Where are the youth in the Rural Black Church

That is a statement I hear so many times. However, have we ever considered how youth have been treated historically in the Rural Black Church. In my research, so many times I saw it stated, anything considered entertainment or even recreation for youth was to be avoided. All I need to do is look at some of my personal experiences growing up, and as a pastor, to understand why so many children are no longer in church. I was very active in the church as I grew up. I attended Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Methodist Youth Fellowship, was a member of the Children's Choir and I was an Altar Boy. One day when I got home from school, my mother shared a letter she had received from one of our fellow church members. The member was scolding my mother for allowing me to come to Sunday School with candy. To this day, I never understood her point. But think of the effect that would have on other parents and their children. Fast forward a few years later. I had completed college and was asked to serve as Superintendent of Vacation Bible School. When I asked some of the workers, what were we going to do that was fun during the week. I was told, this week was not about fun. It was about studying the Word and learning crafts. Needless to say, that was the last time I served in that role. I moved from the laity to the pastorate and things got even worse. I was asked by a young woman to dedicate her child. I did not let the fact that she was not married bother me. Nothing was said at the Church, however, when I went to an Association meeting, the item of discussion was pastors who dedicated children of unwed parents. One pastor told me I should be ashamed of myself. He told me unless the parents were married, he would not dedicate the child. Years later teaching a course in Christian Ethics, the depth of shame placed on women who experienced unintended pregnancies, and their children, rose to the surfaced during the class discussion. I asked many of the pro-life students, could this be the very reason so many women resorted to abortion and if they did not, they stopped coming to church. I believe in the sanctity of marriage, however, children have never had the option of choosing who their parents are. At one time the membership of the church where I serve as pastor was one-third children because I embrace children regardless of the circumstances surrounding their birth. Many churches also have a problem with the music that young people embrace. Why do we expect them to sing or praise dance to music that they don't embrace? Many of us have no idea that the music to the great hymn of the church, Now Thank We All Our God, was a German beer song. When Thomas Dorsey starting singing in some of the churches in Chicago, his music was called "the devil's music." Music in the church should all be about the theology of the lyrics. If we are saved, what wrong with the youth singing song like, Won't He Do It, by Koryn Hawthorne. One more thing that we must address when it comes to youth in the church is how we educate them. The first thing we must do is give them a Bible that they can understand. Check out some of the test scores of students at the schools in your community. Many are not the best. Then we must use technology. We are a very visual people. That's something technology can truly help us with. Don't do like some places, collect the cellphones when people walk in the door. Yes, some people will be distracted, however, many have their Bibles on the phone. Others use social media to spread the Gospel during worship. We also must look at our teaching methods. For years as a church, we invested a lot of resources in Vacation Bible School. Parents would drop their children off for that week and you would not see those children until next year. Last year I started Summer School on Sunday. Each Sunday the youth have a Biblical story to study. There are questions to answer and the youth are called on to present their work. In a world where many schools teach to the test, Summer School on Sunday has improved their Biblical knowledge along with their reading, writing, presentation skills. If you would like a copy of the curriculum, please email me at leonard.edloe@gmail.com. We have lost several generations in the church because for numerous reasons, people stopped coming to church. Let's stop giving those who decide to return, a reason for not coming back. Nothing is more dear to most parents than their child. Please share your comments. This is not intended to be a one-sided conversation. We can disagree.