Churches from most, if not all, denominations are experiencing a dearth of youth workers brought about by the lack of emphasis on youth ministries in the past, according to participants at the recent NECF YouthNet Youth Workers Consultation.
The Evangelical Free Church has 12 churches but only two youth pastors, and even these two are imported from other denominations. Most of their youth ministries are run by lay people, and the churches are on the lookout for youth pastors.
Meanwhile, the Methodists are experiencing a season of drought in full-time workers. The number of members, especially the youths, entering full-time ministry is dwindling.
The Brethren have thus far relied on lay people to do the work because of their emphasis on the “priesthood of all believers” teaching. However, a number of their churches have started engaging full-time youth workers in view of the fast-moving world and the pressures of modern-day living faced by their lay workers. They realise the need for full-time workers to draw the ministry together in greater cohesion and integration for greater impact on the youths and the community.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Malaysia (ELCM) denomination is seeing the retirement of some 75 percent of its pastors in five years’ time. They have also considered the worst-case scenario of “no more ELCM churches” in 10 years’ time due to the lack of youths. They have started looking into hiring youth pastors and workers.
For the English-speaking Presbyterian churches, there was a lack of emphasis on the youth ministry in the past, but this changed some four years ago when the denomination realised the long-term impact of this neglect. Since then, the churches have been challenging their youths to go into full-time ministry and the initial number of 30 respondents has steadily increased through the years.
The increased number of youth workers has impacted the churches’ outreach to non-believers, as has happened at the Agape Presbyterian Church in Kluang, Johor, where half of those attending the youth meetings are non-Christians.
The Baptists have introduced a specialised degree programme for youth ministry at their Baptist Theological Seminary to train and raise youth workers for their churches.
|
