I watched an interesting movie trailer today from "The National Center for Family-Integrated Churches" (NCFIC). "Segregation" is a "movie-in-the-making" which discusses youth ministry in Protestant churches in the United States. It appears that the main questions being asked in this documentary are, "Is youth ministry good for churches?", "Is youth ministry effective in the long run?" and "Is segregated ministry biblical?"
Although this video highlights non-Catholic churches, I can't help but wonder if the same questions could be asked about Catholic parishes in the United States. According to the NCFIC, "65% and 85% of Christian youth leave the church when they enter college" (www.ncfic.org). Such numbers are shocking, to say the least! I would only hope that the Catholic Church could boast of having fewer numbers.
Watch the trailer here
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Derrick, this group is addressing a very interesting question that has intrigued me for some time now. I hope Catholics begin to appreciate the fact that if the culture is tearing down the family unit, the Church should be building it up - instead of encouraging a culture of youth masses, separated nights where parents drop off their kids at life nights and never discuss the topics learned there at home. More family based ministries need to surface. Eucharistic adoration that provides sustainable interior growth for the whole family is one great idea to start. Opportunities where encourage families to encourage each other is key. Separating youth from their families under the guise that parents are not teaching them so we have to is dangerous. We should help the parents as well so all can find a home in God's Church. I am not saying that youth ministry doesn't have merit, but if it creates a culture where students' faith cannot survive without it, there is a problem.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Shelly! Thanks for your comments!
ReplyDeleteI posted a link to this post from my blog, with some of my thoughts:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lifeisaprayer.com/blog/2010/youth-ministry-–-segregating-y
Good find!