Get on the floor

Last night our youth group celebrated a Passover Seder together.

Although not all the students seemed to take it seriously, I believe that for some of the teenagers this was a powerful evening that opened their eyes to more of what lies behind the Lord's Supper. We ate food. We talked about the history of the Passover. Students took a journey back to an upper room about two thousand years ago.

These are the kind of activities that I believe are an essential part of spiritual formation. Sure, there are times for silly games and trips to fun places, but students must engage in moments that brings the life of Jesus to life for them. How much more meaningful is the Lord's Supper when we know the story behind the event? The impact of a Seder can change the meaning of communion from something we just do every Sunday because it is our tradition to an event that the community of Christ followers engage in to celebrate the promises of God.

Why do we in youth ministry often spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on an event that mostly involves having fun instead of investing a significant portion of that money (and time and energy) into more spiritually transforming activities? I am not against those fun activities. We need those times when students can be relaxed and build relationships with each other and adults. But those events cannot be the foundation of our ministry. Otherwise we are often shaping students into expecting church to be fun and games.

That kind of world-view of church will not keep students engaged for a lifetime of walking with Jesus. Being a follower of Jesus can be challenging and demands sacrifice. Ski trips and other entertainment will not naturally develop an attitude that is ready for the struggles of true discipleship. These things should be the gravy on the meat and potatoes of transformational ministry.

I believe one of the main reasons we lose so many of our students after high school is because we are not equipping them for the reality of life. When they graduate from high school and church is no longer about trips and games, many of these former youth group members decide church is not their thing.

We in youth ministry must provide a realistic approach to discipleship. I would rather students occasionally complain that something is boring in the process of spiritual formation than constantly entertain teenagers just so they keep coming to youth group. The true measurement of my success is not based on how many students come to an event. (Although I would be lying if I didn't confess that low turnouts disappoint me.)  But true success for me is the student who comes back five years later and is involved in ministry (not just attending church) and is continuing in their journey to be a committed follower of Jesus Christ.

Maybe that is why it is easier to plan the fun events that everyone wants to come to. People want immediate satisfaction. They want to see success right away. Youth ministers are just like everyone else. We want to see the fruit of our efforts. We want the approval that comes from an event that everyone liked and raves about. Unfortunately, spiritual formation doesn't always occur in this way. It can be hard work that doesn't see fruit for a long time. So we must keep our eyes set on the future and on the ultimate goal. We must always remember that youth ministry is about helping students find their place in the Kingdom of God today and preparing them to continue to grow into the person that God has created them to be.