Youth groups – What should they look like?

According to studies done by The Barna Group

…that despite strong levels of spiritual activity during the teen years, most twentysomethings disengage from active participation in the Christian faith during their young adult years – and often beyond that. In total, six out of ten twentysomethings were involved in a church during their teen years, but have failed to translate that into active spirituality during their early adulthood.

And, according to the study:

“Much of the ministry to teenagers in America needs an overhaul – not because churches fail to attract significant numbers of young people, but because so much of those efforts are not creating a sustainable faith beyond high school. There are certainly effective youth ministries across the country, but the levels of disengagement among twentysomethings suggest that youth ministry fails too often at discipleship and faith formation. A new standard for viable youth ministry should be – not the number of attenders, the sophistication of the events, or the ‘cool’ factor of the youth group – but whether teens have the commitment, passion and resources to pursue Christ intentionally and whole- heartedly after they leave the youth ministry nest.”

• I believe that a youth group is something the kids should be, not simply something they do.

Scriptural studies, apologetics, basic church doctrine….these should be the foundation so that the teens can face life, and questions about their faith, with confidence.

This is my question to those who lead youth groups, pastors (youth and otherwise), adult volunteers, parents who have kids attending church youth groups……

What do YOU think a youth group should look like?