How many teenagers are in your church? According to Premier Christianity, “The number of under 16s in the Church of England has fallen by 20 per cent in five years. Three-quarters of Anglican churches have less than five under 16s in their congregation and just over a third have none”. We’re losing an entire generation, so how can we reconnect with our teens?

Our secular world is a messy, judgemental, insecure and distracting place to live. Life isn’t easy to navigate, especially with the increase in technological efficiency and the lasting impact on social lives from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Our teenagers and our youth are constantly tangled in a web of different emotions, as were we all. However, when we counter in the addition of new education curriculums, the rise of artificial intelligence, global political corruption and most substantially, the power of social media, it is no surprise that it’s becoming harder to connect in conversations with teenagers.

Here are 4 ways that we can reconnect with our youth today:

Invitation:

Youth won’t come unless we invite them in. As would anyone else. Inviting them along to a youth group, a summer camp or just a conversation will already be enough to make an impact. You’ve carved out a time in their week to actively invest in community and fellowship, it can be as simple as that.

Communication:

There is really no need to learn all the slang words to impress them! Are you part of the church youth group? If not, could you be? Having that weekly communication with them is routine, they’ll get to know you if you make the effort with them. Have fun, relax and bring out the UNO cards.

Prayer:

It may take some time to connect with youth, don’t be disheartened with this. We’re connecting with them through connection with God, so lean on His understanding and trust in His timing. Praying for their spiritual journey and for them to get to deeply know and be moved by God is all that it took for George Verwer to be transformed when he was a teen. Prayer is our most powerful tool, use it! What’s the worst that could happen?

Accountability:

This could be simply saying, “I’ll see you at youth group on Tuesday?” “Excited to hear about your netball match” etc. Here you’ve connected with them in a different area of their life outside of church that you’re genuinely interested in. We don’t want them feeling they have to come, but that they want to come. We’re building up that trust that we’re seeking with them. Is someone in your youth group really into reading? Could you be going through a book together that points you both to Jesus? Accountabilty isn’t just for them. Doing this is a great way of demonstrating living a Christian life yourself. Prove to them how we trust God in our life, our prayer life and our devotion to the word are all key aspects that we should be role modelling to our young people.

Over the summer of 2023, during our TeenStreet event, we witnessed a barn full of teenagers hungry to receive Jesus in their life. 3 teens gave their life to God and over 40 were changed by the Holy Spirit.

Please be encouraged that our young people are still here, and God is still working in them. 

There are loads of great resources out there to support you in either your faith as a teen or as a youth leader, pastor, or parent. TeenStreet is a weeklong discipleship week for 13–17-year-olds to grow and go deeper their faith, Christian or those seeking faith.

 Find out more here. 

 

“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” - Colossians 1:17