Kids are more than cute. Unfortunately, as I look back on forty-three + years of ministry, much of it dealing with youth and young adults, I become cynical when thinking of the church’s attitude toward youth and young adults. When I say church I mean congregations, pastors, church structures in all denominations, particularly main-line churches and denominations with which I am most familiar.
Too often I hear children’s sermons that are either little moralistic lessons or something the pastor really wants the grown-ups to hear but is afraid to tell them. Children in children’s sermons can actually be preached to if genuinely approached. When I used to do children’s sermons, I had two role models: Johnny Carson and Mr. Rogers. Both took children seriously, both listened to children, and both respected the children and made an effort to engage them at their level.
When I led a large confirmation program and a chunk of my pastoral time was spent with Jr. High youth, other pastors asked me when I was going to get back into the ministry. Somehow youth did not translate well to a career path in the church. Yet who visits me most over the years? Kids I once confirmed who are now 35-55. They want me to meet their spouse or their children as I presided at the weddings for some.
Who have I heard from most after announcing my retirement? Alumni of our campus ministry. The point is if the church wants to make a major impact on the world, treat youth and young adults as children of God and not as simply cute or ornamental but very much an integral part of the Body of Christ.
When the crash of 2008 hit one area church eliminated their campus ministry and couldn’t believe we did not do the same. Their pastor actually became a bit angry with me. He insisted we should be doing mission and couldn’t quite understand students were a big part of our mission.
One of our ELCA pastors is one whom I have had many major disagreements with over the years. Yet I have tremendous respect for him in one area: the priority he put on youth in his congregation. As a senior pastor of a large church every year he could be found sleeping on a plywood bunk at Campfirmation to be with his youth. Not coincidentally many of those grew up to be young adults who went off to seminary after college.
As a campus pastor I have learned most congregations and pastors have no idea where their graduates go after high school. Sometimes I think they expect them to no longer attend worship. This can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I wonder how much of the absence of young people in church and a great decline in the number entering seminary is a result of not taking youth and young adults seriously as partners in ministry and fellow children of God? Over the years I have often heard, “Let’s have the youth do it or the students do it”. It generally refers to some less than enjoyable chores that need to be done around the church. To me I hear, “Let’s give them the things we don’t want to do. That will make them like church.” Why not instead say, “This isn’t much fun but it has to be done. Let’s see if we can invite some youth or young adults to partner with us and just get it done together.” Relationships can be formed that way. I remember a student many years ago striking up a relationship with an elderly member. The member had an antique truck. Before long so did the student and they worked on building up the student’s truck throughout the student’s time here. And it all started cleaning windows together.
We are fortunate here. We put a focus on students and are proud to see them in worship and hear their tales once they leave as they serve the church and the world. So often I hear, “I do this because of what I learned here.” You are all mentors and teachers and don’t always even know it. I think we have done our share helping with the clergy shortage. The good news is we aren’t done.
The church has always been only one generation away from extinction. Keep it up. The church throughout the world needs the gifts that you are so very good at providing. Maybe on our tree for the Serrv Free Trade fair we should have an ornament that provides a student. We don’t need the ornament. We are already providing the gift. It is one of many reasons I am proud to have served here. Kids can be cute. They can also be partners in ministry. They can also be leaders in the church in the years ahead. It is impressive how this community so willingly, lovingly, and selflessly supports its students with little reward other than a job well done.