What About Our Youth?

So many times we have heard, "How are you going to reach our youth? What are you going to do for them?" Or, "We've got a great youth program at our church." Worse yet is when we hear, "They just don't have anything for our kids at that church."
I don't think there's a church yet that we've visited that isn't focused on the 'youth'.

Truly, in this day, the emphasis is placed on the young, not only in our society, but now even in our churches.

We have been told we've just got to relate to where the youth are at. We've got to use what they like in order to reach them. Such as; music, entertainment,clothing, etc. We've got to be cool, hip and happening so that we can be in touch with the youth of our day. Thus, we now have all the modern church programs and ministries trying to do just that.

We recently saw an television interview with a pastor who talked about how he grew their youth group at 'his church'. He shared about how they had made going to church a 'cool' experience for the youth. They had done away with all the pews, crosses, hymnbooks and Bibles. They took out all that looked 'religious' replacing those things with video arcade games, snack bars, movie rooms, band stage, etc. They were getting down on the level of their young people in order to reach them and get them into church.

Wow! So much for the church being seperate from the world, huh.

Considering all this fuss and focus on the youth, maybe some pastors should carefully consider the following verses.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement.

Therefore, remove sorrow from they heart, and put away evil from thy flesh; for childhood and youth are vanity. ~Ecclesiastes 11:9-10


Interesting Thought: God says that childhood and youth are vanity.

Strange that God calls childhood and youth vanity and yet so many churches today have become playgrounds for the youth. Doesn't seem to go together does it?

Sobering Thought: God warns the youth that their deeds will come into judgement.

Notice that He says even though they walk in the ways of their own hearts or in the sight of their own eyes, meaning they do what they like or follow after their own wisdom and understanding, yet God says, 'For all these things, God will bring thee into judgement'.

Wonder how many youth are hearing this message in their churches on "Youth Night"?

I fear far too few.