This is an article I read on Josh Griffin Blog the other day. I thought I would post it because I have talked about it a couple of times in the past month on my blog (here are articles I spoke of it - ARTICLE 1 ARTICLE 2)
Check out this article by Outreach Magazine
Here are some highlights of the Article I took from Josh Blog.
From our data, we can infer that one substantial reason many students do not plan to leave after high school is because their church is taking an active role in their lives. In other words, the church is essential to students because they know that they are essential to the church. Students are not looking for freedom; they desire responsibility.
Sadly, many students do leave the church after high school. But the heart of the issue isn’t freedom—it involves a disconnect between the local church and the lives of the students. In high school, most students do not make that vital connection with their church. And when church doesn’t play a critical role, these students end up replacing one social venue with another. Church is out; college life is now in. The church wasn’t essential to them in high school, so why would it change in college?
Now that we’ve debunked the “freedom” myth, it’s clear that all the blame doesn’t fall on students for exiting the church. While everyone is certainly accountable for his or her own actions, each church has the responsibility to make students a valued part of ministry. An array of responsibilities always need to be filled within the church—sound and lighting technicians, ushers, greeters, nursery workers and parking attendants. Ask students to pray during services. Train those who are more spiritually mature to teach elementary school children.
The essential church utilizes all capable believers in the body for service, including students. Want to keep your students? Put them to the task and then watch them grow.
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