Then may come the stereotyped presentation — a quiz and “parts” read to fill up the time. Or the sponsor, ar riving late, gives a 30-minute sermon to finish off the program. Through all of this, whispering, giggling, or bored young people are wasting valuable time. Are you somehow hoping to train your young people through meetings similar to this one? If you are interested in seeing your youth grow in the Lord and become mature leaders, then you must make your youth-fellowship hour more than just a nov elty hour. Would you like to see your young people active, in terested participants rather than passive spectators? Would you like to reach and retain more teen-agers through your youth meetings? Then make your youth program a solid training program. Here’s how:
I n c h u r c h e s w h e r e Sunday school may happily no longer be “ the most wasted hour in the week,” the Sunday evening youth hour often is! Weak, weekly youth meetings fall short of providing Christian teen-agers with the training and spiritual de velopment they so desperately need. Many young people sit through youth meetings week after week and make absolutely no progress in their Christian lives because they are the victims of unplanned, purposeless programs that carry little or no spiritual impact. All too often youth meetings fall into a familiar pat tern. The meeting does not begin on time. The song leader calls for “ favorites,” and the group sings several threadbare choruses. A Scripture passage, chosen at the last moment, is poorly read. The song leader may ask for testimonies, but there is no response from the group.
18
THE KING'S BUSINESS
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs