How Can a Congregation Connect with the Youth of the Congregation?

Part 3: Participate WITH Them! By Wes Garland       One thing that I really hate to see is a congregation that divides into “the church” and “the youth group”. They make comments like “they are the church of the future” and they refer to them as “them”. But I have a question, Are they not part of the church now? The same church that all of us are a part of? ABSOLUTELY! Then why make separations? Why try to divide the congregation into groups or sections when we are all supposed to be ONE body as ONE church? This article is focused on an area that I think will help the congregation is that is we INVOLVE OURSELVES WITH THOSE OF DIFFERENT AGE. This means that when the older are doing things, include the young people with them and vice versa. What this shows is that you are taking the initiative to be part of each other’s lives and helping each other get to Heaven. It is so true that the older is to teach the younger (Titus 2:1-8), but it is also true that the younger CAN TEACH the older (Matthew 18:1-5). I do believe that we are doing an injustice to ourselves and the youth when we choose NOT TO INTERACT with them in activities and study. May we look out for opportunities to get involved with the youth and see where we can step in. If we love the church, it would be smart to be involved with any age. Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. This involves EVERYONE: YOUNG and OLD!

- Wesley Garland preaches for Warners Chapel church of Christ in Clemmons, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://warnerschapelchurchofchrist.org/ Link to Part 1 Link to Part 2