Has your teenager expressed a desire to get involved in a Temecula church? Attending a church can be a great way for teens to explore what it means to have a relationship with God. At church, they can get their deepest questions answered about the Bible, and how it applies to their lives. They can develop connections with other local people who are also seeking God—including adults and others their age.
Although your teen will be welcome in the main church service, just about every Temecula church also has a group specifically geared toward teens. The groups are typically led by a youth pastor who knows how to relate to teenagers and has a passion for teaching them about the Christian life. They understand the unique challenges that today’s teens face and do their best to show them how a relationship with Jesus can help guide them throughout their lives. If a teen wants to get plugged into a Temecula church, the church’s youth group is a great place to start!
Even a youth group that’s geared toward teens can be a bit intimidating, however. Sure, there are the extremely outgoing teens who can walk into a room and instantly feel at home and make friends, but they are probably the exception and not the rule. Most teens are hesitant to try out a new youth group alone. If your teen is one of them, encourage him or her to take along a friend or two. Attending a new church is a lot easier if you have at least one person with you for moral support. Offer to pick up the friend and take him or her home after the youth group meeting, if necessary.
On your teen’s first night at a new youth group, encourage him or her to seek out the youth group leader and let the leader know they are visiting for the first time. It’s likely that the youth group leader will then make an effort to help them get plugged into the group by introducing them to other teens and volunteer leaders.
It might take a few visits for your teen to start to feel at home in the group. Encourage them to stick with it, but also be open to the possibility that the first group they try out might not be the best fit for them. Fortunately, there are a lot of Temecula churches with great youth groups! There are small youth groups and ones that have hundreds of teens in attendance at every meeting. There are those that are loud and rowdy, as well as those that are quieter and more studious. Some meet on Sundays, while others meet on an evening during the week. Encourage your teens to find one that best fits their needs and personality—even if it takes some time.
