Principal Points - "Loyal and Faithful"

Past Principal Points

Loyal and Faithful

Our high school students’ pledge includes a commitment to make godly lifestyle choices in a number of areas. Among these are church and youth group attendance. We believe that our young people should be leaders in their churches and youth groups and expect they will be regularly involved. There are some situations, however, where a young person may not be able to commit to a youth group, and I want to speak to that.

First, there are some churches which do not have a regular Friday night youth program. Obviously, one cannot commit to be involved in something which doesn’t exist! However, perhaps there is a nearby church which does have an active youth group, and this might fit the bill.

Second, sometimes a youth group will focus its energies on a particular age group and not really have an adequate program for another age group. Typically, this is due to having lots of kids say at the senior high level and very few at the junior high level or vice-versa. Or sometimes the church lacks adequate leadership to meet the needs of the numbers of teens at all the age levels and therefore has to make a choice as to where to concentrate their energies.

Finally, it may be that the youth group as it is presently structured lacks a program which is suitable for a particular teen. It may be that they are doing a lot of Bible Studies that lack challenge for students from a Christian school. Perhaps there are some other teens there with whom there has been a history of conflict or who have a particularly negative influence. Or perhaps the youth group has a large number of non-Christian teens who have a very different agenda.

Over the years my wife and I have talked to our own teens about their involvement in youth groups. We have not insisted that they attend youth group if they, for whatever reason, feel that it does not have a valid and effective ministry to them or place of ministry for them. HOWEVER, we have made one standard very clear, and I urge every parent to adopt it. Whatever their decision, they must act in a manner which demonstrates the two virtues of Loyalty and Faithfulness.

First, by being loyal, we have insisted that they not simply attend the "youth group of choice" for that night. It is not acceptable for them to attend at one church one night and then another church for another night based on the particular event being hosted by that church for the evening. Youth group involvement is more than simply going someplace to have fun and be entertained. Youth pastors and youth leaders invest a lot of time and planning in order to create an overall program which will minister to the long term needs of the group. They deserve the loyalty of the teens for whom they minister. An exception to this rule occurs when they sleep over at a friends house. In this case they are expected to attend their friend’s youth group.

Second, by being faithful, we mean that they attend every youth event whether it is their favorite activity or not. If it is a Bible Study or Worship meeting, they are there just as certainly as they would be if it is Bowling or the Wave Pool. It is not fair for the youth group leader to not be able to count on a certain core group of teens who are always there. Youth pastors and youth leaders deserve the faithfulness of the teens for whom they minister. Regardless of what other teens may do, ours (Hazeltines) are expected to be leaders by being loyal and faithful. I hope that the same can be said for all our (AKCS) teens.

Brian Hazeltine, B.Ed., M.A.
Principal, Airdrie Koinonia Christian School