Did She Really Mean That?
So, recently I was talking with an older lady who is part of another church in our town. (You don’t know her or the church, trust me.)
She was talking about the recent youth pastor that was hired by the church. She was very excited. She said, “We finally have someone who cares about our young people.”
I’ll be honest… I’m still scratching my head about her statement.
Certainly she doesn’t mean that no one else cares for the teenagers – well, except for the person paid to do something with them. So, what did she mean?
I guess, the best spin that I could put on it, is that she meant that no one was doing things with the young people or spending time with them, so they hired someone for that purpose, and she’s glad that there’s someone to do it now.
Maybe that’s what she meant… maybe not. I don’t know. Like I said, I’m still scratching my head.
Alan, isn’t it funny how our words can have such a huge meaning, even if it isn’t what we mean?
In how I read it, it sure have come across as one thing, but with reasoning seems like she meant no one in the church wanted to take the reigns so they had to hire someone who would.
Steve
Steve,
Yep. I’ve tried to think carefully about what I say… and it really bugs some people sometime.
-Alan
She may have been making a comparative statement highlighting the lack of care or love or focus of the previous youth minister, with the implied words “in that position.”
Like: “We finally have someone in that position who cares about our young people.”
Stephen,
That would be a possibility, except she also told me that this was their first youth pastor.
-Alan
Am I the only one who thinks the separation of the youth from the adults adds to the seeming ease of the youth to leave their faith (no real discipling/lasting relationships?) as they leave the home and enter into college/workforce?
Steve,
No, you’re not the only one. In fact, several recent studies have pointed out that problem.
-Alan
It starts in the home but separating families in church does contribute to the issues of how Christians are not passing on their faith to the next generation.
All I can think is I hope the woman did not mean she does not care about the children. Even if all the other people in the church did and she does not. Maybe the church is question is growing and she is glad that a new need is being met.
Still I know a professor of mine at the Bible college I attend has a heart for middle schoolers. There are also many youth leaders among the student body. It is a special calling or anointing to want to work with certain ages of children. It is like the non spiritual teaching profession people have a range.
It is as much about where their passions lay and how young people respond to them. We all have a part to play in passing faith on to the next generation. I am raising a teen daughter that is for now my portion of it. I would rather work with the parents of teens or parents and teens than a group of only youths continuously.