won't sombody please think of the children

this silly catch cry by our favourate pastors wife was rolling around in my mind today as i was relayed a story about a friend who was going to a new "emerging church" plant but has just left because it was felt that the children weren't being well catered for.

Now i don't have any "news" there is no bun in the oven but i was thinking about this because as we seek to contextualize church for the next generation it is easy to forget the spiritual needs and formation of the kids... the "established" church still has the edge over the small emerging movements because they have a long tradition of sunday school and youth ministries...

i can see in my church right now a whole generation that are getting married and having babies, that still identify with the sunday night congregation and im sure will find it difficult in the next few years dragging kids out at 7-8pm sunday nights....

the usual thinking is to transfer to the morning congregation but what if the culture is different? if the fit isn't right?

i don't know if i have answers but only questions on how an emerging flavor of church (that primarily is targeted at the single 20's) can embrace change and grow up without selling out...

any thoughts?

ignite

please stop sending me all those emails to tell me to update my blog!! ok well ummm actualy i havnt recived any.... so is anybody out there? *cricket chirp*

well i have been a bit slow becouse i have been bogged under with work leading up to the relaunch of youth ministry here at Maroubra Baps, but finaly it is here....

ignite youth is our new name, replaceing the rather strange "bouth" name.... and i have cobbled together a website for info and a blog.... now i will not be abandoning this blog... in no way the blog on the ignite website will be for extra info and "random thoughts" by me and others on my youth team... i may also cross post ideas that are worthwhile...

so have a look, give me some feedback, and rock on......