by Roger Alcaraz

One of my sayings (not that I have many) is “You can’t spell youth without you.” Literally, it takes y-o-u to spell youth but the play on words is really meant to encourage church members to invest in the young adults of the church in some way. Already I’ve seen great efforts by older men and women who take an interest in these vibrant lives. Whether it is through sleepovers, sharing a meal, or taking an outing together, these are vehicles through which one can impart the gospel and their life.

It may seem strange to think that your average church member can have a great impact on church youth. After all, they have Christian parents, hear several sermons per week, and have leaders caring over them. But let me share with you a story one parent told me. The family was making plans to carpool up to San Jose but the daughter didn’t like the idea and could not be convinced even after several attempts. One of the youth staff caught ear of this and told the daughter it was a good plan, to the daughter’s reply, “Really? Okay!” And just like that, the daughter was in agreement.

Poor mom. She was right all along but needed someone else to tell her daughter the same thing. That’s because counsel from a friend is received differently than counsel from a parent. There has always been a nature in people not to listen to authority. Parents are one of the most authoritative figures in a youth’s life and their counsel can often be ignored. Youth leaders help shepherd the youth, but their words can also fall on deaf ears because we, too, are an authority figure and can be seen coming from a biased perspective. Sometimes the wisdom they willingly receive best comes from someone who has no obligation to them, but simply wants to help them.

This is where the average church member can play a vital role in helping a young person grow in their faith. Each member has an opportunity to come along-side the youth and walk with them as a friend, teaching and being an example of godly character to them. It doesn’t have to be in an organized event. A simple meal or study time could be used to share in each other’s lives (Though, please get parental permission before doing so). Sunday mornings are also a great way to introduce yourself to them. This principle of knowing one another applies not only towards the youth but to the whole church. There should be no part of the church that feels left out or neglected. Thankfully, our youth have been truly blessed by everyone’s effort to reach out to them, so this isn’t a rebuke but an encouragement to keep investing in them and you will see the fruit of your efforts. And if you’re a stranger to them, then remember that the youth need y-o-u.