Is Your Teen Tired of Church?

If your young teenager is starting to wonder why she has to go to church, she's not alone. According to a recent survey of Christian teens, conducted by our sister publication Campus Life magazine, 55 percent of the teens surveyed don't believe that Christians have to attend church regularly to live out their beliefs. When regular worship feels like an optional part of the Christian life, it's no wonder teens would rather sleep in than head to church. Campus Life Editor Chris Lutes says this problem often stems from kids feeling like they aren't part of the life of the church. Lutes says, "Churches don't always connect with youth culture. While we don't want to teach our kids that church is a club they can quit when it stops meeting their needs, it's vital that teenagers feel like they are connected to the body of Christ." The solution, says Lutes, is for churches—and parents—to find ways to plug young people into the daily life of the church that go beyond the occasional "Youth Sunday." Encourage your teen to serve on a board (missions and Christian education boards are natural choices, because they make decisions about youth activities), work in the nursery, help teach Sunday school, usher, sing in the choir, or volunteer with an outreach team. When your child feels like she has something important to offer, she'll be more excited about heading out the door on Sunday morning.

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