As a young person in a church, I often hear ‘I wish there were people I could relate to’. Having received many concerns from parents saying that one of the main things, they worry about their children within churches is relatability, I thought it would be a great opportunity to talk about this. Yes, having people my age within a church has always helped, but over time I‘ve seen so many of my friends drift away from church leaving me with no one to relate to.
Now that I’m older I look up to people within my life and church for wisdom and so deeply wish that I’d had the relationships I have in my church life now, when I was younger.
Here are three points from my own experience, that I think will help young people within churches:
- Be a role model
- Be honest
- Be real
Be a role model- Means setting an example of how you live out your life within and outside of church. Growing up, there have been lots of pressure from outside church to conform and be like everyone else and sadly I think it’s a lot harder for children younger than me. I think that if we talk about how we set an example inside and outside of church, and the struggles we still face as adults, it will make relatability easier. We may not all have the same struggles but the foundations we build upon is what makes the difference in our day to day lives.
Be honest- Growing up I have often felt like I have been tempted with things and it has sometimes made me feel isolated from church. If I had heard from someone older than me that they had struggled with the same things, what happened and how they were still in church, then it would’ve helped me a great deal. This is because talking to my peers often meant I got an answer which was that these things were acceptable, when God says they aren’t.
Be real- Being real and telling your story this is a huge inspiration. Tell stories of your journey, things you’ve experienced and how God has impacted your life. Stories have always stayed with me and it’s a great two-way conversation which has always made me sit and think about all the good God’s done in my life.
So, I leave you with this question.
Do you set an example, and build relationships with the young people within your life and church?
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