Is bigger better?

The trend in youth groups these days is to make everything as big as possible. Many new or remodeling churches are being constructed with huge youth buildings or at least rooms that seat over 1000 people. This is a great idea, that this big of rooms are needed to hold everyone in the youth group. But often these facilities are made hoping that they will bring in the numbers. Millions of dollars are spent on getting the latest technology, and state of the art facilities in hopes of drawing people in. This may work to draw people in, but are these youth facilities ready with the staff and volunteer to put time into all these visitors that come to see the place? I think it is great that people are being drawn into churches, especially young people. But it all means nothing if when there someone is not there to connect with them and have something more than a building or free food to have them continue coming. I encourage everyone who is thinking about youth ministry to never forget that it is not about how big your youth group is in numbers or how beautiful or large your facility is. It is about truly connecting as many as people as possible with Jesus and then walking with them to help them strengthen this new faith. That is something that too many youth pastors, and pastors in general have forgotten.