All the distress nowadays over the American big three auto makers, has really been a problem a very long time in the making. I could go into the politics of it all and how the UAW and the Federal government really hold much of the blame for the crisis that the automakers find themselves in, but I won't. Instead I'd like to focus a little on the automakers themselves and a lot of the problem as really boiled down to creativity.
Being in the Tool & Die industry, injection molding to be more specific, I've seen a lot of different car components from their concept and to be honest they are rather dull. It seems like each new part is just a poor knock-off of the previous years model. You can ask just about anyone in the automotive manufacturing industry and most will tell you that it has been a long time since any of the big three automakers have come out with anything really exciting. Sure the cars of today still do their job, they get you from point "A" to point "B", but that's about it. Think about it, when was the last time that the big three put out that "must have" car or truck.
All this has caused the consumers to look elsewhere for that sweet ride. They want a car that functions just like they always have, but they want them to have a fresh new look.
To get right down to it, the American automakers need to retool! If they don't they will just continue to loose more and more market share and eventually have to close up shop. So what does this have to do with youth ministry?
Well, teens today are a lot like today's automobile consumers, especially when it comes to the youth ministry that they are a part of. They want to have a youth ministry that provides the same things it always has. They want to know it's a place that they can go to learn more about Christ, a place where they can be served and learn to serve others. They want to know that it's a place where they know they can go and feel like they belong and are accepted. They want all of this but they want it in a new refreshing way. The type of youth ministry that their parents had, while effective, will not work for today's youth, it just won't! While the message of the Gospel will always be timeless, the way in which it is presented must be timely!
In the times we live in, trends come and go at lightning quick speeds. The attention of today's youth is being pulled in several different directions and I'm afraid that to many churches have not retooled their youth ministries. They're just doing the same old thing year in and year out, because it's always "worked". While the old methods may still get you from point "A to point"B" so to speak, it doesn't make it exciting or very personal for the teen. It makes it more of a necessary evil. Just like I know I need a car, many teens that truly love Jesus know they need to be a part of a ministry. I don't like my car, it's old but it still runs and is paid for. However I know that there is something better out there. The world has a lot to offer teens today and if we as youth leaders don't retool our ministries, we might have to close up shop because all of our "customers" have gone elsewhere.
