My family has been reading through the new biography about John MacArthur by Iain Murray. It is quite good and has been a real encouragement and exhortation so far (3 chapters in).
Below is a quote from the book found on pages 37 and 38 that deal with youth in the church. There’s been some recent stir about the movie Divided, so I thought this would be helpful. Here it is…
Within this context, the life of Grace Church began to develop characteristics too often missing in evangelical churches. For one thing, emphasis was laid on the family unit, with no special attention given to youth. No sanction was given to the idea that the youth should be harnessed to ‘set the pace for the rest of the church.’ Such a procedure, MacArthur believed, injures the younger generation by displacing the lead that should be given to older Christians, including their own parents.
The early church found its energy in its mature saints. Today the church is deriving its energy from young people. We need the energy that young people have, but we also need the power that older believers have developed from long, obedient lives.
This absence of emphasis on youth was far from inhibiting their attendance. Sanders noted ‘a great number of young people at regular services of the church, and taking notes on the hour-long sermons.’
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