Church people (i know we've got a few)

[ThudMaker]

I like religion, just not yours. :poke: Also, I am no ones minion and you sir are a dweeb.

Nice personal attack in a thread that didn't require your presence.

[chunky-b]

I knew it wouldn't take long for the religion haters to start crap. Figures it would be from a Thrusty Minion... [/quote I like religion, just not yours. :poke: Also, I am no ones minion and you sir are a dweeb.

You don't know me or my religion, but thanks for making assumptions and personally attacking me...

[Bones Malone]

QUOTE=ThudMaker;38676187]Nice personal attack in a thread that didn't require your presence.[

Actually, it was a rebuttal to a personal attack. See, "minion" is belittling whereas "dweeb" is comic.

I wasn't aware this was a private thread but now that I know, I'll steer clear. Thanks!!

...he's being funny, he must hate God!!! GET HIM!!!!

[ThudMaker]

Actually, it was a rebuttal to a personal attack. See, "minion" is belittling whereas "dweeb" is comic. I wasn't aware this was a private thread but now that I know, I'll steer clear. Thanks!! ...he's being funny, he must hate God!!! GET HIM!!!!

Of what benefit do your postings have to MLWarriner and his OP concerns? Also, you should preview your posts and make sure you have the double quotes working correctly. You haven't seemed capable of getting that right yet.

[pickinatit]

I have no experience or know-how I can claim regarding setting up/running services for college kids...but, I WAS a college kid once upon a time. I have to concur with some of the comments that have already been made regarding the "time" of your service. One thing about time that is maybe being overlooked, however, is that by early Sunday evening, hang-overs have been dealt with and defeated, football games have been watched, in short, the weekend party is over. The kids are stepping back into "Student" mode. Studying, preparing for Monday classes, finishing that essay, going to the library to do that research...etc. etc. I think Sunday evening is a bad time. Just my $.02

[kpax]

Shouldn't God bring them?

I need some advice. My church has a "young adults" service - we're aiming to bring in the 18 to 25 crowd from the two nearby colleges. But we're failing, badly. We have a core group of about 5 students that are there almost every Sunday, and random occasionals. Beyond that, it's the pastor, the guitarist and me. Does your church have a similar service? If so, does it work? What parts specifically work or don't work? Right now, our contemporary service is 7pm on Sunday, in the main sanctuary. We're discussing a couple of options regarding time and location for the service, but also looking for input. We advertise well on the campuses, we just don't get anyone out. Suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Bones Malone]

Of what benefit do your postings have to MLWarriner and his OP concerns? Also, you should preview your posts and make sure you have the double quotes working correctly. You haven't seemed capable of getting that right yet.

 

 

 

I'm sorry, I'm still new at this forum business.

[chunky-b]

Posting that you follow Thrustin and pop up to defend him is very different from you directly calling me a "dweeb". it's pretty obvious you can't comprehend things like that, so I'll be benevolent and let it go there. I'm just getting tired of all of the anti-religion people crying cause "society doesn't accept them" and then they turn around and bash religion / Christianity in the next thread. Oh well... Before this turns into a religion debate for the haters...

[ Actually, it was a rebuttal to a personal attack. See, "minion" is belittling whereas "dweeb" is comic. I wasn't aware this was a private thread but now that I know, I'll steer clear. Thanks!! ...he's being funny, he must hate God!!! GET HIM!!!!

[Bones Malone]

Posting that you follow Thrustin and pop up to defend him is very different from you directly calling me a "dweeb". it's pretty obvious you can't comprehend things like that

1. I don't follow Thrustin, I have no idea what he talks about on this forum. 2. I have never defended him. (prove me wrong)
3. The above statement was made up to support your assertion that I am a "minion" which you made somehow indirectly
4. This conversation is rediculous and I'm out.

[Kindness]

I prefer ridiculous!

 

Matt - here's a link to a "local"church that gets a huge draw from the age group you're talking about. http://www.willowcreek.org/home1.aspx Maybe there is something on their website that might be inspirational and useful for your own ministry.

 

P.S. - I now need to go to confession to rid myself of the sin of attempting to help the religious.

[misterhinkydink]

I prefer ridiculous!

But 'rediculous' is so...riduculous!!!!

[ThudMaker]

P.S. - I now need to go to confession to rid myself of the sin of attempting to help the religious.

At least you have accepted that you have sinned!:lol:

[chunky-b]

*snip* This conversation is rediculous and I'm out.

Whew! I'm through for the day. Mission accomplished. Nothing to see here. Back to your normally scheduled topic...

[Kindness]

 

The Willow Creek model is used at a lot of "mega-churches." Probably not a bad idea to check that out.

 

 

When I was in high school, they'd bus us from the school to play basketball in their gym. The had a full gym like our high school, but they made it more interesting by setting up tournaments, slam dunk contests on lowered rims, etc.

 

There are more inclusive activities you could choose, but that was the one that I remember.

[BlueSteam]

When I was a college kid I went to a Wednesday night service. As has been mentioned, Sunday night is used to get ready for the start of the week and I'd always be finishing up homework at that time. Maybe having your service on Sundays is the problem.

Edit: A 2nd thought: College kids who were formerly involved in youth groups during high school are probably more used to meeting on Wednesday nights rather than Sundays.

[prosigna]

 

The Willow Creek model is used at a lot of "mega-churches."

 

 

The Willow Creek model is a neat one to look at. They build on the "Meta-Church" model where everything is built on cell blocks of 10-people. A single person charged with caring for the spiritual well being of 10 others (much like Jesus looked after the 12). It is variations of this thinking (Willow Creek, the Navigators, etc...) that I have seen as the most effective college ministry.

[Kindness]

I sure did not expect to see Kindness in here and especially did not expect a very relevant and helpful addition to the conversation. That is just cool.

He and his contributions are over-rated.

[zachoff]

Ultimate Frisbee tournament. All them churchy folks seem to like that game. Kidding, BTW. I only ever went to youth group when I was a kid because there were a few hot women. Funny thing to go to youth group to make out. I guess I was doomed from the start.

[mlwarriner]

I prefer ridiculous! Matt - here's a link to a "local"church that gets a huge draw from the age group you're talking about. http://www.willowcreek.org/home1.aspx Maybe there is something on their website that might be inspirational and useful for your own ministry. P.S. - I now need to go to confession to rid myself of the sin of attempting to help the religious.

i personally consider myself about as far from "religious" as someone who considers himself christian (not A Christian, but christian) can get.

and thanks for the link.

[Kindness]

i personally consider myself about as far from "religious" as someone who considers himself christian (not A Christian, but christian) can get. and thanks for the link.

You're welcome. My "better" suggestion is in your other thread.

[ThudMaker]

You're welcome. My "better" suggestion is in your other thread.

[mlwarriner]

You're welcome. My "better" suggestion is in your other thread.

given the attractive-ness of our female sometimes-singer, i'd be totally OK with that.


my wife, OTOH... maybe not so much.

[mrcrow]

we only have a childrens praise service now...very young

in an earlier church we had an open evangelical service with around 10 band members and it brought it a lot of teens and young adults...but a lot were somehow associated with the band or some of the 30's house groups

to bring in from a college campus may require some horse trading with christian groups in the college

you have to pinpoint your focus and reconcile that if those who dont come are being evangelised...job done!

wish you well..

[brotherbass]

The idea of a Wed. night thing is the best of the bunch. The main thing is making sure that all of your leaders have the correct mind set. Numbers don't matter in the beginning, building a foundation does. Pour into the students that you have and invest in there lives. Stop talking about bringing more and focus on the ones that are coming. It is true that word of mouth is the best form of advertising, people will always talk about a good experience and invite others If they feel what you are doing is adding value. Slow is always better, ask yourself this... if one hundred students came in, with all of the issues that college students can have, would you be ready to intersect there lives effectively? Don't hate the days of small beginnings.

[Kaesh]

It is not mature Christianity to seek radicalism and grandeur, it is more along the lines of taking the natural youthful inclinations toward freedom, free spiritedness, and adventure and applying them to Christianity. Sort of like taking the emotion of Springsteen's "Born To Run" and pouring it into a Christian setting. It is the rejection of the previous generation's form a Christianity in favor of a new, fresh one. The new and fresh wears off of anything. You are left only with trying to be as much like Christ as possible (radically like Christ, if you will). Few people make it to this understanding without being sidetracked or burnt out on chasing grandeur and new, fresh stuff. The best stuff is thousands of years old.

 

That is not what I meant - quite the opposite actually. By grandeur and radicalism I referred to traditionalist/premodern stances, focusing on the supernatural/mystical aspects of religion etc. Maybe this doesn't translate well or at all to protestantism - a simple example from here would be that Trident (pre Vaticanum Secundum) Masses are highly skewed towards the high school/college age group compared to normal ones. This usually goes along with a significant interest in scholasticism and theology etc. The other religious people in that age group are pretty much exclusively {censored}-eating grin girl scout types (not exclusively female of course) who have never actually quit church.