Church Youth Groups Are A Cop-Out

Cop-out, also cop·out (kŏp'out')
n (slang)
1. A failure to fulfill a commitment or responsibility or to face a difficulty squarely.
2. A person who fails to fulfill a commitment or responsibility.
3. An excuse for inaction or evasion.

I know, since the church doesn't offer anything for anyone under 25, let's form a group just for kids. We'll give them one room to call their own (out of more than two dozen in the church) and they can paint the walls themselves and take some ownership in the place. We'll also give them a few hundred dollars for pizza (out of a budget of a few hundred thousand). We'll call it a youth group, or some acronym like EYC. They can go do their stuff, hidden away (out of sight - out of mind) in the youth room, and they'll appreciate us (the rest of the 'Adult' church) more for it. If they're nice about it, we'll even give them a seat on the vestry (as long as they are quiet).

Instead, what about a church for kids and by kids ? Meaningful liturgy that actually meets these peope where they are in their lives ? Sermons (if that is even part of the liturgy) that speak to the problems and challenges they are facing ?Facilities and member organizations that are useful to them ? After all, these are the next bishops, the next clergy, the nxt lay leaders. There are the people that are going to stick your sorry ashes in an urn and lock them behind a columbarium door.

Often I think the most important thing the Apostles did was to turn the church over to the next generation. The churh of today has completely lost that - and is paying for it dearly.

"Trust no one over the age of 30."
-Bob Dylan (who turned 65 in 2006)