The Neglected

Old Cutler Presbyterian Church holds a missions festival every year around the end of February. They invite missionaries and ministry workers from around the world and from local parachurch ministries. This year’s festival ended on March 5 with a passionate sermon given by Doug Nichols of Action International. He talked about the needy, the nobodies, and the neglected – three “people groups” to whom we are called to serve.

One of the groups he categorized as “neglected” was teenagers. At first I thought that was strange, most churches expend a lot of energy, time, and money on their youth groups. But, maybe those aren’t the teenagers Doug Nichols was talking about.

Because of Call FM, I’ve been to a lot of Christian concerts held in places other than churches (parks, warehouses, a bowling alley) and I know that not all of the kids who come out for a concert would feel comfortable or welcome at a church. Some of the kids look scary to me. These kids are part of the “neglected” but I know that for every one of them that shows up for an event, there are many other teenagers that aren’t even there.

Most churches have youth groups, but there is a tension about what these groups are supposed to be. Are youth groups supposed to be a safe place for church kids? Or are they supposed to be a mission arm of the church to reach lost kids? It’s easy to say they are supposed to be both, but I think ultimately you have to pick which one will be the primary focus.

I wish I could say I had an easy answer to this problem; I don't. But in his sermon, Mr. Nichols cautioned against saying, "Somebody ought to do something..." instead he urged us to say, "What will we do?" The thought that my sweet little baby could be a big ugly teenager one day is enough for me to see those scary teenagers as someone's baby - lost and lonely and needing Jesus.