New effort to hold on to WELS youth
Filed Under: CYD, Teen, Youth Discipleship
In its ongoing efforts to address why young people leave WELS congregations, the Commission on Youth Discipleship (CYD) last week released a new 5-part Bible study called “Creating Youth-full Churches.”
Designed for use among congregational leaders, parents, and youth, the study builds on a previous CYD framework that suggests four common denominators among “youth-full” churches:
- They see the vital role they play in the training of youth.
- They keep young people engaged in worship.
- They demonstrate Christ-like attitudes.
- They target youth/young adults for involvement in the church.
Both the Bible study series and the framework that preceded it were designed in response to Youth Discipleship’s landmark study, “Why Young People Leave WELS.” The study was commissioned by the 2003 synod convention.
“The Commission on Youth Discipleship believes that this study and the resulting studies could be one of the most meaningful efforts it has ever engaged in,” says Dr. Joel Nelson, administrator of WELS Youth Discipleship. “It could very well change the way WELS ministers to its youth and by extension, WELS itself.”
To view or download the Bible class materials, go to www.wels.net/jump/youthstudy.
