Audience of One

There is a popular phrase nowadays in Christianity: "Audience of One." Our youth ministry has a whole new understanding of what it means to "serve an audience of One."

Four out of the last five weeks, we have had one student at youth group (can it even be called youth *group* anymore?). It is incredibly difficult to plan a youth group when you only plan on one student. How do you plan games for one student? How do you get past the awkwardness of leading worship when the student is outnumbered 2:1 by leaders? How do you do a teaching lesson without it being a personal tutoring/lecture? How do you lead a discussion lesson with one student (with some of our students, it is not difficult to have a discussion; with others, its a tedious battle)?

In light of our current ministry situation...

Top 5 reasons 6 of our 7 regularly attending students aren't regularly attending:
5. Youth group is lame. For one of our students, youth group is probably not the most enjoyable gatherings in the world. He came for about two months when we started, but in most areas of life, he is just in a different place than our other students. We are finding ways to minister to him outside of youth group.
4. Sports. While this is the #1 excuse given, sporting events only occasionally overlap youth group. While sports are a valid excuse when true, the actual reason is usually something from reasons 1-3.
3. Lack of commitment from parents. While some parents care about their students being in youth group more than the students do, many parents simply see youth group as one more thing to take their students to, one more thing to take up the parents' time with driving. Maybe another sub-reason in this category would be forgetfulness, but then the onus falls onto the students.
2. Lack of transportation. This is actually a sub-reason for both #1 and #3. There is always transportation if someone cares to find it. The difficulty of this specific church is the 7 students all live opposite directions from most everyone else. There are three groupings of two families each in different directions. Some faimilies just don't understand the concept of carpooling. Some families are so commited to carpooling that, if the other family can't go some week, the family that could go doesn't. Even so, if it weren't for a lack of commitment, transportation could be found.
1. Lack of commitment from students. Students who come to youth group complain that the other students aren't there, yet the students who come won't commit to reminding or bringing other students. Some students struggle to commit to anything, as can be seen in their sporadic attendance at other events to which they have commited. Homework can always be pushed back an hour. Chores can be done before youth group. TV shows can be taped/tivo-ed. Friends can come with you to youth group.

At any youth group, missing six students in one week is typical. But when the youth group is only 7 students, 6 students gone is 85% of the youth group.

However, we are incredibly thankful that God has provided at least one student every week; we have never had a week with no students.