This is an open-comment theology blog where I will post various theological musings, mostly in sermon or essay form, for others to read and comment on. If what I say here interests you, you may want to check out some of my books. Feel free to criticize, to critique, to comment, but keep comments to the point and respectful. Many of these posts have been published elsewhere, but I wanted them collected and made available to a wider audience.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
A Quandary Of Youth Ministry
I've never understood why parents are so intent on getting both children confirmed at the same time. People will push kids too young to enter the confirmation class before they are ready, or prevent youth from entering the process at the right moment, so they can get both children confirmed at the same time. Now I've had siblings enter who really were both ready, and that is fine. But making co-confirmation a priority seems strange to me. It's like 'lets get this out of the way as quickly as possible.' Yea, like THAT is the right attitude.
I think that's weird. Assuming the kids are different ages, they hit every other life milestone at different times ... why would they do this one together?
ReplyDeleteI disagree, Josh. I don't think too many youth (even at the right age) completely understand the value of confirmation. I was confirmed as an adult and I didn't understand the concept until years later. There were probably a lot of people who could have said I wasn't ready. But I honestly believe, that was the best time for me. I carried that moment as a start to a new beginning for my relationship with God. Life is busy with kids, and just the fact that the kids and parents have agreed to take the time to participate is a blessing in itself. I would love to meditate on God's call every chance I could, but then laudry, dishes, grocery shopping, work, homework, youth group, etc. just wouldn't be completed. I'm not saying that I'm too busy for God, becuase I feel God is with me throughout all these activities. What I am saying is that no matter the age, there must be something said for bringing the individual to class in the first place (whether is be as an individual or with siblings), and God is part of that. Question: how many youth have you taught Confirmation classes, that you felt grasped the concept any better than a younger youth? Maybe I'm out of line, but I dare to say not too many. How do you base their readiness? Just curious.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't a matter of putting a young person in when they are 'too young' but when they are 'not ready'. I'll say I have had parents who are more thoughtful about this process than others. I have had parents who deliberated and waited until they though their youth could grasp the concepts, really get what it was about, and these youth have almost universally been more engaged than others. In all of these cases, parents have never sought to have both of their children confirmed at the same time.
ReplyDelete