This Week's White Horse Inn

Reforming Youth Ministry (Part 1)

Something is wrong youth ministry today. Visit a typical youth program at a typical evangelical church and you’re likely to witness a lot of fun and entertaining activity, yet most Christian teens remain biblically and theologically ignorant, and statistics show that the majority of them will abandon church after high school. On this program, Michael Horton discusses many of the issues and problems related to contemporary views of youth ministry with special guest Brian Cosby, author of Giving up Gimmicks: Reclaiming Youth Ministry from an Entertainment Culture.

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Comments

[Lloyd I. Cadle]

During the interview Shane asked the pastors if they are teaching the youth terms like Justification, Imputation and Propitiation and most of the pastors said "no" because it is over the head of the youth's. It may take one fourth of the time for a kid to understand these Biblical terms than trying to explain the concept to them. Shame on those pastors!

Lutherans have a two to four year confirmation class with a lot of homework to learn these key teachings in the Bible. At our church we have thirty teens that just finished the class!

One reason that it is good to practice infant Baptism is that it allows the child to feel a part of the church community from a very young age. They have the evidence of it every time they see their baptismal certificate. God will give them the grace to believe the promises contained in their baptisms (salvation, forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit). God is the active party in their baptisms, as He applies these gifts of Grace using the waters of Baptism and the Word of God! Like Luther says, it is true for all that believe the promises.