Why we target young
Noel Heikkinen has an excellent observation on why Riverview Church targets the young. Stonebrook doesn’t have an age range that we target, but this is where my heart is. This article sums up half the reason my heart is there as well.
I talked about the rest of the reasons here.
I definitely agree that young people are part of a demographic that are very important to reach out to, but allow me to play “devil’s advocate” for a moment. Don’t we just kind of shoot ourselves in the foot by seeking to target youth, especially college students? Generally speaking a majority of college students will only be around for 4-5 years, and so year after year we have to rebuild/repair our ministry to cope with losing people who take jobs elsewhere, etc. Granted, some do stick around after college, but there are several who leave our church. I guess I’m just curious what people think about this trend.
Actually this makes a lot of semse to me… hunting college kids… a lot stop going to church. People who could be helped by it.
And to TJ I would think the goal is “salvation” not “building a kickass solid forever minestry.” TO that end who cares is they move away if they are forever changed. By working in the minestry you’re working in in the town you’re working in it is what you have chasen to do.
Yah, I didn’t mean to suggest we shouldn’t reach out to people who won’t benefit us in the long run, thats a really selfish approach. I guess it would have been good to clarify why we are targeting a specific group of people. To love and care for them, or to build a ministry/church? If were targeting youth to build a ministry, then it doesn’t make much sense, but if we are targeting the youth to care for them, that makes a lot more sense.
Search the Scriptures as I might, I’ve never found loving people and involving/ building them into the church to be at odds… at least when the church is being the church and not somebody’s ego trip.
Historically, Stonebrook has seen an unusually high retention rate of college students… not just in our local church, mind you, but in our movement… better said in the movement of God to reach every nation in our generation.
I have invested my life into reaching young people/ college students because they are most willing to order their lives around the gospel. I know for me, as a college student, I choose to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” in a real, honest to God practical sense rather than the job/ career track.
Now I know I just opened myself up for attack that people who have secular jobs are living for Jesus too. Yes, I know that.
But meditate on this with me: If the Bible is really true, if Jesus really is the only way to God, then why busy yourself with anything less?