December Fellowship Meeting Recap
In December, we hosted a panel to discuss the issues of High Risk Youth and some steps we can take towards a solution. Each panel member briefly summarized their work and then answered questions from the moderator, Ben Montoya, as well as a few questions from the audience.
Below are the notes from that meeting.
TODAY’S PANEL MEMBERS:
John Townsend - Matt 25v34 Ministries www.mt25v34.com
Nate Landis - Urban Youth Collaborative www.uyc.org
Josh Collier - Youth for Christ www.yfcsandeigo.org
John:
We provide lots of services up to about age 26, when the government cuts off their assistance programs, lots and lots of prayer teams, try to get each person prayed for every day, some of our clients are working with UPLIFT
Nate:
group of churches putting Bible study clubs in schools
starting with student leaders and training them to have the best impact with their peers
Josh:
it’s all about relationship. connecting youth that are far away from walking into a church, to an adult or other youth who are connected. Looking to find engaged, supportive churches to become a home for youth in San Deigo.
Q: WHAT IS THE PRIMARY CAUSE THAT YOU THINKS PUTS YOUTH AT RISK?
Nate: “As Christians, we are always one generation away from extinction.” Remember that a church exists for the benefit of it’s non-members, you’ll find that what you give away comes back. (900 churches in the SD Unified school district, he had a list at one point)
about 90% of SD youth are not connected to a church at all.
risk factors:
spiritual even the “rich kids" are at high spiritual risk,
academics many schools are really struggling academically, SDHS is on its 6th head coach in 10 years
poverty, basic needs
broken families
a sense of purpose - gang recruitment is easy because it’s a family, something worth giving your life to.
Josh: parents teach you stuff like how to get a job, brush your teeth, etc., etc., etc. think about who you would be without that positive impact. It might be fine if you’re on food stamps, but if your mom is on drugs, and not going to go get the food, the kid is still coming home to no food. And they think it’s normal. They have literally no idea how else it can be.
John: it’s fundamentally the break down of the family, it affects kids from birth on. 92% of kids who don’t know how to read by the 3rd grade will end up incarcerated at some point
Q: HOW BAD IS THE PROBLEM? TRENDING WHICH WAY?
John: in 1950 2% were high risk, 1975 19%?, 2000 33%, 2014 at least 60%
factors: stable family, community, divorce rate,
Q: PRIMARY WAYS YOUTH NEED TO BE HELPED:
Nate: have a mentor/relationship, have a whole community of adults (not just the youth pastor) surrounding youth, it has be a call that an entire church feels. In certain communities having jobs/opportunities — it’s hard to make the right choices when there are fewer of those choices available.
inequitable justice system - drugs in Scripps Ranch is a party, in other places, it’s criminal behavior.
don’t wait till kids are a certain age until they are valuable members of a church. They are not just the future, they are the present TOO.
Q: WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT:
Josh: looking for volunteers, still deciding what that looks like.
Nate: praying for God’s spirit and power covering all the youth is schools. paying we have 16 staff. people ways to volunteer, etc. Willing to preach almost any given Sunday.
John: work within every community you’re connected to, look for more opportunities. Particularly with the very young. DIBT training kids is looking great. Pray, about how you can be involved, get your ministry to pray about getting involved,