Where's the Training?

I love college-aged ministry and I love young- adult ministry, but unless you work in that world, people rarely make a distinction. I was thinking washout that this week when I was ambushed by a woman at a church service I attended - I attended because I will be leading in a few weeks and wanted to get a feel for the service, but all she saw was fresh meat. I wish I could say that this is the only time this has happened - but it's not. In fact it's the third time this month.

Perhaps what bothered me the most about this encounter was the assumptions that come with it. Often people think that having young people in their pews will save the church, and act accordingly, but the recruitment tactics, shall we say, scare off rather then attract. Too many churches approach young adults as a prize to be acquired instead of one part of the beautiful inter-generational church community. They Want them there for their benefit, and thus alienate.

I've been straight forward with my folks, we will not be reaching out to the college students in our area until we have an intentional conversation about how to treat them with respect and love. A novel idea, right? We assume that we interact with everyone well, I mean what church would advertise themselves as anything less then friendly?, but we need training once in a while to remind us to embrace all diversity, including age, in a way that reflects the kingdom of god. Yet that isn't our model for life or ministry, we do and then clean up the mess instead of train and then deploy. But the second is much more of the vein of discipleship that Jesus taught. Are we willing to listen and learn or do we demand and scare away?


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