Gripping the Youth Problem

Let each worker ask himself this one question: "What have I done in the past year to win and hold the youth within the sphere of my influence?" We must consider more than the regular Sabbath school and M.V. programs. They are a necessary part of our church program, of course, but we should be jolted out of our lethargy by the follow­ing astounding facts: 57 percent of the youth above fifteen years of acre of Seventh-day Advent­ist families have never been baptized and become members of the church. Of the 43 percent who are baptized, 97 percent are baptized before the age of twenty, and only 3 percent after the age of twenty.

Concentrate on that 57 per cent. Does it mean that the gospel we know as foolproof does not have the power, or is it the fact that the instrument has not been using the right method to make effective application ? Brethren, we will have to admit the latter. Considering the percentage, we are fight­ing a losing battle under the present program.

Recently, when I entered my district of eight churches I was startled by the fact that for every member in the church, there are five within the district who no more belong to the church, the ma­jority belonging to the sixteen-to-thirty-five age group. Concern about the youth in our midst should be a prominent question when workers gather together to seek counsel and exchange pro­gressive ideas, but too often it is not. Thomas Dewey once said, "Men's minds are like para­chutes; they function only when they are open." So let us frankly and candidly approach the sub­ject to see whether there is at least a partial rem­edy.

First, Richard Bancroft, Archbishop of Canter­bury, set down a principle that we never should forget : "Where Christ erecteth His church, the divell in the same church-yarde will have his chap­pell." Acknowledging this fact, we can easily see that with the youth, whose steps are not as solid and as certain as those of the oldsters, much atten­tion is required to keep them from straying to the fold of one who, especially now, is going about "as a roaring lion, . . . seeking whom he may devour." This implies, then, that the task envelops more than just the regular services of the church.

The model T had its heyday, but today it is out of date in comparison with the V-8. So it is in dealing with our young people. Methods get out of date. Possibly twenty years ago the week-end services and the prayer meeting were all that were necessary to keep our young people from being lured out of the strait and narrow way, but today it takes more. Most certainly the gospel has not changed, but the means to make it effective have. Following are some methods that the Lord has helped me use effectively to aid youth over the rough, stony road of childhood and adolescence:

I. GAIN CO-OPERATION AND CONFIDENCE.—Sen­ator Wheeler of Montana once said regarding the peace, "Co-operation is a two-way street." At first glance this philosophy looks dangerous ; so it needs clarification. Our standards are high, and we can­not and dare not compromise, but there is a way of getting youth to be unconsciously influenced into co-operation.

Youth enjoy attention and comradeship. Youth want action. If they do not get it under proper guidance, they will seek other ends. As workers, no matter how pushed we are by goals, Bible studies, efforts, visitations of the sick, business meetings, etc., we must take time out to become personal friends and buddies of the children and young people during the week. Instead of always visiting the parents, make special trips to visit just the younger members of the family. Become one with them. Call them by their first name. If you do not know each one's first name, learn it as soon as possible. Do not be so rushed that you cannot play a friendly game of ball with them, go on a hike, and help them with their hobbies.

Learn their likes and dislikes, and concentrate on their good traits, never mentioning their dis­agreeable traits until a firm friendship has been founded. Then, and only then, in a tactful man­ner try to help them, and unconsciously a change will be manifest. On such occasions, let down a little on dignity and become one with them in spirit. Youth easily see through artificiality. When they are down in spirits, act momentarily in the same mood till you find out the cause, then gradually lead them back into a happy mood. It will nearly always work, because children are char­acteristically happy.

Make out a list of the birthdays of the various children in your church, and other children whose parents are not members of your church but who chum with your members' children. Be sure they get a card on their birthday. There are few things that make a child happier than to get a card or letter in the mail, if I judge aright by the reac­tions of my boys and of others I have noticed.

Under such a program will it be difficult to gain two-way co-operation ? Definitely no. Befriend the youth in social gatherings and in everyday life, and they will respond to your spiritual guidance. This is not a theory, it is axiomatic. In such an atmosphere as this with the younger set, if they should slip and do something wrong and you hap­pen to see them, it will not be long before they start confiding. At times like this a little talk and prayer together in private will be more of a tonic to their experience than any sermon or group of sermons, scoldings, warnings, or admonitions.

Brethren, this program works. My experience may be limited, but in the town where I now re­side, I know of no one that I cannot consider as a "pal" among the younger set.

2. WEEK-END CAMPING TRIPS.—Plan week-end camping trips, through your local M.V. Society, under proper guidance. Plan the Sabbath school program and service as the regular procedure. Study God's open book—nature. To a number of young folks this sounds quite boring, but once they start seeing how various trees, flowers, and plants have peculiar characteristics, they automatically become fascinated.

Other trips can include famous historical sites, scenic sites, and places of interest that can be taken in on a tour on Sunday.

This is one of the most important fields of evan­gelism, and fruit is guaranteed to the man who puts his all behind it. Get young people outside the church to join in. The results can be nothing but pleasing when carefully and prayerfully planned.

3. SINGING OR MUSICAL CONGRESSES.—This plan was first tried last summer in my district, and brought a hearty request for another one as soon as possible. Get together with the M.V. lead­ers of the district, and plan with them for each society to provide two or more special musical numbers for the occasion. Choose a central place, such as a hall or high school auditorium. An­nounce and publicize the date a month ahead of time. Have two or more Dorcas Societies get to­gether and provide a simple lunch for the noon­time and evening meal. The collections taken during the day will go to pay for the rent of the auditorium and the lunch.

Have the regular Sabbath school planned by the local superintendent. For the sermon in the after-service, have your conference M.V. leader take part and give an appropriate sermon on the im­portance of music in worship, using the various special numbers provided by the various M.V. So­cieties.

Invite the orchestral and choral group of the college or academy nearest you to give an hour's program of sacred music in the afternoon. Con­clude the afternoon with a variety of other special vocal and instrumental numbers.

Before each of the programs of the day, have a good song service, using choruses expressing dif­ferent moods, emphasizing these through various means. The young people will respond with enthusiasm, and will feel the power of the -message through song. To close the Sabbath, have a brief vesper program, then in the evening a well-planned Christian social.