Too many times, too many Christians talk, talk, talk about transforming the next generation but there are few who actually do it. Just last week I was doing a fundraising meeting with about thirty people and asked the question, “How are teenagers viewed by the average church in America?”
One girl (who couldn’t have been more than a few years out of her teen years) said something like, “When I was attending church as a teenager adults would, from time to time, get up in church and say things like, ‘Teenagers are important’ or ‘they are the church of tomorrow’ or ‘we have to make our young people more of a priority.'” Everyone would shout an “AMEN!” and then business went on as usual: the adults continued to do the same things they would always do and the teenagers would be relegated to the basement (both literally and figuratively) to carry on their games and lessons and such.”
This young lady nailed it. There’s way too much talk and not nearly enough action when it comes to prioritizing youth ministry in the average church. Because if we really want to make the next generation a priority it’s going to get messy and it’s going to get personal. We need every adult who is serving Jesus dive into the lives of the Christian teenagers they know and mobilize them for kingdom action.
How? That’s where the “Triple Dog Dare” comes in. I’m going to challenge you to develop your personal “Mobilization Action Plan” and execute it with the teenagers in your world. According to Titus 2 older men and women are called to set the example for and then train the next generation.
If you’re a teenager give your parents or your youth leader or an adult sponsor at your church this dare. If you’re an adult challenge the adults in your small group or Sunday school class to do the Mobilization Action Plan (aka “MAP”) with you.
Come on! Don’t be a chicken! I triple dog dare you!!!
