I just found your blog, so excuse me if I’m way off base w/ what you’re looking for. I’m not a pastor, but I’ve been a lay leader in Baptist churches for 15+ years and previously served on staff at several churches. I’m well acquainted with the situation in your case study. (Actually, I think many pastors I know would be thrilled to hear church members ask the questions raised in the story.)

In my opinion, churches lose “young people” in large part because of resistance to new ideas and a lack of openness/inclusiveness. We send our young people off to college, where they are taught to be critical learners and to question everything. Then when they come back home and question us about why we do what we do in church, we treat them as heretics (at worst) or ignore them (at best). It’s no wonder they leave and never return.

I am not suggesting we compromise the gospel, but we certainly need to rethink the way we present it and the way we “do church.”

I hope that helps.

Steve DeVane

Stephanie’s point about “big-church envy” is an important warning. One of the local big churches (not PCUSA, thank God) now randomly brings in drug-sniffing dogs to youth functions. They’d made their youth program so entertainment oriented–including handing out a $50 bill as a “prize” at least once a week, oftentimes in relation to an evangelical invitation–that they were no longer able to control their crowds.

Carol’s comment, “this isn’t going to help your paper,” is spot on IF your professor isn’t open to emergent viewpoints. Of course, the true test isn’t your professor, but the people in that not-so-fictional committee. After your experience of the last few years, you know what kind of mindsets operate in the pews of even “young, hip, and trendy” congregations.

If I were working in this church, I would encourage them to think a bit differently. Try to get them to think about ministry to college students and singles. As the young adults get older and have children, then you can plan the youth group activities.

Interesing case and thanks for sharing it. Not so acadamic for me, this is a description of what I face in the churches I consult in regularly. Quite real life. May issues surfacing at once, none with an easy quick fix. Some questions raised in these comments are…What is the calling of church in the midst of an increasingly diverse society? What is the nature of youth ministry within a small congregtion? Or any congregation? Is faith formation for youth only done through corraling them together in same age/fun activites? What is the role of pastor and the lay people in ministry? (“We need a plan…” from YOU pastor, and “What are YOU going to do to make the church more fun for kids.”) And lastly—Is our “large-church-down-the-street envy” helping or hurting us?!

Just some questions I ponder in response to the case.

Stephanie