Lifeway on the front edge of dealing with decline of students in church?

Lifeway is on the front edge of dealing with decline of students in church? 

What?  You've got to be kidding.  Writing an article acknowledging the reality that Southern Baptist Churches are losing youth and not doing a good job of spiritually forming adolescents in the Christian faith and then claiming that Lifeway (a denominational publisher) is on the "front edge" of this issue is CRAZY, misguided and arrogant.  Especially since a significant part of the church world has been dealing with the dysfunction of North American youth ministry for several years. 

Here is a quote from the article - "LifeWay is 'on the front end of this as an organization,' Stevens said during the three-day gathering in mid-September, 'but we think it's time to put a laser-like focus back on the spiritual development of students. That's what's going to make a lasting impact. Not that all the fun things youth ministries do is bad, it's just that teens need to be spiritually equipped when they leave our youth groups.'"

The solution to dealing with this problem according to Lifeway representatives is to promote their KNOWN Strategy for Student Spiritual Development. 

That's right a strategy that can be organized around KNOW, OWN and KNOWN. 

All that to say - I don't think they really have a clue theologically and ecclesiologically how to move forward, let alone being on the "front end of this as an organization."  Here is the full article.  Read it and let me know what you think.

Comments

[david lee king]

Wow. Honestly, NO curriculum will ever reach teens for christ. That's soley the work of God (obvious) and loving people (apparently not so obvious to Lifeway).

This is the same problem I've noticed for years at christian concerts - the concerts are evangelistic, but only christian kids attend.

In both cases, the target is WAY OFF THE MARK. Our example of a good plan is Jesus - he went to the people instead of waiting for the people to come to him. We need to do the same thing - if we want to reach youth, then we need to go to them (instead of inviting them to a Lifeway party).

Just sayin...

[Len]

I'd rather see if we can cover this in person in Atlanta at one time or another. I'd hate for my initial comments to come off to crass or cynical.

[Jeff Greathouse]

Did I miss it or did I not see the word parent mentioned at all there ...

I was under the perception from scriptures that parents play a (cynical voice) small role in this matter ....