Put on the breaks: THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!

I've just read an interesting and scary research report done by the Barna Group of Ventura, California. Read the report! Basically, it says that 20somethings are exiting the church like crazy. This happens typically after a great deal of involvement in the teen years. These students have been active and an involved in youth group and church events, but have failed to become involved as they go to college. The stat is 61% of teens who have been involved in a church during their teens are disengaged during their 20s. This is a major problem and we must find a way to stop it.

What's the answer?

The report gives a few great observations:

1. Student Ministries need to focus on Discipleship and Mentoring.
2. Student Ministries must focus on the process of forming faith.
3. Student Ministries need to be more personalized.
4. MOST IMPORTANTLY: PARENTS MUST TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE DISCIPLESHIP OF THEIR STUDENTS!

The first three observations that are made by the Barna group can all be handled with one dynamic shift in Student Ministry: the recruitment and development of passionate adult youth workers. Mentoring must be done in an adult to student format, while there can be "unspoken mentors" in a student-to-student format, the most effective mentors are adults who will actively engage in the lives of teenagers. These mentors need to be Christ-centered, Bible-focused, and church-supporting individuals. Mentoring is no more than actively being involved in the lives of students and consistently pointing them towards Christ and His Word.

In order for parents to keep their students from becoming statistics though they MUST become the primary discipler of the students. Simply said if you want a passionately involved student then you MUST be a passionately involved parent. Parents must passionately pursue Jesus Christ daily. Parents must model Bible Study and worship to their children. Parents must be lovers of God and His bride the church. Parents are the key to their children's growth spiritually. This is something that I have held firmly and whole-heartedly believe.

My plea is for parents to understand that they are the greatest influencers in the lives of their children. I will work hard as a Pastor of Students to train them and youth workers alike, but in a maximum of 5 hours a week it is impossible to do what parents are able to do everyday. Parents please love God! Parents please show that you love God to your students! Parents please make Him the most valuable part of your life, not your job or career, not your car or your boat or your golf game. Don't let your 401(k) be the focus of your life or the next vacation or politics, make Jesus Christ your all-sufficient treasure (Matt. 13.44). Find your joy in Him. Make Him the well that you draw strength from and if you do that things will change. If you do that then it will fall out all over. It will be modeled to your children, it will be modeled to your neighbors, it will be obvious to outsiders and people will ask you what is the cause of the hope that lives within you (1 Peter 3:15).

If you do that statistics will change... if you do that your life will change...if you do that your children will change...if you do that this world will change.