Instead of calling ourselves PGUMC Youth lets call ourselves "The Exclusive Youth Club." This past week I have had a few conversations about youth bringing friends that has left me scratching my head.
1. Someone asked me this week: Does a youth have to go to confirmation before they can be apart of the youth group?
2. I asked a youth about inviting their non-churched friend to church... for which they replied: "But they don't go to our church so why would we invite them?"
As much as we teach that "God loves everyone" and "accepts everyone" some how this "exclusive theology" has won. We become a group that is closed to outsiders simply because "they don't go to my church."
If this was true half our youth group broke this rule. They came to church because they had no church. And they stayed because we became what they were looking for.
This past year our theme was "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young." We spent a lot of time talking about how significant the youth's gifts are to the body of Christ. This year our theme will focus around the churches' mission: To go and make disciples of all nations.
Youth are surrounded by friends that need Jesus. Parents you are surrounded by friends who need Jesus also. This year I want to begin praying for those people that they can come alongside us and follow Jesus together.
So can youth bring friends to church? YES!
Do they need to know all about the bible before? NO!
Will they be loved regardless? Absolutely!
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