Older vs. Youth

[MyangelDems]

I'm doing a sociology paper for my Sociology of Religion class and want to get some feedback. It's probably a pretty straight-forward question that's asked alot

Poll: How do you feel about how your church treating the young adults?

If you could please give feedback other than the poll with some of your experiences, why you feel the way you do, how you are/were treated, and how you feel you SHOULD be treated (scripture is always welcome to back it up but optional) I'd appreciate it. Thanx!

By young adults or youth I mean 18-? (you're as young as you feel i guess! )

 

[girlscoutdropout]

ok, editing based on new info

i am 20 yrs old, almost 21, so i feel like an equal.  in all the chruch hopping i've done in the last couple of years (since i was about 17), i've felt an equal.  however, i also feel that it's based on the level of maturity i'm at.  i've always been responsible, so i've been treated like an adult and given responsbilty by my peers and adults.  there are people in my age group that aren't treated equally, so that's how i've come to explain it..

 

[MyangelDems]

no im meaning 18 and up I posted the poll using "youth" but then realized that people would probably think i mean younger than 18, but then i quickly realized that you can't edit a poll! so its stuck there

So i guess what i want to know is how someone your age feels/is treated.

 

[paulewog]

I don't honestly know which choice, but...

Under 18 - can't vote, but you're treated as an equal. We all have equal worth.

HOWEVER!

Young people need more maturing and such. Maturity IS related to age, in some parts. Or at least, the knowledge part of maturity. So in that way, not "equal."

Responsibility/church discipline wise, the parents would be talked to first if their kid is a problem, sincei t's their job to deal with that kind of thing Responsibility wise, we don't get off any easier for something we did.... necessarily. It comes back to parents again there, hehe, but we don't get off easy from our parents just 'cause we'er young or shouldn't.

 

[Holyjoe]

My church is pretty good at integrating young people and younger.

They're treated as equals in God and are encouraged to take the initiative themselves and move forward with what God has called them to do...Older peeps in the church are a great help to them in given guidance and wisdom, and young people are great for the older people too, in breaking boundaries and old traditions...We all need to learn from each other, and also work with each other as well. Young people can learn from the experience of older people, and the older ones can learn from the youth to get free from any wrong ideas or ways of doing things that they have picked up over time.

We all need each other to build one another up and edify one another, in support, in teaching and by example.

David says in psalms:

18 Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your might to all who are to come

He's asking God for a chance to tell the next generation of God's greatness...we have to do the same - we have to pass what we know onto the next generation, to teach them and encourage them to do it themselves, and this means listening to the generation above us and to learn from their experiences as well.

 

[Memory's Flame]

My answers come from my "home church" since I don't currently have one in my town!

Under 18: They've made amazing Leaps and Bounds recently; growing and adding lots of fun; Christ oriented stuff that I wish I would have had growing up!

College Age: Attempting to put together a program,unfortunatly nothing much yet. Most of the youth there were very close growing up; and are still good friends (if not marrying each other!) but unfortunatly they tend to look at one persons mistakes as the whole groups... which is sad...

 

[Speedpilot122]

Brilliant post, Holyjoe!

 

[Blake]

My church treats us as the future backbone of the church. We are asked if we want to accept responsiblities such being: teachers, directors, chaperons, etc. To me, it shows the church's love and trust to us. We are able to take important roles in the church and are able to have guidance by its elders if ever needed. Its truley a rewarding feeling.

 

[Kahnrtis]

I'm only 20, but for almost a year now, I've been the Sunday School Director for my church. Personally, it has been a rewarding direction. The older people of the church have supported me fully. They have never hesitated to let me know that I can come to them with questions if I have any for them. The support that I receive from my friends and the entired church is wonderful.

 

[Etharia]

My church seems to have real issues with anyone under 30. Their children's program is not organized and the children aren't learning. I've been teaching sunday school in the 2 and 3 year old rooms since I was fifteen, but only because one of the staff members at the church liked me. The youth group tends to have good teaching, but no unity. They don't function as a group, they fuction as small groups of friends. They don't do anything like ministering, serving, helping in the community. They don't even do anything together like fund raisers, retreats, or anything that requires less money than like $85. They don't teach their teens to be servants, they teach them to be little socialites. They really don't have a college group to speak of. They have one, but they do something together like once every month or two, and it always requires money. They don't get together or do annything outside of these sparse getogethers. I love our pastor and his teaching. But they need a lot of help. They also act like young people can't do anything or minoster in anyway unless their parents are on the staff. They have a rule that you are not allowed to be in the choir or in the band unless you are 16, but the pastor's son did both before he was 16. Since I recently moved about 50 minutes away from that church, I'm looking for a church with a better program for people under 30.

 

[Multi-Elis]

They invest alot in the young adults, two whole pasters for them! Because this is a city with many Universities so helping the young adults is full of potential. And we are adults so there is no reason we shouldn't be treated as such. As for the teens, there are only 3, and they get a wonderful couple to take care of them but then...