Priorities: Church from the Churches perspective

• Church people tend to view a youth program as being “out there” and not really a part of their church. There's even a subtle or not so subtle view of the youth program as a missions project or evangelism program.
  • This can be used to the advantage of the youth program.
  • However, in the long run it isolates the youth and keeps them from being a factor in the life of the church
• Do not let the youth to be viewed as the table waiters or gardeners of the church
  • If this is all they are called on to do stop it. Refuse to allow them to do these tasks until they are also church officers, committee people, liturgists and any other adult responsibility
  • Look for ways of making them publicly visible. Mission projects and fund raisers are good for this.
  • Have the youth participate in all church activities (even congregational meetings).
  • One of the things that speaks loudest to a congregation about how the congregation views youth is to have a teen (in jeans?) serving communion next to a patriarch/matriarch of the church.
• Remind budget people that 80% of Christians committed themselves to Christ before the age of 18. From a marketing perspective, where should the emphasis be?
• Remind church leadership that attracting youth means attracting whole families
• Have a prominent bulletin board in a main area of the church (Sanctuary lobby?) that highlights the youth program. You can also put news items that feature the church's youth on it.
• Have an annual youth newsletter that lists and highlights the entire youth program and mail it (electronically or otherwise) to the entire congregation