D id you ever stop to t h in k what you are really saying when you ask ten-year-old John nie, “What are you going to be* when you grow up?” You are expressing what is generally believed in our society, namely, that children and young people are not o f much value until they “ grow up.” They are more or less necessary evils to be endured until they become mature like us! “ Children are to be seen and not heard!” Churches are guilty of the same attitude. We must train them so they will become faithful servants o f the Lord as well as useful citi zens! Young people who have an swered the challenge to dedicate their lives to Christ are ready for action now! Some are expressing frustration over the fact that all they are asked to do is to take the offering on Sunday nights or serve tables at the Homebuilders’ banquet! They may have been outstanding participants in Little League baseball, but at the church they are perennial bench-warm ers. Some have looked elsewhere for a cause and have found plenty o f groups that would give ban ners to wave with the promise of having a vital part in changing a sick society. The adults in churches must
The problem is, however, that most o f these projects require diligent adult supervision. Many of these leaders, it seems, are un willing to give the time to devel op the latent talent. An awareness o f the import ance of establishing personal re lationships with y ou n g people should be emphasized constantly. Many who have been frightened by the constant talk o f the “ gen eration gap” are surprised to find that there is a readiness to relate to older people if there is a will ingness to find their “wave length.” Looking back on a twen ty-year pastoral ministry, I can truthfully say that the most last ing intimate relationships at the present time are with those with whom I was most intimate when they were young people. What can you do about the young people? Love them! Value them as individuals. Use them in evangelism and service. Develop a close personal relationship with them. T h ey want to be the N OW GENERATIONi W e in the church can make them the N OW GEN ERAT ION lo r God. n Glenn O’Neal, Ph.D., is Professor of Practical Theology, Talbot Theological Seminary.
come to the place where they see the valuable contribution which young people can make for the cause o f Christ. They can make a valuable con tribution in the field o f evan gelism. No one is more effective in reaching other young people than those of the same age. In a special program of outreach, imagine the surprise o f the pastor to have a junior high girl arrive at the church with forty-four friends, all first-time visitors. She had had a slumber party the night before and a part of the program was Sunday school the next morning ! With proper motivation there is unlimited potential. The problem is that often the adults in leader ship are not giving a vital chal lenge because they themselves are not excited about reaching a world for Christ. Young people also have much to offer in the area of service. While being very much aware o f possi ble wild gyrations o f mood and in terest there remains here a poten tial source o f help in both the ac tual church services and care of the physical plant. Music, pro motional and instructional skits and vacation Bible school assist ance, are examples o f activities where youth can provide actual help in furthering the cause of Christ.
1
NOVEMBER, 1969
37
Made with FlippingBook HTML5