Teen Perspectives

Today I'll be interviewing

Jessica Scull

She enjoys talking with people and going to the beach with
friends back home in CA!

Let's see what she has to say:

What subjects do you wish your YP had spoken about at Youth Group?

Self Worth, end-times, the church being the bride, and how defeating sin in your life is a process! I wish he taught more about how the devil is real, and has come to kill, steal and destroy! My YP talked about a lot of the things we do wrong as teens in America, and how God feels about it. But it wasn’t effective. He just told us what we were doing wrong, but never told us how to change. We felt really condemned. I wish he would have also explained how to make things right.

Did your YP talk about dating?

No. But they need to talk about it and not avoid it. It’s not just your personal view on dating – we need to know what the Bible says. I have only been a Christian for two years. I was dating an atheist about six months after I gave my life to the Lord – no one even told me that was wrong. I needed godly women around me and I didn’t have that. I needed a YP to talk about godly relationships and dating.

What are some things you'd like your YP to know?

The importance of personal invitations: Some people don't come to Youth Group because they don't feel as though anyone has ever reached out to them. Of course everyone is welcomed if they come, but some people want a personal invitation. They want to feel like they’re wanted.

The importance of loving confrontation and follow up: Some also didn’t come because they were going just to be impressed and entertained , they weren't going to seek God. That’s something our youth group just wasn’t doing – even as individuals. Their hearts were in the wrong, but no one called them out on their bad attitudes either. A lot of them just stopped going - but no one followed up with them.

The importance of peer leadership: I think if the peer leaders were aware of the situations going on in youth group and prayed about it together that they would be really effective. I know the YP can't do everything, so if they helped to address some of the issues I think it would be different. I would have like my YP to push us to be leaders more.

Final thoughts:

Youth groups are very important, and I think they should be taken more seriously. Most churches from what I know have a new YP every year, which shows a lack of commitment. That speaks volumes to teenagers. High school years are extremely difficult and they have a lot of different influences around them! I want people to make a big deal out of them and spend more time in prayer for their students!