By REV JOHN HATCHER
Religion Columnist

In the early eighties, Pollster George Gallop surveyed American youth and discovered that they wanted to go deeper in the places of God through prayer, Bible study, and personal discipline. However, the church looked to Hollywood, MTV, and Disneyworld and asked what the youth wanted.

Hollywood said the youth wanted glitzy and pizazz. So, church youth camps have metaphormized into Las Vegas shows attempting to say that the church can do as well as the world with the high-tech, awe-inspiring stufflasers and everything.

MTV said the youth wanted not only to hear their bump and grind music, but see it as well with all the bumping of body parts. Disneyword said the youth wanted fun stuff; so, the church often asks, "What would be fun for our youth?" rather than, "What would be good for our youth?"

Am I against the church's youth having a fun time? Well, no. Do I resent that the church's youth today have far more provided for them than my generation? Well, maybe just a little. In my day, an overnight camping trip on the Duncan's farm was a big deal. But, I understand and my church will do everything in our budget to appeal to what's appealing to today's youth.

But, let's go back to what the reputable surveyor discovered about youth in the eighties and I dare say, it's true in the first of the 21st century: teens want to go deeper in the places of God through prayer, Bible study and personal discipline.

Yet, adults, in general, don't pray. So, how could adults lead youth in a pilgrimage of prayer? Adults rarely open their Bibles from Sunday to Sunday; so, how could adults lead youth in life-changing Bible study? Adults seldom reflect personal discipline; so, how could they lead teens in that direction?

So, church after church hit upon a solution: we will hire a youth director to lead our youth. We will pay him to be a man of prayer, a man who will pour over the pages of Scriptures daily, a man who will reflect the very discipline of Jesus Christ who could fast forty days and forty nights.

Part of the malaise problem settling over the church comes from adults ignoring the great mission field right under our noses: our youth. We will muster enough enthusiasm to organize an adult mission group to some far away land requiring thousands of dollars, and yet, the greatest field of unreached people are streaming out of huge school houses every day: middle and high school students.

Teenagers, in reality, have not turned a deaf ear to the church; the church has ignored what makes the youth get interested: adults who are genuine in their faith; adults who care for the teens instead of judging them; adults who will take the time and telephone and make some timely investments in a young life.

Could it be that the apathy and lethargy rampant in the church could be exorcized through tapping into the energy source of teens by a concerted, genuine, caring effort by adults to reach one of America's greatest unreached people groups?

Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in Fayetteville.

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