This is Matt Maddix's latest news letter... I thought it would be a great read for any Student Ministry Pastor. Amen, Brother Maddix... AMEN!

A recent Gallup Poll indicated that 70% of 18-29 year olds believe that religion is losing its influence in American life. Friends, we can no longer hide our face in the sand when 7 out of 10 of America's youth believe that religion has lost its influence. How can that be? How could we as a church be failing America's youth and children? Barna Research Group revealed that 92% of all of Christianity's conversions will take place between the ages of 12-25. I can't even begin to tell you how many 1,000's of youth that I have met on the streets of America, college campuses, high schools, and youth gatherings that have expressed to me that the number one reason why youth don't attend church is because it's boring. It's almost as if "church" is no longer relevant to the youth of America. We keep slamming our fist on the pulpits and preaching "at" these teenagers and saying things like, "We are living in a different day, and when I was your age" Come on friends, do we really remember what we were like when we were "their age?" It's so easy to put ourselves at a distance of these powerful and precious teenagers by "preaching at them" and never taking the time to listen to them. In fact, you would discover that many of today's youth have something to say and are dying to find somebody to listen to them. Years ago, I preached a message called "The True Cry of My Generation!" What is the "true cry" of my generation? What is it that teenagers and young adults are looking for? Well, I don't want to knock you off your religious high horse and break your heart, but we would be simply shocked if we knew what they were really looking for. Are you ready? On a second thought, take a deep breath and go take a seat for this one.

Would somebody please wake me up when church is over? I'd like to bring to our attention that this Sunday morning, over 88% of the teenagers in America will not be in church! My sermons on hell and the fear of God will not motivate them to get out of bed, nor will they be motivated by "fear or condemnation." In fact, the only way to get them out of bed is to offer something more and different than what we have offered our youth. I'd like to start off by saying that as a pastor, I've personally failed the youth of my church by being all over the world preaching and reaching other youth. However, major changes are coming to St. Petersburg as we will do whatever we have to do to reach our kids.

I have started by moving our youth class from the Sunday school room to the local Starbucks, and I don't "teach", but rather we study, discuss, and deal with relevant issues. Please don't misunderstand me; we are as strong in the Bible as any youth class in America. I've just found it much easier for my youth to open up over a White Chocolate Mocha rather than in a Sunday school room. As the pastor of the church, I personally teach the youth class, because I don't want anyone to have more influence in their life than myself.

Secondly, we must give them a Christianity that has thrill, appeal, challenge, and connection. Yes, we must understand that youth are looking for something that is real, and a place where they can connect. On Sunday nights, we go play volleyball on the beach with about 30 teenagers. Do you know that I can do more ministering in those 2-3 hours by hitting a ball over a net than I could almost any other thing? I've learned that if you show teenagers that you are real, you care, and that you are willing to spend time with them, then they will die for you and do whatever you ask them to do. Remember, "Rules without relationship only leads to rebellion." Yea, we Pentecostals are the rulers of the world at giving our youth a long list of "rules", but most pastors don't even know the birthdays, interests, or dreams of their youth. If we want our youth to follow rules, they'll gladly do it if they are free to ask questions, be human, and if we are patient with them as they are searching to discover God for themselves. Youth are different, and we are living in the 21st Century; we must be willing to give them something that is relevant to their world. We didn't have bomb threats, terrorist attacks, or school shootings when we were young. We didn't have the World Wide Web, text messaging, nor were we exposed to the most sexually oriented society in the history of the world. Our teens battle, deal with issues, and actually have real problems. Yea, the divorce rate is at an all time high, and 30 years ago you hardly knew anyone who came from a divorced home. However, 50% of those kids that walk into our church walk in from divorced, fractured, and dysfunctional homes and need to find a church that actually cares and gives them something real.

Thirdly, youth are looking for a mission, something to believe in, and something to die for. Yes, yesterday's Christianity is boring and no longer appealing to our youth. Church on Wednesday, Sunday morning, and Sunday night is awesome and we need it. However, today's youth are sharp, quick, and aggressive and are ready to change the world. Sadly, many of our youth groups have never been on a mission's trip or in a third world country. Many of our teenagers have no idea what it's like to help the poor and hurting. I know we all like to assume it's because they are dull, focused on their video games, and lazy. However, it's actually contrary, and they are ready for a church that will challenge them and allow them to do something big. Big? What is that? When was the last time we really took our youth on an adventurous experience? I remember when I was a youth pastor; our youth fed the homeless, we went to children's hospitals, nursing homes, we gave away bikes in the inner city, we started bus ministries, we painted houses for the elderly, cleaned up trash in the ghettos, and raised money for third world countries. It was a thrill, and they had something to believe in. Ladies and gentlemen, the reason why your kid keeps saying, "Wake me up when church is over" is because they are tired of the same old monotony and are ready for a challenge. I recently read a book entitled, "Why Christian Kids Rebel". Would you believe the number one answer was, "We rebel because our Christianity wasn't adventurous enough."? I am looking forward to Boot Camp America, and hopefully pastors, parents, and youth pastors will take up the opportunity that we have to challenge our youth, and mobilize them for an adventurous experience.

We recently took over 100 youth to the streets of Auckland, New Zealand, at 1:00 am and sang, preached, and prayed with people outside the wildest bar in Auckland. Would you believe that we baptized over 11 teenagers, and 6 of them received the Holy Ghost? Hey, we even baptized people in their underwear, and it was 40 degrees! HA! When was the last time our youth groups watched a 21 year old guy come out of the bar, receive the Holy Ghost, and be baptized in his underwear at 4:00 a.m.? Ladies and gentlemen, that would rock the world of every youth group in America. I really believe that every single teenager and youth group would be turned upside down at just one single Boot Camp experience! Awe, you sweet, sheltered, and judgmental religious people couldn't just handle seeing someone get baptized in their underwear. Really? Why do you watch all the TV and movies then? It's amazing that we'd protest something as precious and valuable as Boot Camp, and the same guys who do so will be the same guys at Blockbuster renting a movie with all kinds of filth. Well, I'd like to join the rest of today's American teenagers and say, "Wake me up when church is over!" Wake me up when we are done gossiping, playing politics, criticizing, and playing it safe. Wake me up when we are ready to spend money on things that actually change the lives of others. Wake me up when we are ready to do something intense, radical, and life changing. Wake me up when we are ready to get out of the box. Get out of the box?

Actually, I don't want to get out of the box. I am bored out of my mind with thinking outside the box. I want to think on top of the box, under the box, around the box, and on the side of the box - I want to crush the box - do whatever I have to do to reach the 7 billion people in the world of who all deserve a chance to meet an adventurous, compassion, authentic, and risky Christian. Every single young person in America deserves a chance to go to heaven.

Matt Maddix