What would you teach if it were left up to you?

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If you could decide what our 12-15 year olds were learning in Youth Group what would you teach?

What would you say that our children are lacking as far as knowledge in their faith?

Would it be basic catechesis?

Would you just read from the Bible?

Would you teach them to worship in song?

You have 50 kids and an hour and a half every Monday.

How would you make a difference?
 
I worry that our children are bombarded by sexual imagery all the time and yet we seem to ignore this issue. I think it is important to talk about what the Church teaches and why it is so good!
 
FightingFat-- I agree. Is this what you had in mind?

ascensionpress.com/shop/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=437

Now what else do our junior high schoolers need to learn about?

Is anyone noticing that most 7& 8th graders don’t read their Bibles?
Do they know which came first Noah or Jesus? I had an adult confuse the story of Moses with the story of Jesus. Would you say it is important to know the stories and the order they’re told?
 
I do have the opportunity to teach our teens…and there is so much to share with them, but my time is limited to 2 times monthly…so prioritizing is important.

One thing I try to reinforce…is the necessity for the sacraments…frequent reception of the sacraments of reconciliation and communion…and why weekly mass is one of our commandments. Often times this is when they start skipping weekly attendance.
  1. The Sacrament of marriage and the dangers of cohabitation…because they are being bombarded in their society about how this is not only acceptable or preferable, rather than the true bldg block of society…marriage between a man and a woman. This is where you can introduce the church documents and papal encyclicals on life…too…and the need to respect it.
    We also talk about chastity…and the necessity for it in single life and married life.
  2. peer pressure…huge topic which incorporates lots of things…bullying, esteem, drugs and alcohol, choices…lots of things.date rape…you name it…getting along with parents…respect.etc.
  3. building up the kingdom here on earth…volunteerism, the corporal and spiritual works of mercy etc.retreats, diocesan activities too.
  4. plus we do fun stuff…that builds community. sports, activities,
  5. And with all these things…prayer, prayer first, last and in the middle.
I’ve been at it for 15 years now…and the work is never done…and because the group is so static…changes all the time, since kids schedules change, they grow up and leave the program, they get jobs or get involved in their high school stuff…it’s hard to keep them interested. But that’s where I keep praying.
 
The youth of today need to be evangelized before they are catechized. Without knowing and understanding their relationship with Jesus, anything we try to teach on faith, morals, or living will seem like just another school subject or a lecture from their parents.

I know this may sound oversimplified and much like a Protestant tract, but it is a reality. Our kids are not getting that crucial example from their parents. If as youth ministers, we can show them and get them to understand Christ’s love, everything else will come easily.

The Church’s reaching on any subject means nothing if I do not believe.
 
I agree that it is important to teach Jesus’ love for us. That is first and foremost in my opinion. The second step I believe is to challenge them with opportunities for service. Lastly, I believe we have to have parent participation.
Peace!
 
fellowChristian said:
If you could decide what our 12-15 year olds were learning in Youth Group what would you teach?

What would you say that our children are lacking as far as knowledge in their faith?

Would it be basic catechesis?

Would you just read from the Bible?

Would you teach them to worship in song?

You have 50 kids and an hour and a half every Monday.

How would you make a difference?
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First, I’d keep it light and fun. Find or write some fun skits they can do that model the Christian Catholic life-style. Make them funny. Make them about things that happen in real life. Turn good Catholic jokes you’ve heard into skits that they can do. Model how to get up for Mass on a Sunday morning. Model how to go to Confession. (I used a cardboard box for this one time; the kids thought it was hilarious. And they all went to Confession the next time we were doing that, because they remembered the cardboard box, and they knew what to say and how to do it.)

If they’re into singing, teach them the hymns from the Mass, so that when they go to Mass, there’s something there that they know.

Use your imagination, and if you run out of yours, use theirs - kids that age are very creative. 🙂

Most importantly, though - love Jesus, and love them. They won’t learn anything unless you first love both Jesus and them.

Go to Adoration and pray for each of them by name.
 
Most importantly, though - love Jesus, and love them. They won’t learn anything unless you first love both Jesus and them.
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The above quote is so important. Kids will sense that love. Be not afraid.

Here are my ideas:
  1. vocabulary - if they do not understand the words they will not learn, but make it fun.
  2. history - our faith has a rich heritage and a vast store of wonderful stories.
  3. mass - break it down, perhaps one item or prayer each week.
  4. prayers - do the kids know what the words mean? ex. “Hail” Everyone knows the name Mary, but what is ‘hail’?
  5. Set examples - come 30 minutes early to pray a rosary and invite the students to show up if they want to do so.
  6. saints - find a saint that inspires you and tell the kids about it. I will suggest St. Maximilian Kolbe. Why? Because last evening my high school students all stayed 10 minutes past the end of class time to read the last 2 pages about his confortation with the Nazi S.S. at Auschwitz. They were enthralled.
May God bless you
 
fellowChristian said:
If you could decide what our 12-15 year olds were learning in Youth Group what would you teach?
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I would first define “youth group”. If it means what it does here, HS kids who want to be involved in some church-related activity with a social and service component, i would provide that. If it means HS catechesis, I would do as we are now doing, follow the diocesan program, same as if it means “confirmation prep”. We stay away from teaching and formal classroom stuff for youth group, as that is not its purpose.

every year the group seems to have a different focused based on what the kids are looking for. Sometimes it is just sports and music, but most years they really are hungry for something–bible study, apologetics, service and discipleship, so that is what we try to provide.
 
idrum677 said:
The youth of today need to be evangelized before they are catechized. Without knowing and understanding their relationship with Jesus, anything we try to teach on faith, morals, or living will seem like just another school subject or a lecture from their parents.

I know this may sound oversimplified and much like a Protestant tract, but it is a reality. Our kids are not getting that crucial example from their parents. If as youth ministers, we can show them and get them to understand Christ’s love, everything else will come easily.

The Church’s reaching on any subject means nothing if I do not believe.
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I agree. So how would you evangelize? How does one go about helping teens believe?

And puzzleannie–

This “Youth Group” consists of 12-15 year old 7th and 8th graders.
The original director had the kids doing this…

As a big group
1.prayer
2.icebreaker game
3.explanation of what they were going to learn

then the kids would spilt into 4 class rooms, 2 -7th grade and 2- 8th grade classes.

Then each teacher would teach a lesson from a very outdated text book.

puzzleannie are you saying what I described is not a Youth Group?
 
I went back to an email the Father sent me and reread it.
He calls it “Jr. High Religious Education”.

That changes everything don’tcha think?

Everyone called it Youth group.🤷
 
fellowChristian said:
I agree. So how would you evangelize? How does one go about helping teens believe?
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First and foremost, let them know about you and how your life is changed because of Jesus. Relate your personal witness to them and get them to think how Jesus may be working in their lives. I’ve used different meditation exercises that seem to hit home for some of them.

In a way they can understand, explain how much God loves us and use the example of the crucified Christ often. Don’t sugar coat His death- they have seen much more graphic things on TV.

Its not going to be easy, nor will results come quickly. Kids today are so imbedded in the secular culture, religion is sometimes difficult for them to grasp.

Pray, fast, spend time in adoration. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you and to insire you with our young people.
God bless you and your work.
 
fellowChristian said:
I agree. So how would you evangelize? How does one go about helping teens believe?

And puzzleannie–

This “Youth Group” consists of 12-15 year old 7th and 8th graders.
The original director had the kids doing this…

As a big group
1.prayer
2.icebreaker game
3.explanation of what they were going to learn

then the kids would spilt into 4 class rooms, 2 -7th grade and 2- 8th grade classes.

Then each teacher would teach a lesson from a very outdated text book.

puzzleannie are you saying what I described is not a Youth Group?
Click to expand...
That actually sounds like a Catechism class, to me. Learning does take place at Youth Group, but it’s not “book learning” - it’s experiential learning.

A standard outline for a Youth meeting would be:

7:00 - 7:10 Welcoming and Icebreaker activity.

7:10-7:15 Opening song, prayer (include kids’ prayer intentions), key Scripture verse or Catechism concept (one sentence).

Introduction to the theme (5-minute talk by the leader)

7:20- 7:40 Game
7:40 - 8:00 Skit
8:00 - 8:15 Round Table Discussion (Snack) - if the group is large, you would divide into smaller groups of no more than 5-6. It is customary to offer a snack to the kids at this time.)

Response to the Theme

8:15 - 8:30 Creative Response (make a picture, make a video, invent your own skit, write a poem, etc.)
8:30 - 8:45 Presentations (kids present their creative response to the rest of the group)
8:45 - 9:00 pm Concluding Discussion (what did we learn today? Relate it back to the key verse or Catechism concept) and Wrap-up (Announcements, final prayer with kids’ prayer intentions included, dismissal).

You would adapt the above to suit your time frame and the needs of your group.
 
So we are doing the first class on the Beatitudes. The choice was left up to me:eek: I hope this was a good choice. No text books only key points with Q & A using the Bible and the CCC.

jmcrae-- That is basically what we are doing. Final decisions were made tonight. First class is on Monday.

With so many “themes” to choose from its really hard to pick. But the nice thing is somebody somewhere has already done all the work all you have to do is find it. And unpack it for the kids.
 
fellowChristian said:
puzzleannie are you saying what I described is not a Youth Group?
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no I am just asking, because how the group and its purpose are defined would determine what I would do for the group. you have given a good snapshot of the set up, and I presume you are asking what to teach in the time you have your smaller group together. What is the curriculum suggested by the diocese for that age group? Have they already received sacraments of initiation or are they in preparation? Can’t answer w/o knowing more about the group and their needs.

most textbook-based curriculums focus on the Old Testament in 6th grade, New Testament in 7th grade, Church history and Catholic identity in 8th grade. Here Confirmation is in 10th grade, so 9th & 10th are preparation for that sacrament, with a CCC-based syllabus, Creed, sacraments & liturgy, moral life, and prayer.

We consider Jr. High to be remote preparation for Confirmation and focus heavily on scripture–what is the Bible, where does it come from, how to read it, how to pray with it, forming a bible-using habit. One unit (a month or 6 weeks) in each grade is on some topic related to relationships, sexual morality, marriage and family issues. We use Love and Life in Jr. High, and are launching TOB for HS this year. We also have a unit in each grade on Mass and liturgy.

For some reason our Jr Hi communion class has grown huge. Where formerly there would always be 1 or 2 kids who had never made 1st communion, we now have closer to 30, including 5 or 6 unbaptized in RCIA. They participate with their peers in the regular classes (because most just won’t come w/o friends) and attend additonal sessions for sacramental and RCIA.
 
Coming in the month of October will be vocations.

For each week of the month a different vocation will be studied and guests speakers will be visiting the class. Priests, nuns, and married couples will be coming to class. For my part I will be covering the vocation of single life:shrug:

It will be a worthwhile month of study and learning.
 
The youth group in my parish follows the diocese effort and it is based on different aspects:

1- Catechism (classes on Sundays)
2- Group fun activities on specific days
3- Social Justice Activities on specific days
4- Pastoral care (support with individual issues)

Different teams of adults are organized to cover the four areas
 
Greetings in the Lord! I love all of the answers and by far all of the answers are the correct ones. Please allow me to explain…NOw that I am a student of the word of God, and have been for years! and so understand the importance of what I have learned in scripture and in church, we MUST reach young people with truth, Gods. Not just acting in church but being the church and walking out the truth of God! The church’s teaching always ties in with scripture, Gods principles. all through St Pauls teachings he refers us to making sure that we are grounded in the word of God. Mature in our faith! We MUST teach this to them!
Children have to know that if they are christians, there are absolutes for their walk with God, in order to experience Gods fullness… That God is about loving us and protecting us and he does that within the confines of His word. His church. which the church is suppose to be a people of! Grounding them in the word of God. Teaching them that this is true freedom. I have taught youth for years, and I must tell you that because that is one of the gifts God has given me, and I use it for HIs glory, he has always led me in what to say and teach and the responses have been phoenominal. Kids just want to know the truth!!! and when they know you are for real? and what you are teaching is, they will respond. I have seen it more times than not.
Teach them the importance of praying for one another! Of living Gods truth with their peers. When you can show them that no matter what… God loves them and He cares about their issues…and He is a rewarder of those who seek Him…I guess I am saying just be real …live what you believe in front of them. Today they are getting so many mixed signals from the very people in their lives they are to be learning from! amen!!!
Anyway I hope I have made some sense. we need to just be real! and real in our walk! Too many sending wrong messages! we are the examples folks…the church is the example…God bless all…

Deborah
 
fellowChristian said:
If you could decide what our 12-15 year olds were learning in Youth Group what would you teach?

e?
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i would have them read from the Bible and the Catechism…

especially the parts about Hell and how dificult it is to get into Heaven… because people forget that Jesus said many times it is difficult to get into Heaven… that few findthe narrow way… that many will try to enter but “will not be able”…

Sin is deadly…

So much is taught about God’s forgiveness. And he is forgiving… but he is holy and sin makes us very unholy… and no impure thing will be allowed into heaven…

Purgatory should be called waht it is:

Hell…

that comes to an end… but Hell nonetheless…

I have experienced hell on Earth… from the consequences of my sins… & though i hate being in hell (and Purgatory)… i have come to (in my “old age”) realize that being there is a blessing… For one thing, it cuts down on my time in Purg after death… and for antoher… i just love being close to Jesus… which reminds me of another thing that should definitely be taught to the kids…

The value of *spending as much time as possible at the Blessed Sacrament… *
 
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