For Christian education and nurture leaders.
Releasing the youth
By Troy Watson
A high school friend asked me if I remembered going through the church hymnal
during church and writing "…under the bed sheets at night" at
the end of each hymn title. For years, I thought this profane Sunday morning
pastime was the domain of naughty Baptist boys. That is, until I started
serving in a rural Mennonite church and found that it was an ecumenical cornerstone
under the banner, "Church Is Boring!"
When I was a teenager my God-moments happened while sitting
in an open field on a blanket under a midnight meteor shower, or while crashing
into six-foot waves running into Lake Huron. These moments made me feel alive
and connected to something much bigger than me.
Sound familiar? In the conversations I have had with
youth, when the "church is boring" refrain comes up, I often ask them
to share what would make it un-boring. Almost always, the first answer is "real
music" that speaks to them and that sounds like music they actually listen
to. Then they sometimes tell a "cool church story"-about some other
group that used 3D movie screens or some high-tech way of connecting faith to
the real world they live in everyday. Sometimes their stories involve nature,
or silence, or dancing.
Questions of power and control
But beneath it all, I often hear their desire to be empowered for ministry,
on their own terms. The controversial rapper and teenage icon Eminem said
in a recent interview "I am who I am, I don't compromise my stuff for
nobody!" That sentiment is echoed more and more on the lips of today's
youth, spoken toward institutions that want to control them.
I find that the youth, the church of today (not just tomorrow), are still interested
in using their gifts and talents in church-like playing guitar, performing
dramatic presentations, and speaking-but they are less and less interested
in being told exactly how to do it. As youth pastors and worship leaders, we
need to relinquish control-first to the Holy Spirit, and then to youth who
are gifted and called in the congregation. It means letting them call some
of the shots, make mistakes, usher, lead worship, read Scripture, do sound,
and plan worship regularly, not just on youth Sunday.
Youth are still interested in using their
gifts and talents in the church, but they are less and less interested
in being told exactly how to do it. As youth pastors and worship leaders,
we need to relinquish control-first to the Holy Spirit, and then to the
youth who are gifted and called in the congregation.
At Bethany Mennonite Church, we are trying to make the church a permission-giving place where youth don't have to "compromise their stuff"-at least no more than the rest of the congregation has to. For the sake of the community around us, and for our youth, we take seriously Paul's call to "be all things to all people so that we may by all-means save some" (see 1 Cor. 9:22-23). The music, the message style, the technology-all are issues of "language" and God speaks everyone's language.
All things to all people
For us that has meant hosting two Sunday services-a more traditional one at
9:30, and the Celebration Service at 11, and we involve youth in both of
them. The Celebration Service, which emerged after six months of research,
planning, and prayer, empowers everyone, especially the youth, to offer whatever
gifts and passions they are willing to use for God. Youth are multi-media
and sound technicians, praise band members, and worship planners.
Sarah, 17, has a face full of metal and a heart of gold.
She co-leads one of our two worship bands. Before our Celebration Service began
she had no interest in playing music in church, even though she uses those talents
regularly outside of church. Sarah recently wrote a song, and adapted the lyrics
for worship at the Celebration Service. "I like being up there seeing all
the people get into worship," she told me. "It's like we are feeding
each other, like we are a big circle of worship together."
A couple of weeks ago I looked around during the worship
service, and I saw a mature adult member covering his ears. Is this worse than
playing "between the bedsheets?" Of course not, although it is no better.
Sunday morning worship must be a time when both the young and old rejoice and,
if necessary, suffer together. At Bethany we continue to work at worship that
allows people of all ages to exercise their gifts.
As leaders, are we using the gifts of youth today, or
are we idly putting that off for tomorrow, when their passion for God and service
have mellowed some? Youth know the answer to this question by how much participation
and, yes, control we are willing to give them. Let's give them a safe place where
they don't have to "compromise their stuff."
For discussion
What age group's expectations, preferences, and needs are being attended to
the most in your worship services? What might that say about the value
of their spirituality or that of the other groups?
How much "creative worship control" does your church give to the youth in your congregation? What opportunities are you giving them to lead and participate on Sunday mornings?
Troy Watson is Associate Pastor of Bethany Mennonite Church near Virgil, Ontario.