Maybe the question should be “Is it important to get youth interested in our denominations?” I believe it is, indeed, important and the blessing and missional impact of denominations like the CRCNA should be shared with youth. Maybe you disagree.
Now I’m going to jump to the topic of youth at Synod and how strategic this is in the goal of including youth in denominational participation. There is a financial cost to bringing youth to Synod and considerable time spent including them in Synod. I don’t have a problem with this, but I wonder if these students wouldn’t learn more about the denomination if they were involved in missional activities throughout the wider church. Of course I realize we can do both. So I am not suggesting we discontinue the inclusion of youth at Synod. I just figured it might be a good discussion point for some of you folks reading this who know far more than I do about these things.
Synod, and the governance of the church, is a critical element of the denomination. But is it going to hold the attention of youth delegates and get them fired up to participate in and see the value of denominational ministry? You tell me. I do know that when students get the vision of ministry outside the walls of their church, they have a passion to serve. When students understand how the relationship and partnership of congregations within the CRCNA impact the world for Christ, they can see the value of our denominational ties.
Again, I’m not suggesting we leave youth at home when Synod rolls around. I just want to hear what others think as we look for opportunities to encourage youth to participate in the life of the denomination.