Belonging Before Believing
We all want the best for the next generation.
We want young people to grow up strong, secure, and full of purpose. As for christian’s we want that story to be rooted in something lasting, a relationship with Jesus that carries them through whatever life brings.
For many of them, however, faith often doesn’t feel all that relevant just yet.
They’re living through complexity most of us never faced at their age.
Big questions are everywhere, even if they’re not always spoken out loud.
And sometimes, Church doesn’t feel like the place to ask them.
Not because it’s unkind.
Not because people don’t care.
But because we sometimes get the order wrong.
We hope they’ll believe before they belong.
We expect them to engage before we’ve built any trust.
We wait for signs of faith before we invest our time.
But that’s not how relationships work and it’s certainly not how Jesus approached people.
If we want faith to matter to young people, they need to know they matter first.
They need to know they’re not just included, but genuinely wanted.
Not a problem to fix.
Not a future project.
But part of the Church right now.
And that doesn’t rest on one person or programme.
It takes all of us.
The youth leader can create space, but it’s the wider Church that makes it safe.
It’s the everyday interactions that build trust or sadly even sometimes break it.
It’s the people they see consistently that shape how they see and understand christianity.
So let’s keep it simple.
When a young person walks through our doors, they should know, straight away that someone is glad they came.
That someone sees them.
That someone remembers their name.
That someone is listening.
That kind of welcome does more than make them feel comfortable.
It lays a foundation for everything else.
Because belonging isn’t the reward for believing.
It’s the starting point for discipleship.
This doesn’t take a new strategy.
It just takes people who care.
We notice.
We show up.
We make space for questions.
We open our lives, not just our Bibles.
Because it’s not coolness or cleverness that will shape the next generation.
It’s connection.
And connection comes through consistency.
Discipleship starts with relationship.
And relationship takes time.
This is a whole-church invitation.
Not to be trendy.
Not to have all the answers.
But to be present, patient and always praying for them.
If you’ve read this far, i thank you again.
Let’s make sure we are a Church where young people feel seen, safe and supported.
Where faith feels possible, and community feels real.
Where belonging comes first.
Andy | for our young.
