Over the years, many saints worldwide have asked me, "How do we keep our young people and attract others to church?" First of all, we must each be the best example of Christ for all to see and know. Developing an interest in the Lord at an early age is vital for our teens and the local church. The examples we give our youth group will be among the ones they most likely shall imitate and live in the near future. The things they witness among the saints will have an impact upon their lives, and we should all pay attention to the will of the Lord as we strive to walk in the more excellent Way of God.
Secondly, get involved in their lives. It's important to let our teens know that we care about them outside of our church environment. Watching them play in their school's sporting events is exciting. Attending their band concerts, music and poetry recitals, spelling bee, science fair, etc. are a joy to experience. If our youth group is shown that they matter to the church separate and apart of our church gatherings, then I can assure you that they will genuinely want to be more active in the Lord’s church. Thirdly, encouraging them in their studies and schoolwork serves to build up their confidence and self-esteem. If possible, offer to tutor them and teach them some life skills. Finally, show them your love, listen to them, and offer words of godly wisdom. Give them an opportunity to serve the Lord today for they shall become tomorrow's pillars in the church and society.
Consider increasing your weekly church offering for the benefit of the local church mission. I learned an important lesson from Texas cattle ranchers within the churches of Christ. They say that if you don’t replenish the herd, you will not have a herd. We should all seriously consider this lesson as the flock of Christ. It’s easy to send money to foreign mission fields and other ministries while failing to financially support the local mission that is the church.
Does it matter to be invested in the local church? Money is not everything, but it is important for the work locally. I pray that you will seriously consider investing your time, friendship, love, and a portion of your wealth into the local church mission. Congregations that do not involve their youth in local ministry, youth events, and other spiritual growth programs will eventually shrink in numbers and will not have a clue as to the reason for their decline. You will lose them if we neglect them. Developing a greater interest for God in our youth groups and university students will aid in the spiritual growth of the church, and as a result our numbers will increase. Teens are among the best soul winners for Christ. I hope these humble words of advice will be helpful to you and the local church family as you grow together in the Lord. May the love of God, the joy of Jesus, and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with you always. Remember, God is always within your reach!
Silbano Garcia II
Evangelist