Acquire The Fire Might Have The Wrong Fire

Have you seen the new ads for Acquire the Fire? A guy holding a newspaper that says record number of teenagers are showing up to Youth Groups across the country. The tag says, "What if it were true?"

I know what they are trying to say with that. I know what they are getting at, but isn’t this exactly what is wrong with youth ministry (and the church) and why people aren’t doing that very thing. We are focused on getting them into church. We are focused on getting them involved in a "youth group".

Some headlines I would rather see.

• Schools Adjusting to Longer Lunch Hours After Students Complain "There’s No Time To Pray"
• Schools Start Late Because of Traffic Jam…Too Many Students at SYATP
• Schools Hiring Fewer Janitors…Christian Students Leading the Way to Cleaner Safer Schools

I could list more, but you get the idea. I don’t just want kids showing up at church. In fact, I don’t mind so much if they don’t. I want Jesus to change their lives and, in turn, their lives change the world around them.

If every student at West Orange High School "gives their life to Christ", all the youth groups in the area explode in growth, and the school looks exactly the same, then who cares.