Please, Don't Do Youth Sunday

Sometime a while back, in the good ol' days of clip art and "Lord I Lift Your Name on High" (or even some time before that) someone had the idea for a "Youth Sunday."  That's the week in church (usually 4th of July, last week in August, or whenever the attendance wouldn't be dangerously high) where the students of the church take over all the duties.  Students are greeters/ushers, playing in the worship team, they take the offering, maybe give a testimony, and we let the youth pastor preach.  Jon Acuff calls it "Mediocrity Sunday," and probably for good reason.  (You can probably already tell I'm not a huge fan of the idea).  I actually don't have a problem with students (or the youth pastor) up there doing all these things.  I think the problem is setting aside a day for it, and calling it "Youth Sunday."  Though I understand the idea of getting students involved, and that it creates a time for family and friends to come out, I think it sends a dangerous message:

"The youth are the future of our church."

Students are a part of the church right now.  Why don't we have students ushering regularly?  Why don't they mix it up with the regular worship team?  Would it be bad to give a youth pastor the chance to preach on a normal Sunday? 

Incorporate them (where appropriate) into the life of the church now.  Have them serve alongside other people who could help mentor, encourage, and train up students.  Rather than segregate the church into factions formally (which we're always railing against), lets come together and work together now, on a regular basis.  Lets be the church together.

How are you getting students involved in your services?

Stop Programming Stuff!

One of the things I love to see is a blank calendar.  They look great.  Crowded calendars stress me out.  I'd blame it on OCD, but my office makes it obvious that that's not the case at all.  It's that I just don't know how students are expected to do it all. 

We often try to plan things out according to our vision, which is also good.  But what winds up happening is that we have a bunch of programs we expect students to be a part of so that our vision can be filled.  Is that really good?  When do they get a chance to build community with friends and hang out with unchurched people?

Maybe it's time to start looking at the youth ministry calendar and the church calendar as one.  Use a normal weeknight/weekend program for whatever you may normally use it for (community, evangelism, etc.).  Then take into account things like church services, churchwide outreaches, children's ministries as a place to serve...they're all part of your program, and part of the church as well.  It frees you up, frees up your students, and fosters churchwide partnership.