wfn.org | TCN: PCT pastors urged to consider youth ministry as more than an accessory

["Lydia Ma" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>Taiwan Church News

>2984 Edition

>May 4~10, 2009

PCT pastors urged to consider youth ministry as more than an accessory

>Reported by Li Hsin-ren, Lin Yi-ying

>Written by Lydia Ma

“We hope that the Presbyterian Church’s headquarter office can  one day become a youth and campus mission center!” said Taipei

Campus Ministries’ co-worker Rev. Chen Pei-yi. She urged pastors to  stop treating youths like children and stop treating youth

ministries as an optional accessory or a side note to their  church’s evangelism ministries. One youth added that many pastors  have

not been able to set aside their preconceptions to really listen and  accept the views of today’s youth. This in turn makes it difficult

for church youths to find a sense of belonging at their churches or  fellowships.

64 youth leaders from presbyteries across Taiwan met with members from  Youth Ministry Committee and Campus Ministry

Committee of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) on April 26~27 to  hold a forum on youth evangelism and mark the 60th

anniversary of the PCT Youth Fellowship (TKC). PCT General Secretary  Andrew Chang gave a speech on the theme “Today’s

youth = Today’s church” and urged youths to become a source  of hope and vitality within their own churches.

When it comes to challenges facing today’s youth ministries, Taipei  Campus Ministries co-worker Rev. Chen Pei-yi said the

essence of youth evangelism should be “emphasizing youth, trusting  youth”. She urged churches to treat youths as independent and

complete beings instead of seeing them as optional accessories.  Commenting on the fact that many youths today have a very limited

understanding of the Presbyterian Church, Chen said this was an  excellent opportunity to revamp religious education among

churches. She hopes that PCT headquarters can one day become “a  center for youth and campus missions”.

Former Youth Ministries Committee Program Secretary Lee Hsiao-chung  suggested that PCT churches should focus on stories of

how church youths live out their faith and find good ministry models. He  also emphasized the importance of grassroots

organizations and concern for the marginalized as a means for youths to  feel the connection between their country, their faith, and

>their lives.

Former Campus Ministries Committee Program Secretary Cheng Ying-er  reminded that, based on past experience such as the

unification of north and south synods and the creation of the general  assembly, youths have been the conscience of churches and

their ideals can inspire reform and hope within the PCT.

One church youth pointed out that youth evangelism should be the main  priority among today’s churches. She added that many

pastors have not been able to set aside their subjectivity and tend to  lecture or reprimand youths for their opinions or suggestions.

When church elders do not try to understand what is on the minds of  today’s youths, much less identify or communicate with

them, they cannot lead or influence the younger generation. This may be  part of the reason why youths do not feel a sense of

belonging at their churches or fellowships, prompting more and more  youths to stop attending church altogether.

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