Seniors Sunday Lunch Gatherings

A proposal for a community-wide Christian program for high school seniors
(This page and proposal is still under construction – sharing for input)

THE GOAL: To reduce the risk of teens and young adults falling away from faith

CURRENT CONCERNS:

  • Fewer youth attend church compared to 10-15 years ago.
  • Fewer churches have enough teens for a youth group, especially in smaller churches.
  • Church youth dropout rate has increased for older youth and young adults.
  • Colleges, universities, and today’s pop culture entice youth and young adults to abandon their faith.

RESOURCES AVAILABLE:

  • Join forces with other churches in the area and work together.
  • Use technology to connect with teens, youth workers, and churches.
  • Excellent online Bible programs are available for youth and young adults.

PROPOSED GATHERINGS Monthly Senior Sunday Lunch Gatherings to be held by participating churches on a rotating basis. The host church would supply the meal, provide a spiritual lesson and discussion. The pastor or youth leader of the host church would present a lesson and discussion that relates to and reinforces the material studied over the past month. The lesson should be at least 20-30 minutes long and have more depth than a short devotion. Note that by meeting at lunch time, this program should not pull youth away from, or compete with, any existing youth programs.

SPIRITUAL PROGRAM All youth will follow the same Bible study plan. Each will meet with at least one person to review the lessons on a weekly basis. This could be the youth’s parent(s), grandparent, youth leader, pastor, friend, Sunday school, or small group. This is the most flexible part of the proposed plan. I need to rethink the choice of a study. I originally though to use The Backpack: Be Prepared for the Journey, but realized that I miscalculated the number of lessons/weeks it would take to complete the study. We need something shorter if we were to complete it before the end of the school year.

ENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION: Consider some form of entertainment or recreation for T/YA Lunch Gatherings. Rotate the responsibility with the sponsoring churches or assign one or two leaders who have the gift of entertaining. This needs to exist only as a drawing card. It must not take away from the spiritual program.

TARGET AGE GROUP: High school seniors (may include HS juniors)

WHEN: One Sunday each month (first, last . . .) to be decided at the beginning of the study by the participating pastors and leaders.

WHERE? Location rotates to the hosting church for each T/YA Lunch Gathering.

KICKOFF: The Sunday before or after New Years so the program can have the momentum of beginning a new year on the right foot.