Give Your Youth Group An Escape

As a teen, I was very involved in my church youth group

, which provided a great spiritual foundation for me as I transitioned into adulthood. But like most adolescents, I also craved fun and excitement. I wanted to dance at local clubs in particular. Believe it or not, these two separate activity pools conflicted with each other, as the typical club scene is a little racy--and not at all spiritual.

Fortunately, a few of my leaders were able to put their heads together and come up with a satisfying alternative. They invented their own "clean" club scene! Making use of community venues or the church itself, they would hold Friday and Saturday night events.

One of the great advantages of this approach was that they were able to tailor each club night to our specific interests because they knew us so well. They arranged to set up a "bar," which always offered my favorite sodas and kept fresh limes on hand--just because they knew I liked to add them to my drinks. Little touches such as these helped us feel their unique love for us as youth while also setting up a safe environment for us to dance and socialize.

Each of our leaders collaborated to help is feel authentic, like we were at a real club (without some of the down sides). We received event wristbands at the door or stamps that showed up in UV light. Often, professional DJs were hired to be the life of the party.

Whenever more than one dance floor was available at the venue, they decided to brand out a little to entice more youth. Instead of limiting the music to typical hip-hop you would likely hear at local clubs, they played different music on separate floors. They would offer salsa lessons or play upbeat techno or even offer line dancing or country swing. This helped to broaden the appeal to individuals that might not otherwise attend, so everyone felt included.

We were always welcome to invite friends and associates outside of our immediate church circle. Not only did this increase quality social experiences, it helped us as youth to have comfortable missionary opportunities. Our friends could attend a church function without feeling pressured, which could make all the difference when they were first gaining interest in the faith.

I highly encourage all youth group leaders to consider opening up opportunities like this to their teens and young adults. Having a safe haven for plenty of good, clean fun made a huge impact on my life choices as I grew older, and it can do the same for your youth.

by: Art Gib

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