I previously set out to describe the experience of a recent visit to a nearby church that had me immediately reflecting on the link between the ultra contemporary church and youth ministry of recent decades. I tried to simply describe my impressions as they related to how I believe youth ministry has impacted the church. Now the specifics of what I think youth ministry has contributed to this church for better or worse. I should be clear in saying that I don’t think all aspects of how youth ministry has shaped the church has been negative. It is truly a mixed bag.
The use of secular music in youth ministry has been a mainstay in Young Life for decades and became a common practice in the seeker driven church movement (which started with a youth ministry). The thinking behind it seems to be to relate to people where they are. Familiar culture is thought to open people up to hearing the gospel. Some churches will use popular tunes that relate to the theme or message and attempt to connect the secular to the sacred. This church I attended used more secular music than Christian. The songs on entry and exit as well as several performed during the service were classic rock tunes. I can only suspect their aim was to connect to the audience and make church more accessible to the unchurched.
Entertainment as a medium for a message is not unique to youth ministry but in the church the youth group has pioneered in this area. From skits and fun songs we moved on to videos, drama, and music that all pointed to the message. There have been plenty of ministries that perfected the art of using entertainment to attract and hold students attention. The stage complete with sound and lights, colorful backdrops, and all that screamed entertainment in the service. In a way, it communicated that church is just like a concert or show.
An emphasis on attraction ultimately leads people to do all they can to make the ministry attractive so that people will come and hear the gospel. It’s odd that folks might say that Jesus is inherently attractive and yet go to great lengths to create a show to attract people to him. I could comment at length on this point alone but won’t right now.
Youth ministry folks have mastered a particular approach to the message. In blending humor, simplicity, and memorability, a good youth communicator can hold an audience’s attention for long spans of time. There are some in youth ministry who contend that a good message is short, but those who can weave comedy into their message know that 45 minutes is an easy hold. The message we heard on Sunday was all of these. It was a blend of comedy, motivation, and practical help. The bible was referenced many times and read a little but what caught my eye was that the entire message was delivered with a Bible in hand. I remember from my Young life days that the training manual was very clear that a message should always be delivered with a bible in hand, even if it was not read from. The point being visually made that this book is our source of authority.
When we left, we both felt that we had not been to church that morning… we went to a program. I’m not opposed to the use of a secular song in a worship setting but the extensive use of classic rock did not create an environment for worship. I am not opposed to the use of performed music or video or drama in worship either but there comes a point when one can no longer honestly call it a worship service and should admit that it is an entertainment program. Worship ought to be different from the entertainment industry. Singing a worship song with 600+ other people around us is far more powerful than listening to a band at high volume and not being able to hear anyone around us singing.
On the other hand, I have never been at a church that did a better job of creating an excitement and anticipation for the service. The welcome from directing in the parking lot to the greeters at the door all created a vibe that more churches ought to work towards.
A few more thoughts to come…
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