3 – Kid Temperature
The youth of most every church are leaving and not returning, for a basic clear reason – the attitudes of the church are shunning them. The church and other youth ministries are cold to their needs and challenges in their present world. A church that truly cares about its future, needs to take its KID TEMPERATURE, throughout the whole building and its programs – on a regular basis too.
A - Kid Temperature Tips
In taking the kid temperature of your church, you must first see that teens most often are visual feeders. Because their reading, writing, and typing skills are not always up to par, they go for the video/audio resources. Besides... video and audio is faster, louder, and flashier. They like to create things putting their own imagination to work. It's like they want their creation to have their stamp on it; that somehow says, “Hey. I'm no dummy!” They love challenges. Boys on games, girls on multitasking conversations and being the fastest 'news' reporters of their on-line network. Today it's a gigantic phenomenon called, “Social Networking.” More specifically, boys like loud, messy, high energy, construction, and competition. The girls like feelings, fashion, communication, and companions. Boys nor girls like lectures & sitting still.
Just as important, we must fathom the information tsunami our youth entered when they were born. This is tough for us silver-haired seniors to come to grips with. Technology can now be purchased that allows the wearer to take your picture with a blink of an eye, without you knowing it. Your cellphone and the cable companies know where you take your phone and when. When it comes to geography, the Internet can show you roads and scenery on any spot on our planet. Machines follow commands we speak to them, and go places no man has ever gone. This means we need to be wise and caring in the type of 'kid thermometer' we use. We can't begin its use without deep caring prayer and trusting God's promises in scripture.
B - Kid Temperature – First Impressions
Our church walls should tell visitors, even before words, our hunger for spiritually nurturing our youth. Colorful posters, contest progress, upcoming events should spur the inviting of their friends to church. Even the arrangement of chairs and tables should indicate that classes are not the mechanical lecture and story agenda of each week. Classrooms should include small discovery corners where youth, even teens, can group and discuss God's handiwork in creation and their own lives.
C - Kid Temperature – M and Ms
What does it tell you when a church youth curriculum or Vacation Bible School theme is built around dinosaurs or stagecoaches? Though painful, the church must realize these two objects, among others are the farthest from the hourly thoughts of youth today. These themes are patterned around the curriculum used half a century ago. The problem is that church youth planners are afraid to separate the MESSAGE of the gospel from the METHODS used to teach.
D - Kid Temperature – Their Smarts Are Greater
To be very honest, our youth today are smarter than we give them credit for. Church youth planners assume the 'bible stories' taught to beginners will build strong enough character, no further solid principles need to be taught. When the church tries to feed teenagers 'milk' stories, they are turned off, and leave. That's not rocket science. Invite teens to planning meetings – ask them for their ideas. Do we think the Holy Spirit only leads ADULT Christians?
E - Kid Temperature – Prayer
Imagine you are a young person in your church, listening to prayer requests, week after week, or reading the list printed in the bulletin. You continually hear requests for health issues, sometimes even of a minor nature. But NEVER do you hear of the spiritual needs of youth, their classes, projects or leaders. Include a missions bulletin board that features youth missionaries and evangelists that are teens themselves. [~]
[This is an excerpt from ReachingYouth.net START HERE, by the same author.]
