenagers don't even go to the regular service...they split into "small groups"...it's frustrating when they treat the teens like toddlers and send them off to children's time...i'll be praying...it's hard but you're gonna make a difference...

S.B.

Lifting you up. I can tell from your posts that you seem to really have a heart for ministry and for reaching the youth. May God bless you for your heart to serve Him and others, and may He bless your efforts to reach others for Him.

I'm behind you 110%. Teenagers should not be pandered to--they are soon-to-become-adults, and should be treated as such, so they can become active in their chosen fields of ministry and be on fire for God.

I'll be praying that your proposition goes through.

UPDATE (9/26/05)
I have some good news and bad news.

The bad news is that situation is becoming grimmer with the opposition. The biggest opponent to the teen ministry revision is the previous youth leader. Since my first post on this topic I have learned that she has let the sin of bitterness sink to far in her heart. It is a very sad situation. She lost both her boys from the church when she had the helm. She encouraged these big flashy events over building disciples of the faith and now her two sons have recently left the church for these glitzy events she advocated, and she is angry at the church for this. She and her husband blame the church for not being what her sons wanted and that is why their kids left the church. She also lost the leadership of the youth group by a chance of fate when she had to leave to take care of her sick mother. (That is when she asked me to takeover.) Now, that her mother recently died, she is a since free to come back, and it appears she wants to come back, only the problem is I am in the way. Under her watch the youth group died and we lost youth from the church. Under my watch the youth group has tripled and we have gained youth to the church. I say this not out of pride but as praise for what God has used me, an unworthy servant, to accomplish. The students don’t want me to leave, and neither does the church. So it does not look like the former youth leader will be getting the helm back anytime soon. And this is where the bitterness is spilling over. She is trying to turn the youth against me. She is filling their heads with thoughts of how useless the S.O.S. Teen Ministry by comparing it to bigger flasher groups. And her poison is working! My best student has now turned against me and sided with the former youth leader. Now she is the only one of twelve students, but the former youth leader is trying to rally more to her position, and all under the church’s disapproval. So the issue of the former leader is going to be dealt with, but not by me. It is now a matter for the church, and the board of trustees will deal with it. So I just ask prayer that my church will do the right thing in dealing with the former leader. And I also ask prayer for the former leader. She has become a very bitter person and I just ask that the Lord will able to peel away the anger and resentment before in consumes her heart.

The good news comes from the fact that three of my students are really getting into participating with the S.O.S. Teen Ministry (the youth group I lead). One of them in particular has sort of been my project over the last year. A year ago she was the troublemaker in the church, the one that people would just shake their head at, but not me. I have ministered to this girl for a year now and this past week was a major breakthrough. It is just amazing to see how God has reached into her life and changed the once troublemaker into a follower hungry to know God more. It is just awesome! Now she is heading up the leadership team in their drive to make the S.O.S. Teen Ministry a successful Christian outreach for the Lord. It is just too awesome! And I praise God for the awesome things He is doing in these students lives!

So I will continue to do what I am doing here, ministering, and helping the youth develop a closer walk with God. I ask for prayers for me and for the youth.

God Bless
~HS5K

Will do bro! You're in my prayers!

Same here. It may appear that the odds are against you, but remember, the Lord is on your side.

Indeed. I'll be praying for you too matie; actually, this reminds me of a book written by John Bevere called 'The Bait of Satan'. It's all about offense and how it can have such a hold on us if we don't let it go. If you have it handy, i strongly suggest reading it. I can't remember all of what it says, but one part was that if someone is offended at you, even if you don't know the reason, try to make peace with that person.

Anyway, keep on going strong! It sounds like you are doing such an awesome job

I know how hard it is to try to do something different in a society that is older & demands conformity. A few years ago I left my family church because I felt there was nothing there for me. I caught alot of flack from my family for choosing another denomination, but in the few years I've made more progress than I ever have before. I know that the Lord has me where he wants me, until he tells me otherwise. Even though it's hard, if you listen to God he will reward you. Don't give up because what the Lord starts he will finish. I will pray for you.

I read about something like that in one of my servant leadership books...

[quote="Randy Sims - The Greatest Among You"]

The good and the bad of empowerment:

Two things can happen when you pass the ball]

Phew... That took me forever to type out, I hope that it's useful in some way.

I'll be praying for you and your ministry!


Postscript: Randy Sims is the director of Worldview Academy. If anyone wanted to know.

I will pray.

Wow. Sounds a lot like a situation our church went through. I know it hurts.

I'll be praying for you, friend.

lionheart wrote:I read about something like that in one of my servant leadership books...

Phew... That took me forever to type out, I hope that it's useful in some way.

I'll be praying for you and your ministry!

Postscript: Randy Sims is the director of Worldview Academy. If anyone wanted to know.

That was awesome! Thanks a bunch! I think you really hit the nail on the head there. And thanks everyone for the prayers. I will give another update this weekend. Hopefully things go better. I'm going to have a talk with the one student who is now against me. Hopefully that goes well.

God Bless
~HS5K

[B]2 Corinthians 2: 9-17 - “The Unseen Tensions of Ministryâ€

2. Sometimes we feel we’ve failed even though we know we’re on the victory side.
Preachers tell us “We’re on the victory side!â€

3. Often we feel inadequate in God’s work even though we know we’re called.
Paul often felt inadequate for the great task God had given him as a preacher of the Gospel. e.g. v.16b “Who is sufficient for these things?â€