tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post5757617218540790638..comments2024-03-27T15:47:46.091-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: Where have all the youth group folks gone?Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-49211475802632511972012-10-08T07:28:52.937-05:002012-10-08T07:28:52.937-05:00Using music and entertainment as a means to connec...Using music and entertainment as a means to connect the youth to the church has not yielded the outcomes it was supposed to. As a matter of fact, the youth has got deviated from the the original teachings of Jesus. Using the earlier methods to foster and preach the almighty’s teachings is a better solution to pass on the faith to the next generation. Parental teaching and example, dedicated catechesis, and good <a href="http://www.crosspointechurch.tv/resources.html>Youth minsters </a> should be there to bring the youth to the church and get closer to God.robert lahmhttp://www.crosspointechurch.tv/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-37485028226283749632012-10-05T15:21:06.304-05:002012-10-05T15:21:06.304-05:00It's always easier to point out what everyone ...It's always easier to point out what everyone else is doing wrong, than to speak to the serious question that Pastor Peters raises. There is no lack of false teaching within the umbrella of those who call themselves Christian and no lack of heresy and blasphemy outside of the Church, but that doesn't really address the LCMS question, "Where have all the youth group folks gone." <br /><br />It seems to me one of the factors that needs to be part of the conversation is the role of church as center of family and community. For many years, both in rural and suburban areas, church was the center of community life for many people. For ethnic immigrants, it was the place where Germans, Polacks, Slovaks, Swedes, etc. gathered together, worshipped God and celebrated their culture. Ethnic foods and traditions (pork and sauerkraut suppers, lutefisk dinners, etc.) were core to the life of the congregation. Additionally, back then television meant 3-channels, youth sports meant playing in the back yard or sand lot. Church met the need for community gatherings and filled the empty hours for youth and adults with Laymen's Leagues, Missionary Leagues, Walther and Luther Leagues, and bowling and softball leagues. AAL chapters and Women's circles provided opportunities for fellowship and service. Today, the ethnic ties are fading (though nothing beats a good, Greek Orthodox food festival)and people's primary social needs are no longer met by the church community and they have little time for "leagues" of any sort. People's lives are filled with RV's and Home Depot projects. There are now 300 cable channels and youth sports run 7-days per week, including Sunday mornings. The decline in church attendance and youth groups can be tracked in parallel with the decline of bowling (and church basement shuffleboard). Here's a good article on the topic: http://nyti.ms/Q1L3YT <br /><br />The bad news is that people no longer have to come to church to socialize and eat homemade dumplings. Therefore, many don't. The good news is that those who do come perhaps, come for the things that are unique to church: the Divine Service, the Means of Grace, the opportunity for Christian fellowship and service.<br /><br />Here's the rub: some churches today have realized is the many people no longer bowl, quilt or make Slovak noodles; but they do exercise, Zumba and enroll their kids in soccer leagues. So, instead of a bowling alley in the basement, they have Zumba class and instead of a youth program they have soccer programs. In a sense, they are trying to capture a bit of the past, but perhaps unwittingly engendering the next generation of "Christianish Agnostics".WRVinovskishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07325411009902999939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-4203417518337329632012-10-05T03:14:59.819-05:002012-10-05T03:14:59.819-05:00Before we start talking about the tragedy of falli...Before we start talking about the tragedy of falling church attendance we always have to acknowledge that the numbers from the good old days are fluffed up with what I call "Christianish Agnostics", that is to say people who might consider themselves Christians but do not treat the Bible as authoritative, do not consider God relevant to their lives, and probably don't know a whole lot about Christian doctrine anyway. In many ways I am glad to see that church attendance is dropping because I believe that it is the pruning of the Vine. However, there are also people who are genuine Christians who fall away and I believe that when it comes to those people (particularly the college-age ones) the problem is a lack of theological and apologetic training. The New Atheists have renamed their ideology "Reason" and set against it all supernaturalist ideologies which are distinct as "Faith", and it seems like we've let them do it.Brett Davisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14627222593511675412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-78348851386935502782012-10-03T22:40:38.113-05:002012-10-03T22:40:38.113-05:00Hopefully, the LCMS youth are not on this Facebook...Hopefully, the LCMS youth are not on this Facebook page:<br /><br />http://www.alittleleaven.com/2012/10/a-night-at-the-apocalypse.html<br /><br />As Rick Warren is very popular among young "missionals" in the LCMS, how do they feel about Warren partnering with Oprah and Joel Osteen?<br /><br />When will the LCMS "missionals" finally wake up?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-47171743018352323602012-10-03T12:22:08.027-05:002012-10-03T12:22:08.027-05:00The LCMS did a study some years ago
on youth group...The LCMS did a study some years ago<br />on youth groups. Their conclusion:<br />High School youth are active in their<br />LCMS parish in direct correlation<br />to the activity of their parents<br />in that parish.<br /><br />Bottom line: If parents are not<br />active in your parish, then do not<br />expect their teenagers to be active.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-54130468409251398652012-10-03T10:07:42.515-05:002012-10-03T10:07:42.515-05:00The last thing we need is someone telling us that ... <i>The last thing we need is someone telling us that we need to go back to the way it was done 40-50 years ago. </i><br /><br />You're right. You need to go back at least 100 years. Seriously. That is what I am doing. <br /><br />Anyway, I generally agree with you, but I don't think this world and its challenges are really different, or that kids are different either. <br /><br />What worked 1,000 years ago, still works now. Nothing new under the sun.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-23377100520560280472012-10-03T06:10:06.166-05:002012-10-03T06:10:06.166-05:00http://bit.ly/UACrbqhttp://bit.ly/UACrbqAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com