I write this post now as there is no one grounded (that I know of) from youth group (at least at our church). Now that is not to say it hasn’t happened in the past and it probably will happen again in the future. I write this because I know some youth pastor came home from youth group last night or last Sunday night disappointed because the lesson was one that really would have been good for “Johnny” to hear but “Johnny” wasn’t there because he had been grounded from youth group.
Let’s unpack this grounded from youth group scenario.
It is understandable when a parent who isn’t a Christian or isn’t involved in church grounds their kid from youth group. They don’t understand the importance that youth group plays in the spiritual formation of their teen. (How did you like that use of “formation”?) So let’s assume that “Johnny’s” parents are Christians.
Why ground a teen from youth group? “It’s just a bunch of games at youth group”.
Perhaps at some youth groups that is true. But truth of the matter is that while there may be games to help bring a fun factor into church there is still truth taught from God’s Word. Sure there are games and fun. If church was boring why would a teen (or an add youth pastor) want to even go to church?
Church isn’t something we do only on Sunday morning. We are the church, whenever we get together as believers we are the church coming together to worship. Teenage Christians are the church. When the youth group gets together that is church. So would you ground “Johnny” from church? Church is church whether it is on Sunday morning or Wednesday night, whether it is in the “sanctuary” or in the youth room. To ground a student from youth group is to ground a student from church.
It’s been interesting that in the many years I’ve been a youth pastor I’ve seen many “church kids” grounded from youth group. I have never actually understood it. Many of my youth pastor friends have shared their frustrations with me in this area. What compounds the frustration is when “Johnny” is grounded from youth group but is at ball practice the next day. “Johnny” has a commitment to his ball team." What about his commitment to the church?
Why ground “Johnny” from church?
2 comments:
And if Johnny is on a football/soccer/lacrosse/swim/baseball/hockey/basketball/wrestling/golf/tennis/team, these same parents won't "ground" him from those, yet they'll ground him from church.
Go figure.
But here's their rationale..."But he's made a commitment to the team/to the coach, and I won't let him renig on commitments. I don't want him to let his teammates down."
Gee, sounds like the kind of commitment Jesus calls us to with His body.
Hello?
Even scarier is that the impact of hearing God's Word is eternally greater than the impact of winning another game. But we'll sacrifice the eternal for a few high fives.
Wake up.
It all boils down to the pie of my time. We compartmentalize too much. Witnessed this just this week in the life of a family.
Too busy to attend church because they have so much going on.
It all boils down to choice. In life you do what you want and everything else is an excuse.
Post a Comment