Who else was drawn into the "Youth Group" movement at their church in the 80's?
Posted by Agent7619@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 340 comments
Weekly meetings, intramural sports, retreats, concerts, conventions, volunteering, the works.
And then zero interest after graduating HS.
Looking back at it 37+ years later, and I can admit to myself that my participation was purely escaping my life at home (I was literally the red-headed step child) and not due to any religious fervor.
Sunnie_Janie@reddit
Now agnostic, but I was dragged to the church grounds every weekend for Sunday School/church services with my parents being teachers, an elder, and a deacon. I have perfect attendance pins from pre-K through 12th. Forced to do VBS every summer.
Youth group was a sometimes thing, but they were the kids I started drinking with. We'd hide bottles in the bushes outside the chapel and we all had booze and drugs on the ski trip. Think we were the rowdiest group at the Christian lodge camp where we stayed. And my parents trusted me with the older teens because we were all "church kids".
Kimba26@reddit
Oh yes. Aand even though I'm sort of outside church culture now I still appreciate it. I had just started at a high school where half of the class had actually been there already for seventh and eighth grade, and those kids had been together since Kindergarten, when a guy in my Spanish class invited me to his youth group and I became part of the circle of friends that would be a steady presence for the rest of school and lead to many other things, including a summer camp job I loved, the discovery of the college I'd go to, and meeting the one who would become (and still is) my husband.
beef-hed@reddit
Luckily we were at least nominally Catholic, never was exposed to the evangelical thing where it seems like revolves around church.
Human_Evidence_1887@reddit
Didn’t save me - my Catholic church (Encinitas CA) offered CCD which was Catholic education for kids who went to public school.
beef-hed@reddit
Yeah, we had that too, but not all of these youth groups and going to church every other day of the week.
Adventurous_Class_90@reddit
Dude. We watched Modern Problems, National Lampoon, Spaceballs in our lock ins. It was a giant teenager party.
j2142b00@reddit
When you're Dad is the youth Pastor..........you also get to help plan, set up, and run the events. Good times
overeducatedhick@reddit
My youth group was the kids I had grown up with and were my best friends in the world. None of us live close enough together to attend the same church together anymore, but we try to cross paths again any chance we get.
My own children attend the youth group at our own church.
Maggiemygirl@reddit
I was until they wanted me to burn my Dio cd's. Hell no!
sane-asylum@reddit
At least you had a choice. I remember coming home one day and all 30 of my cassettes had the tape ripped out sitting in a pile on the dining room table. Actually happened twice. 🤟
Maggiemygirl@reddit
OMG! 🤬
sane-asylum@reddit
My Mom at least thought I was a drug addict satanist but I was a good kid. Studied the bible during church because it was all I had to read and pastor was boring. Went to youth group, got good grades, but because they read a book on backwards masking, subliminal messages, and the occult symbolism in heavy metal music that was it.
Maggiemygirl@reddit
Sounds like my experience but I wasn't a good student lol. My parents were overprotective and forced me to join a youth group after my brother's death. I was pretty passive about it until we were told to bring in 'satanic' books and music for a cleansing burn pile. My parents snooped and found Holy Diver and lost their shit. I agreed to burn it but took it and others to a friend's house. When I was old enough to work I left the group.
sane-asylum@reddit
I’m happy you didn’t burn Holy Diver, it’s a wonderful album. Sorry about your brother. My brother (3 years younger) was raised completely different than me. I had to follow strict rules, got whacked and grounded a lot (one of the reasons I started working at 14) while my brother was disappearing for a week at a time by the time he was 13.
Maggiemygirl@reddit
Holy Diver was my first breakout from the country music I was subjected to lol. Thank you. I rode the school bus to a greenhouse job just to get away from them. My sister was in trouble often but she had moved out already so they couldn't control her. I am introverted and I guess I was an easy target.
FarceMultiplier@reddit
I was, up until I was asked by the church not to come back because I "asked too many questions". I was 12.
automator3000@reddit
I was a “too many questions” kid. But because my family was super core with the church (parents hadn’t missed a Sunday of being greeters in almost 20 years, my sister and then I babysat the pastor’s kids, etc), they just kept me there and assumed I would come around to my senses.
FarceMultiplier@reddit
Not sure about you, but I went from church-goer to hardcore atheist pretty damned quick.
sane-asylum@reddit
Me too. I moved out at 17 immediately after graduating high school. Any time I discussed moving back to save money my parents said if I lived at their house I had to go to church, deal breaker
automator3000@reddit
Thankfully no. I haven’t believed in a higher power since the early ‘80s. But if I had to choose a middle seat on an international with no entertainment options between either two fundamentalist evangelicals or two hardcore atheists, I’ll take the former.
FarceMultiplier@reddit
Not every hardcore atheist proselytizes or hates religious people. I'd be fine sitting with either as long as they were respectful.
automator3000@reddit
So what’s “hardcore” about it then? If you’re not out trying to talk people into not having a faith, isn’t that just … being an atheist? Cos I’m just an atheist. I don’t care if someone else chooses faith.
FarceMultiplier@reddit
Just that I will not be swayed away from it. There is zero chance that I suddenly become religious, even in dire circumstances to the point of death.
8drearywinter8@reddit
Or, who else was forced by their parents to attend youth group at church?
sane-asylum@reddit
Definitely me. The only good I remember about church is that the pastor was also a Miami Dolphin fan so church ended at noon sharp during football season.
AcceptableSuit9328@reddit
I was forced to join the youth group at my church. Sundays should be for relaxing and watching football, not going back to church for a Bible study. Irony was that all the fundraising meals we had to serve at were for raising money for a youth group ski trip. I wasn’t allowed to go on the ski trip because my parents were afraid I’d get hurt. I didn’t get a single youth group perk, just Bible study, having to help with benefit meals and other BS.
Interesting-Web3737@reddit
I was a part of it, hook line and sinker, but I was also being raised in a very religious evangelical household. In high school, as I developed better skills at standing up for myself and the analytical thought process I was able to pull away and have lived my adult. life as a very happy agnostic.
To steal from Monty Python, they turned me into a newt,….. I got better!
sane-asylum@reddit
I wasn’t “drawn in” I was put in. My Mom and Dad are both Christian and I am now an atheist. It’s not the worst memory, couple really pretty girls
303FPSguy@reddit
They definitely tried. Had 3 different friend “groups” that tried to get me into it.
But after leaving the church at 10, that was like pissing up a rope.
inspector_ninety_9@reddit
Some of you guys seem so proud of yourselves for being the kid who "asked too many questions." I've known plenty of folks like that and not one of them wanted any answers: they just wanted to spout off and act smart. And everyone one of them acted like they were the first kid to ever question anything. So brave! Pluuuueeze.
Go read a book, and not just another by some bitter and resentful author who already agrees with you and will polish your precious ego. Most (if not all) of these "questions" have been addressed by much greater minds, and certainly greater than some punk kid with a boner who got dragged to youth group back in the day.
I went to youth group in the 80s. Like everything else, it was a mixed bag and you got out about as much as you put in. I was only involved for a few years but had some great times (youth rallies, trips to the big city for us country kids, games, hayrides). It was high emotion, and a lot of the hard-selling was pretty unhealthy. But there was a lot of fun too.
It was the height of the 80s backwards messages, anti-rock music, the-devil-is-in-everything craze. Much of that was nonsense but the people running it meant well. None of them were trying to wreck lives and none were "hypocrites" (God Almighty, what a tiresome and overused jab hurled by weak minds!)
I'm not going to sit here in my 50s and harp on my youth leaders for traumatizing me, or having the gall to suggest something I liked was wrong. In many ways, I was a punk, needed my ass kicked, and a little guidance and straightening out wouldn't have killed me. There were kids in other parts of the world starving, so I can hardly say I suffered because they wanted to burn my Motley Crue tapes.
Our youth leaders were hard-working, middle-class, decent people who volunteered their time and they tried pretty hard. I can see that now. But they were young, and just the ones there available for the job. It's like that most of the time.
On the whole, most people in youth ministry don't really know what they're doing. It's a shame too, because there is a lot on the line for the kids who show up (this discussion proves it). Some of the stuff kids hear in these groups (good, bad, well-intended, true, or false) sticks with them for life.
In general, I believe youth ministry is a bad idea, and in many (possibly even most) cases should be scrapped. The church world should go back to the drawing board on this one.
ONROSREPUS@reddit
Hell no. Once I was confirmed I never went back to church. It was important to my mom and grandmother that I was confirmed.
Opinionatedintrovert@reddit
My trauma origin story begins with being locked in at Antioch camp the weekend of Live -Aid.
Ok-Bar601@reddit
We had a similar thing where I grew up, a local church used to run school holiday activities each weekday where you make craft/knick knacks/paper mache stuff etc. I thought it was great fun, people were super friendly and something to do during the holidays. Only went there about two years in a row and stopped going. This was 40+ years ago and I still remember it fondly.
grumpynetgeekintexas@reddit
I enjoyed youth group, especially the retreats, I was able to do a lot of cool things.
Caving, canoeing, camping, and late nights with girls at unauthorized sneak outs; the singalongs and barely preachy Jesus talk was totally worth it.
Donut_Bat_Artist@reddit
Lock-ins. Fucking Lock-ins. Hated it. The only thing and I mean the only thing I absolutely loved was there was Methodist church in the next town over that started “Wilderness Trail” Youth group and adults hiked/camping various parts of the Appalachian Trail.
hapster85@reddit
I stopped going to church two decades ago in my late 30s, and still regret all the time I wasted with this crap when I was a teenager. If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing, it would be to be more rebellious, and live your own life.
tired-middle-ager@reddit
There always seemed to be a Pastor Rick or Pastor Ronny at these things. They often had red hair and or mustaches and very forced smiles, wild excited eyes.
Odd_Minimum_6683@reddit
It was Brown hair with blonde highlights. Our Pastor Rick was always a little vain
OldManDrake@reddit
I had a Pastor Rick. He’s a Louisiana State Senator now…
Claude_Henry_Smoot_@reddit
Yeah. The first time I ever made out with a girl was at one of the retreats. 😀
900hp@reddit
My mom made me go for about a year. I didn't know anybody. I hated it. It was for cool kids and I was a dweeb.
MaxDoor@reddit
Every church going teenager in Oklahoma probably attended Falls Creek Baptist Assembly at some point in their young lives. I personally had a blast there 2 years in a row.
CitizenChatt@reddit
Concerts galore! So glad I got exposed to great bands like Rez Band, Jerusalem, Daniel Amos, Servant, Sheila Walsh (the early years), Barratt Band, Joe English, Fireworks, Prodigal, Vector, Phil Keaggy, Larry Norman, Keith Green etc....Heck, Iets through Stryper in there too.
wakattawakaranai@reddit
Now that's a ccm who's-who. Did you actually get to see Keith Green live before his demise?
CitizenChatt@reddit
Sadly, no. But his music endures.
wakattawakaranai@reddit
It does. Even when I was active in 90s jesus rock, he was an icon among both the veterans and the new artists. I came in too late to experience him in person, all I have is other people's recollections.
madlyhattering@reddit
No Whiteheart?
CitizenChatt@reddit
I had the tape of "Read the Book (Don't Wait for the Movie)"
😎
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
Whiteheart's version of Little Drummer Boy still rocks.
madlyhattering@reddit
It does! I’m not in church anymore - haven’t been for a long time - but I still love Whiteheart.
makeup1508@reddit
I had a great time participating in the youth group at our church. I am still good friends with some of the girls I was in youth with. I understand that church is considered backward and evil on Reddit but in most cases it really isn't.
Aerwiar@reddit
Happy Easter! He is Risen!
makeup1508@reddit
He is risen indeed!
Avivi11@reddit
Yep. Unlocking serious memories here. Our church had a Logos program, and we would make an annual trip to Estes Park, Co YMCA camp from St. Louis.
ButterflyOld8220@reddit
That YMCA camp is awesome. I stayed there once too.
Kindly-Might-1879@reddit
I absolutely loved my church youth group. My parents weren’t church goings but they brought me to one of their community programs and from their vines invited to attend church and youth group. I’d already had a curiosity about the Bible (I tried reading the entire King James at age 10 but didn’t really understand a good part of it).
I basically found “my people” and joined choir practices, young group activities, volunteered, and even became an occasional camp counselor.
And no, my own kids didn’t care fit that much. Trey enjoyed a few summer programs but never had the interest I did.
wolfysworld@reddit
Our youth minister was a body builder and in an a cappella group that was popular locally. I was forced to go and hated everything but the music. Hid in the bathroom a LOT.
galumphix@reddit
YES! Aka: Youth Encounter Spirit, a forced acronym if I've ever heard one.
And yeah, I followed my junior high bf, the sweetest, kindest girl you'd ever know, to a weekend of YES where she wept in front of an auditorium about the many ways she'd wronged me. She had never wronged me. It was a seminal awkward moment.
haveanapfire@reddit
That's what started my descent into atheism. It was lipstick on a pig.
Adventurous-Ad-172@reddit
Right there with you
HighSeasArchivist@reddit
Some Young Life people in the Southeast might remember Windy Gap. We partied hard at that place. Camo, sneaking out, smoking weed, drinking, pills, sex, damn that was the best Christian camp ever.
TiltonRiverToker@reddit
Love it!!!!
AssistantAlone6910@reddit
I remember the those Wednesday nights in the 90s. I’ll never forget the feeling of how forced the whole experience was. You were forced to act like you liked the music, you were forced to attend, you were forced to sing, clap, and participate, you were pressured to practice abstinence, and you were pressured into accepting the negative opinions about non-believers.
ancientastronaut2@reddit
"Have you accepted the lord jesus christ into your heart?".
ancientastronaut2@reddit
Dude, I wasn't drawn. I was forced.
My parents almost divorced when I was 11, and then the neighbor invites them to a revival at her church and bam! They become born again christians and my whole life changed.
Church practically all day on Sunday: Sunday school, main service, potluck or similar, back for evening service. Wednesday bible study. Friday youth group.
I loathed every minute of it. I questioned everything and the only answer anyone gave was "have more faith".
I ended up being a bit of a troublemaker out of sheer boredom.
GnomieOk4136@reddit
Another Presbyterian who was in church 3 days a week. My life ran on the youth group schedule.
TwistedMemories@reddit
Yeah, my mother made a few of us go to the, Youth Groups. I remember one outing where we met the Christian rock bands Rez and Petra. I don’t remember which band it was but I talk to one the female band members and was invited to see inside the tour bus.
Nothing happened but I thought it was cool at the time. Christian rock was interesting.
J_Marshall@reddit
My first concert was the resurrection band!
Jagsfan2025@reddit
Petra was my 1st concert!!
Quick_Dark244@reddit
Royal Rangers ! Fuc I haven’t thought about that name in years. It was a Pentecostal church in East Los Angeles 😂
ChaosAside@reddit
Presbyterian here, youth group twice a week, Sunday evenings and after Wednesday’s together which was a dinner and then groups for all ages. Yearly trip to Montreat in NC (where I met my first boyfriend), one or two other trips throughout the year (one of which involved the youth leaders trying to scare us with ghost stories in a pretty creepy cemetery). I was even president of my youth group.
Straight to zero once I went off to college and I’ve never looked back. It was mostly social for me.
davneu@reddit
Presbyterian youth group “Tuesday Night Alive” in Dublin, CA early 80’s. Great memories.
markdiesel@reddit
Here. Probably what led to me becoming a (practically militant) atheist.
Traditional_Fan_2655@reddit
I actually joined the church singles group later. The concept was to bring a lot of singles of the same religion together. Of course, with a 300+ membership, we also attracted people of any or no religion, which was just fine.
There were bar gatherings, nursing home volunteer excursions, river rafting trips, blind date nights, bar trivia nights, beach vacations, religious dinner gatherings, interparish events, pub crawls, food bank volunteer events, bar sand volleyball, house parties, and drinking events.
Soundtracklover72@reddit
Nope. Thank goodness Mom had abandoned church when we moved here when I was 15.
Low-Ad-8269@reddit
I would have enjoyed it, but my parents were not into driving me to-from that kind of stuff.
Winter-eyed@reddit
Had a couple of attempts at recruitment made at me. Felt too cultish so I shook them off. Closest I got was Job’s Daughters which seems like it would be a cult since it’s linked with free masonry (and it’s mythical reputation) but wasn’t.
2_Bagel_Dog@reddit
Grew up a PK (Preacher's Kid) in a strict Calvinist church. The church's version of boy scouts was actually pretty fun. The actual Youth Group was ... kinda boring. Since the school I went to was associated with the same denomination, it was just basically the same people as school.
The thought of moving back to that after my freshman year of college was just too terrifying. The world changed with my first crappy apartment after that...
prestoallegro@reddit
Fellow CRC survivor, same
2_Bagel_Dog@reddit
Truly a case of If You Know, You Know!
New_Sun6390@reddit
Yup, 1970s actually. I did not mind it as there was very little God stuff and more social interaction.
badpuffthaikitty@reddit
My friends and I joined a Core team. It’s a Catholic youth group. We became the BABIs. Bad attitude, bad influence. Nobody fucks like a repressed Catholic teen girl.
bebopgamer@reddit
"Come out Virginia, don't make me wait, you Catholic girls start much too late, sooner or later it comes down to fate, I might as well be the one, cause darling only the good die young"
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
[removed]
GenX-ModTeam@reddit
{community_rule_7}
HigherTed@reddit
And we atheist boys thank you for it!
calaan@reddit
STORRY TIME!
In the early 80s our youth group leader decided that they wanted to treat us to a movie. We walked down about a mile and a half to the downtown movie Palace, got popcorn and soda that they paid for, and sat down to a wholesome family movie.
Beastmaster. Child sacrifice, cannibalistic bird men, and bare titty.
It was the last movie they took us to. There’s no R rated movie quite like an 80s PG flick.
RunRunDMC212@reddit
Ha! We weren’t particularly religious, but both of my parents worked, and the episcopal church we sporadically attended had a summer day camp that my mom put us in so that we weren’t bored and unsupervised at home all summer. Sure, we sometimes had to do Churchy Joe stuff, and the bus ride songs we sang couldn’t be off-color, but it was mostly regular activities - roller skating, local pool visits, crafts. No one was heavily religious…maybe a couple of kids were, but they were considered a bit weird and they mostly kept to themselves.
gagirlpnw@reddit
I was forced to go. We weren't allowed to hang out with our friends from school, so it was the only place to socialize.
As soon as I was 18, I quit going and never looked back.
It's funny how they are now doing a lot of the stuff that they said was "evil" during their services. They used to show us different religions worshiping and tell us what was evil about it.
reporterbabe@reddit
I was pulled aside and told to convert my best friend, who was Jewish, or I’d go to hell.
Subsequently, I stopped going to church and started a witchcraft coven instead. It was probably because of the music I listened to that made the Sunday School teacher foam at the mouth.
fastcatdog@reddit
The church of “ what’s happening “ puff puff give
Iko87iko@reddit
Thankfully the only youth group movement i was drawn into was the Grateful Dead. Im happy to report that I swear I saw Jesus high steppin out of the speaker stacks on multiple occasions
Fotmasta@reddit
Yes but there were strings attached
crazycatomma@reddit
Gen X here. Yes, during the 80s, my mom signed me up for the local weekly church youth group.
It was a nice respite from otherwise being alone at home and getting snacks while both parents were working. It was actually popular for the teens in my neighborhood to be in the youth group. Especially when there were camping trips, amusement park trips .
Status_Iron_3706@reddit
Was forced until I turned 18. Haven’t been back except for funerals or weddings
cmmnwlthbjj@reddit
Sounds like we were in the same church
tunaman808@reddit
My sister and I were those terrible people who were always there when the youth group did something "fun" (Six Flags, movies, skating rink, pizza parlor), but always had some mysterious "family event" when it was time to do something "not fun" (picking up litter, cleaning bedpans at the old folks' home).
brostrummer@reddit
Yeah, as an extension of Sunday School at my church, I did a couple of youth group type events that were coordinated with other churches but we were Presbyterian, so it was laid back and fun. Even though I am an Atheist now, I would totally send my kids to those groups for the socialization they provided. Also, I made out with 2 different girls at these events…Praise Jesus!
Hedonistic_Yinzer@reddit
The vast majority of people on Earth believe in a religious entity or deity in some form or another. Whether it be Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or other religions, there is a belief system in place. People that believe in a higher power tend to be better, adjusted, happier, and more connected with both family and other people than those who do not. They also tend to be less likely to turn to pharmaceutical solutions than non-believers.
Perhaps you were not given a choice, when you were younger, in your participation of religion. If so, that is sad. As an adult, you have a choice regarding religion or the lack of practice of religion. Just because it is something you do not believe in doesn't give license to criticize something the vast majority of humans value. Perhaps instead of blaming religion or your parents for your current situation or views, you should look inside yourself.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
Your comment is wildly inaccurate, full of assumptions, overwhelmingly pretentious, incredibly condescending, and ultimately says far more about yourself than it does about me.
Hedonistic_Yinzer@reddit
So instead of an actual discussion, you choose the " I'm rubber. Your glue, bounce off me six to you" approach proving my point exactly. Thank you!
GazelleKindly4155@reddit
Well aren't you judgemental. Comments like this are a huge reason why religion sucks. I am so happy to be away from this garbage.
Worth-Name1371@reddit
wow. a religious upbringing shapes who you "are" so if you want to find out who you actually are you have to question it. we have license to criticize anything actually, regardless of how many people value it
ih8theeagles@reddit
I’ve found a relationship with God as I’ve gotten older. It came after dealing with a lot of shit in life and I’m grateful. I’ll tell you this, nothing in your comment would have helped me find my way. I’m not sure anything anyone said would have but that sure ain’t it.
Suttree1971@reddit
Ohhhh buh-rother! 🙄
Genn8130@reddit
Yeah, it was something to do. I had a lot of parental pressure also, though. I took on leadership roles, etc., but every now and then I'd be having fun, laughing with my friends and someone would mention Jesus's suffering or some such and I'd remember it was a religious event. That part of it didn't go very deep for me.
DBBKF23@reddit
I loved my church youth group. The pastor was wonderful, we did a lot, and I had really good friends. I stopped going to church when I was a freshman in high school, but stayed friends with some of the people until after college.
RhodeReddit@reddit
A dynamic youth pastor at the helm, I think made (makes) the difference. Even playing four square in the church parking lot was fun, w our enthusiastic-but-not-dweeby young guy involved.
vodeodeo55@reddit
I just enjoyed having a social life. When the preacher started fulminating about "the heavy metal devil music" I dipped out.
Worth-Name1371@reddit
oh my, we had a youth group lock-in one time. the leaders were a family that were all a bit off. we watched Texas chainsaw massacre, idk why but at one point I was hiding under a table making out with a girl who was lying on top of me and the leader caught us and said "hey, get off of her". but she was on top of me
Kariered@reddit
My parents made us go and the kids at our church were hicks who thought they were the shit.
It was really weird.
stockvillain@reddit
It was something to do for a rural kid whose only activity within walking distance was church.
Fr4nzJosef@reddit
Don't miss it but my participation was involuntary. Ours was full of batshit crazy fundamentalist bullshit, think wacko Southern Baptist garbage that is all brimstone and fire and "anything that takes your eyes off GEEE-ZUS is a sin! Except for football!" 🙄
Also got to deal with the Satanic Panic crap and having my LOTR books taken away and burned (told you it was insane fundie shit).
Now, I have my beliefs in a higher power and keep my own counsel on that, zero interest in organized religion. Anyone else's opinions on my beliefs is worth exactly what I am paying for it.
WhiteHeteroMale@reddit
I remember being taught how to recognize Satanism ad church summer camp. And along those lines, being taught that Mormonism and gays were the biggest threats to civilization out there.
humble_cyrus@reddit
Yep. I'm not religious, but I did enjoy it as a 16 year old boy. Plus there were cute girls there too. My kids do go one every now and then, however they are getting older too. Fun times!
CryptographerOk3814@reddit
Oh yeah.
Being the youngest of three, I had to watch my older siblings go into the Youth Group center every Friday night. I was so jealous. I couldn’t wait to turn 13.
When I turned 13 and could go, it was a blast. Basketball, volleyball, foosball, pizza and Pepsi. Tons of kids. It was fun.
But then, one night they showed us the movie The Dark Crystal. We were all soooooo excited. We all loved it. Everyone was raving about how cool it was.
Then the youth pastor got up and gave a 1/2 hour sermon about how bad it was, and how evil the messaging was, it was such a buzzkill. They intentionally showed us a really cool movie and then wham, you’re all going to hell! 😂
emax4@reddit
Yeesh. We watched Die Hard in one lock in. Yeah we knew of the swearing, but my favorite scene was the couple coming out of the office when the woman was top less. Hey, Eve was top less, so why not?
kcsews@reddit
Lock in? Wtf is THAT?
emax4@reddit
Our youth group would get us in the social hall for pizza and movies on a Saturday night. Us kids would bring our sleeping blankets over. We'd play games, run around in our socks, drink soda and have a blast until we were conked out and the last movie was over. Then they'd unlock the social hall doors at 6 am and we'd go home half asleep.
abarthvader@reddit
I loved youth group! It was definitely my escape from my shitty home, shitty forced relationship and shitty life in general. I could be a kid for a minute.
We did watch some scary movies though. "Like a Thief in the Night" was my favorite!
kcsews@reddit
Im really glad you had that!
grin_ferno@reddit
Not me! Thankfully my parents never burdened me with the complete nonsense that it is religion.
Ceased2Be@reddit
Don't think that was a thing over here (NL) then again we were never at church except for the occasional baptism or funeral so it might be that I missed it.
speed_of_chill@reddit
Yes, but I lost interest a lot earlier, like during middle school. I started having questions to which their only answers were “because it says so in The Bible.” Like, wtf lol
LayerNo3634@reddit
I didn't grow up with it, but we raised our kids in a church with an active youth group. Our rule was anyone who spent the night Saturday (we had an open door policy), went with us to church or had to leave by 8:00 AM. I was shocked by how many friends wanted to go to church with us. We usually had our 3, plus 3-5 more. Whether it was escape or just fun, they craved the activities and inclusiveness.
My kids are now 30-something and have stayed close with their church friends. Their parents are still my friends 20 years later. After Covid, we moved to a different church. Many of them did to. Just so happened many of us moved to the same church. Those kids still come up to me to give me a hug, when they are home visiting their parents and come to church.
michaelHIJINX@reddit
When I found out the CYO was going to go on a mission to Mexico I joined. Trip was awesome & definitely eye opening. Didn't stay active very long after the mission though.
blackcat81374@reddit
I was asked to join God's Army in the 90s...nope.
bloobityblu@reddit
Ooh bullet dodged. That's an extra creepy one.
ghjm@reddit
Of course I was in the youth group at my church. It wasn't a "movement." It was just where you went to do teenager stuff. Once I went to college my priorities changed, but it's weird to insinuate that this normal life change is somehow the fault of the youth group. I still keep in touch with a few people I knew from then, but not many, because it's been forty years. It was a good experience for me and I have to say I'm a bit baffled by all the negativity in this thread.
Hedonistic_Yinzer@reddit
Reddit is powered by negativity against anything that isn't far left ideology. It's ironic and hypocritical that leftists consider anything that isn't leftist mentality a cult while ignoring the basic fact that they belong to a cult.
MienaLovesCats@reddit
Me too; a bit 💔. I loved church youth groups. I met my husband at a church young adults group. Our children (17 & 21) are currently involved in church youth groups. Happy Resurrection Sunday 🙏
Thonwil@reddit
Same. It was a healthy and fun experience. I’m glad I have that to look back on. I realize that other people had different experiences, but theirs are no more normative than mine.
Historical_Project86@reddit
Aha, this one I do have some experience with. My family found church again when I was around 12, so there was a youth group which I went to sometimes. There was nothing really religious about it, I think one evening we just watched Company Of Wolves. :-) One of the curates who took the club was later arrested for being in possession of CAIC, although luckily I think we were a little too old for him.
TalkOk4096@reddit
It was all just grooming…
MienaLovesCats@reddit
FALSE
perhaps_too_emphatic@reddit
Depends on the church. Mine was actually pretty wholesome, in the end. I can say that with more than thirty years hindsight, too.
Jerzee_Implant2012@reddit
Same.
MienaLovesCats@reddit
FYI... not everyone has had the negative experiences that you have had. I am 50; I have been a Christian since I was 5. I loved youth groups then and now. Our children 17 & 21 are involved in youth groups. Happy Resurrection Sunday 🙏
YouMustBeJoking888@reddit
Nope. Never had any church involvement other than going to events at churches, such as weddings, funerals, etc. Quite happy to have missed all of that nonsense.
auntiecoagulent@reddit
I'm a godless heathen, so no, but the 2nd season of "Shiny, Happy People" is about Teen Mania. A really crazy youth group.
The 1st season is the Duggars
sorieno@reddit
I was the kid that got in the wrong kind of trouble which meant someone was always trying to ‘save’ me.
I went to so many youth events and camps where drinking and hooking up was easier than outside of church. Those good girls loved exploring taboos 😈
Eventually when they realised that I was able to think for myself they would tell me to leave - mainly for asking too many questions. The alcohol and sex was conveniently ignored…
I did however find the whole religion thing intriguing (hence all the questions) and even took bible studies at school as a subject. For me it was like history but with a specific ‘area of focus’. It also led me to study other religions to try and better understand the world.
Unfortunately most people don’t actually take onboard what they learn from religion as almost all of them actually teaches love and respect above all rather than the hatred we see so much of in the world around us today.
gatorman98@reddit
Yep only because the hot chicks were doing it. Was a fad.
herringonthelamb@reddit
There were hot chicks at church youth group camps? My mate must have been holding out on me dammit
gatorman98@reddit
Yeah it was a thing for a second. Didn’t last.
Rabbit_of_Caerbanog@reddit
Oh thank goodness. I was kinda worried to admit I was in for the hot chicks and be the only one. We were Southern Baptist so shit was weird at all timea
itgoesineasy@reddit
TL/DR: I was one but stopped to look around and found a bigger world.
I was one of those Youth Group kids. I was in deep. Our youth pastor was one of the guys. We went fishing, golfing and even had a choir and puppet ministry. We went all over the country with them. The grip was loosened a bit when I turned 16. But it kept me out of trouble but I missed out on a lot because I was too busy being a “good Christian” rather than being more open minded. I didn’t see the Big Picture. Finally during my senior year I got away from the overwhelming influence “church” had on me. I finally saw it for what it was. I found my own relationship with the Almighty and didn’t need a building to do so. When you grow up Southern Baptist you always hear that no matter how “good” you are you’re not good enough. That got tiresome and was not for me. I’m much happier 39 years later than I was all those years ago. I was one of those that let religion completely take over their lives and they don’t ever live without thinking the specter of SIN waiting on them at every turn. Everyone has a choice and a Constitutional Right to freedom of religion. But now I have friends that are agnostic, Muslim, Mormon, Catholic and even some hard core Protestant Christians. To each their own and they all have the right to choose. I did.
Ribeye_steak_1987@reddit
Hello from a fellow southern Baptist survivor. I’m still traumatized from being made to wear pants to six flags (Arlington) in August
TennMan78@reddit
Our 10th grade Young Life campout deep in the orange groves of Florida took a turn when we pulled in with a keg.
Our YL sponsor reported us to our high school dean. He pulled me out of class a few days later and questioned me about it. I told him it was 100% true. He then told me that he was going to have to inform my parents about it. I responded, “That’s fine, my mom helped me load the keg into the trunk”.
In fairness, our dean was very cool and my older sister (11yrs older) was close friends with his son. They used to get drunk at his house all the time when they were in high school.
He knew he had no power over my jackass highschool self. He is no longer with us but his widow (a beloved PE teacher at the same school) and I have had a few laughs about it whenever we catch up.
D05wtt@reddit
I was in it for the friendships and a particular girl. But then in between 10th and 11th grade we moved away and I didn’t want to start over with a new group of kids and i got a little rebellious. Then in college, I was invited to the campus Christian group. Didn’t last too long before I joined a band and we had gigs at fraternities/sororities and bars and etc; and I fell into that life of partying. Haven’t joined a church group since. Exactly 40 years since I’ve been to one.
Accurate_Weather_211@reddit
Easy way to appease my Mom was through religion. I was baptized a couple of times in high school to avoid getting into serious trouble at home. All my best friends that stole booze from their parents and weed from their older siblings were at Youth Group. “Mom, some kids from Youth Group are going to the drive-in Saturday, can I go?” Way too easy. All my friends did the same thing. My BFF lost her virginity at church camp.
jt2ou@reddit
I was asked to join the Way and invited to join a church in Boston who held services in the Garden. But it wasn’t really my vibe, for different reasons.
perhaps_too_emphatic@reddit
Early 90s but YEP!
Barragin@reddit
Really loved the ski and beach trips!
Ta_mere6969@reddit
I had zero interest in high school, but had to go because my parents made me (Carholic).
As soon as I graduated, I stopped going.
Years later I found out that our CYO was modeled after the Life Teen program, a fellow named Fr Dale ran it out of St. Tim's in Mesa, AZ.
Also found out that the priest for whom I was an altar boy had been sent to my church as part of a deal made between the Diocese of Los Angeles, the LAPD, and the parents of an abuse victim in exchange for keeping mouths shut.
Religion is so gross.
DryFoundation2323@reddit
70s.
Mobile_Aioli_6252@reddit
Yes - at a Methodist church I attended in the mid 80's
Opening-Squirrel-433@reddit
It was to see hot girls from a different school. Play ping pong. Go swimming. On trips. I could have cared less about the religion aspect as was the case with most of us The minister’s daughter was in the group. All of us guys hooked up with her at some w
Billie_Hollandaise@reddit
I'm having Gospel Bill flashbacks right now just from reading all these comments. 😬
guy_fleegman83@reddit
That’s how I drank and smoked pot.
omegamun@reddit
I almost did, and then I got creeped on during a sleepover (which our priest said was mandatory shocker). He was later charged, defrocked and publicly humiliated.
TalFidelis@reddit
One of my fondest memories is sitting on the floor in an overnight lock-in watching a movie with the youth group. I was sitting with my girlfriend (we were in 8th/9th grade and it was before they split us up by boys and girls for the night. She was braless in her pajamas and my hands were up under that shirt and we were both enjoying “the movie” (I don’t remember what movie it was).
I don’t think I learned what they wanted me to learn from youth group.
NotEasilyConfused@reddit
You sound like my first boyfriend. I think the only time he's ever been in a church was for youth group lock-ins ... if I was there.
I was only there if he could be.
WolfPacker01@reddit
Youth group at church was a main social outlet for me. I wasn’t given much choice in the matter, I was brought up Baptist so that meant we spent most of Sunday at church and a good portion of Wednesday evening. I can count the number of times I’ve been to church (not including the times I go when I’m visiting my parents) since getting married and moving away
newttle@reddit
We would drink wine coolers in cups and tell them it was just juice. Then hurl in the bathroom and tell them it was bad “girl issues”
AcceptableSuit9328@reddit
God I hated it. I didn’t get to participate in any of the outings and got the short end of the stick with the whole youth group thing.
Don’t even get me started on the “True Love Waits” seminar we had to attend.
automator3000@reddit
Oh fuck dude. I was in deep. The youth pastor was “one of my friends”, and my first kiss was at a church camp. I was sure that any kid at school with a heavy metal band tshirt was a drug dealer who was damned to hell.
Years after it’s not like I hate that segment of my life. Maybe I would’ve been more popular at school if I liked Metallica back then, but I did have a good friend group — they were just Jesus freaks.
Either way, it’s something that happened ages ago. It didn’t fuck me up, and that’s really all I could hope for my childhood.
spitfish@reddit
I ran into them while in college. They were nice people but looking back, I'm glad I dodged that bullet. They were politely abusive towards anything that didn't fit their perspective. The lesbian student juggling her orientation and her faith caught the worst of it.
donaldtrumpshearts@reddit
I sang a fucking Christian rap song in a musical we performed. Sunglasses and all. I still cringe thinking about it
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
I performed in a Christian play titled "Agape Boat". Agape is Greek for "Love". So it was a Christian Love Boat.
Yeah.
donaldtrumpshearts@reddit
I think we were doing Michael W Smith’s “Friends are Friends Forever”
wakattawakaranai@reddit
UGH THAT SONG
can you imagine how many times I had to play it by request on a christian radio station? I have blissfully not heard it in 30 years, and would like to go another 30.
dutch_85@reddit
The outings were cool - the brainwashing of my friends was not. Weird cult like vibes.
damnyankeeintexas@reddit
Honestly my Youth Group kept me out of trouble. I don’t talk to any of them any more but they kept me from going down a darker path.
illgiveyouasthma@reddit
I remember making crucifixes with popsicle sticks while snacking on purple kool aid and vanilla wafers at vacation bible school.
needlenozened@reddit
I was in a Catholic youth group and a Methodist youth group. I was in it for the field trips.
Different_Farmer_416@reddit
Bunch of 🤬goody two shoes who thinks they are better than anybody else. It actually turn me away from church. Strangely enough, as an adult now I go to church regularly. I admit I’m bloody sinner and went to hell and back. But I don’t hang around and socialize nor I try to convert anyone.
Necessary-Peace9672@reddit
In college in the ‘80s, Campus Crusade for Christ was huge. They were always trying to convert me (I’m pantheist).
ZombieSouthpaw@reddit
I had a Mohawk in fanciful colors. It was like having Save Me tattooed on my forehead.
R0CK1TMAN1@reddit
Neo Shamalama Ding Dong here. Hi from across the isle!
TraditionFearless165@reddit
Totally. “Young Life” led by like 20 year olds who did the guitars and god thing. Singalongs, camping, treasure hunts, etc. Good clean fun until they started dictating who we should date/hang out with. Then I had to peace out. ✌️
Blue_Henri@reddit
Catholic girl so we weren’t really welcome to those here in the South. Different times. Maybe.
Pristine_Frame_2066@reddit
We had them at my church. Youth group. Our youth group leader was named Grainne, straight outta Ireland.
chainmailler2001@reddit
I did but it wasn't the group that drew me in but a pretty girl. She moved and my reason for attending went with her.
Pristine_Frame_2066@reddit
Got kicked out when we drank during a lock in.
claude3rd@reddit
I was on the church’s bus on Saturday morning, going into the poor sections of Brockton to bring the kids to church. Looking back, aside from the indoctrination, they provided fun in a safe environment for the kids. The kids got to go home with junk food and other gifts.
Jenshark86@reddit
It was awful. Kids were miserable and it wasn’t fun.
Outrageous_Drag6613@reddit
Made me non religious as an adult
Iam-WinstonSmith@reddit
I once had two kids pray against each other at a youth group. At that point I was done.
LetThem_1972@reddit
This is hilarious
Iam-WinstonSmith@reddit
It wasn't that funny at the time. I grew up in some really horrible churches. This one wasn't as bad ...I was just done.
LetThem_1972@reddit
Sorry to hear that. I fortunately didn't grow up in them, but would get pulled in by cousins or friends on occasion throughout my childhood and adolescent years. Had some bad experiences including an intimidating pastor tell me while no one else was around that I would burn in hell for not being baptized "and there was nothing I could do about it". I was 9 or 10. Messed with my head until I formed my own thought about religion. But still wouldn't have minded running into him as an adult to ask him WTF he was thinking.
JJQuantum@reddit
I was president of my church youth group until I realized what a scam the thing was and I have been to church since graduating high school.
Twisted_lurker@reddit
I went, mostly bought into the Catholic version. I was naive in a lot of way but pretty aware of the hypocrisy of some of the big talkers.
A particular incident made me question everything later in high school. We had retreats where us kids felt emotionally moved by the Holy Spirit, coming from prayer and spiritual reflection. It usually happened but one time it didn’t.
I was at a planning session for the next retreat. The adult leader said she didn’t understand why the emotional moment didn’t occur: ”we followed the formula.”
And I realized “wait, there’s a formula?” This seemed more like psychological manipulation.
fbombmom_@reddit
I've never been religious. Some churchy girl my friend knew invited us to her youth group in high school. We went, because why not? We found the other teenage sinners who'd been dragged there as well and went out back and did sinful things. This was the mid 90s in SoCal.
Icy-Package-7801@reddit
I was forced to go to church three times a week. So when I turned 18 I quit and I haven't been back in 37 years.
Iwentforalongwalk@reddit
I went because the snacks were good. Never believed any of the nonsense.
WrongWeekToQuit@reddit
Yup, free OJ and snacks. Had zero effect on my non-believing self at the time.
Expensive_Rhubarb_87@reddit
Late 80s to early 90s. Got invited to one, it was sad. The ‘youth pastor’ got busted for statutory with a teenage girl from the church. All the elder’s kids that were high school age like me were required to go. And all of them completely turned their back on the church. Drugs, sex, rock and roll.
qpv@reddit
I honestly never knew anyone well who went to church/temple/mosques ect growing up. As an adult I've made friends with several but they are all from 3rd world or developing countries that came to North America later in life.
drone-on-and-on@reddit
I was invited to join. After a short period I was asked to leave.
Experimental_Salad@reddit
I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member
Groucho Marx - 1949
TheVampireDuchess@reddit
I was forced to go. Hated it and the kids in it. They were all hypocritically leading double lives, even at 14-15. Most of them were sexually active and did drugs and those were the preachiest ones of all. I told my Mom I wouldn't participate anymore when I started my sophomore year in HS
chopsticksupmybutt@reddit
Yep and was promised by everyone in the church if I believed and lived a righteous life ie no sex drugs or partying then I would be blessed/prosperous in life which is a crook of shit just missed out on the best parts of growing up taking the moral high road for some dumb ass reason
FawnLeib0witz@reddit
Young Life was really big in my TX high school.
freerangeXkid@reddit
I was invited at 15 to a Young Life gathering and was a little suspect from the start. The guitar came out and everyone sang along to Amie and and a few John Denver bangers...then came the hymns.
That was the last meeting I went to.
FawnLeib0witz@reddit
Yeah - I wasn’t in it but was shocked at how many people were. It was creepy.
FallenValkyrja@reddit
I joined because I was friends with the kids off the local reverend. Heck, still chat with a couple of them and him from time to time. It was fun at the time. I was pretty much agnostic at the time and an atheist today so got me it was purely a social thing.
ShartlesAndJames@reddit
youth group was a great place to get laid!
TheRealWulfgar@reddit
I lived in a trailer court as a kid and there used to be a bus that drove around on Sunday mornings gathering kids to take into one of the youth group churches. They would ply us with candy and we'd get dressed, not even tell our moms where we were going, and ride 20 miles down the road with some strangers. These days of course you would be arrested pretty quick.
wrldwdeu4ria@reddit
Good for you for finding an actual positive reason for attending youth group.
I was expected to be at church any time the doors were open and that included all youth group activities. It wasn't at all by choice as I wasn't allowed to choose my religion as a minor. I knew I was an atheist from the time I was a kid so I found the entire church going thing to be tiresome, laughable and annoying.
The first church I went to had some adult crazies but the kids were pretty laid back and didn't take it that seriously. All of the regular teen attendees (but me) dedicated their lives to either part-time or full-time ministry. And then they had the teens by the tenterhooks and made an announcement in front of the entire congregation to hold them accountable. And all of them (except me) had to arrive an hour early weekly session Sunday evening service so they had an hour in addition to youth group and church service. So, a minimum of four hours of church on Sundays. In that hour they were all again guilted and shamed into attending Christian college. And the one or two that went part-time were side eyed for not going full-time and pushed towards that as well. I know this because I often arrived early to youth group and heard the conversation they were having outside the door. I'd sit outside the door laughing. We were all younger than 16, which seems to be the target audience of the youth ministers. They seem to prefer the 13–15-year-old crowd.
The final church I went to had a new youth minister that was trying to make the members hardcore but we were all in high school and 15 or older and most of us had jobs, etc. and it was too late. I found a part-time job as soon as I was 16 so I could be excused from much of the extracurricular rah rah of the church youth group including summer camp and mission trips. Most of the youth were partiers to some extent. The youth group would hang out after church and most of the time there was drinking involved. We also never ratted each other out but the parents did find out about a party once. I knew this was going to happen so I didn't attend.
I caught the youth minister giving several members speeches on them being natural leaders, the exact same speech he'd given me previously. I didn't bite. The idea was that if we agreed or were dumb enough to not see through his flattery then he'd push the leader into leading a prayer at school. To my knowledge none of us agreed to this. One time after tons of pushing for weeks on end we agreed to meet at school (just teens) and just all stood around, not one of us even acted like we were going to pray. I recall laughing and saying how stupid it was. I don't know if anyone reported back to the youth minister if we prayed or not. Around once a year we watched a movie about a teenage couple and the girl became pregnant. None of us became pregnant, so I guess that worked.
Youth minister changed the focus and pressure towards the younger kids and trying to move them to be part of the aggressive Christian nationalist movement of the time. Attending youth group, going on a bunch of mission trips, praying in school. Dedicating their lives to part-time or full-time ministry and then paying lots of money to go to their choice Christian college that has degrees that aren't accredited and are church related degrees only. Worthless in the real world. It was all part of a big plan to covertly recruit teens into Christian nationalism. A few younger teens ended up going to Christian college, but it was never the majority.
Someone had to go to those bible colleges, after all. Someone has to donate to the Heritage Foundation.
While it wasn't fun it was a master class in recognizing manipulation, brainwashing and coercion. Made avoiding MLMs as an adult a piece of cake, for instance.
2PlasticLobsters@reddit
No, but I joined a bunch of clubs at my high school for the same reason. They less time I spent around my mother, the happier I was. She had major issues.
Vanpocalypse-Now@reddit
I was a guest at one. I've never seen so many horny teenagers in one place. Youth group was where you partied under the gaze of JC 😂
RootHogOrDieTrying@reddit
We were tempting fate and each other!
TheM3lk0r@reddit
Church.... 🤣
free_range_dilf@reddit
Do you mean forced to go?
DrHarryWolper@reddit
Yep. Went to a Catholic Church. Went to CCD all the way through high school and was very involved in youth group 8th grade into my junior year of high school. Had too much going on junior and senior year to stick with it, and then lost interest in the church during/after college. Youth group was still a positive experience and a happy memory for me.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
I failed the Lutheran equivalent of CCD (don't recall the exact name).
SorryDog254@reddit
🤣
Mindyloowho2@reddit
I grew up Mormon and we had church dances every month. They were the best! We also had some really fun activities where we did skits and competed against other congregations. I have wonderful memories on my youth group friends.
I did stay “active” in the church for a few years as an adult but as my own kids became teens, I realized I couldn’t raise them in such a toxic environment and quit attending.
meatwads_sweetie@reddit
I went to the dances with my best friend. They were so much fun. Met a couple of boyfriends there. I also went to girls camp with her. I wasn’t Mormon.
nakedonmygoat@reddit
I had some friends who would invite me to such things sometimes, and if I had nothing better to do, I'd go. But it was just a way to get out of the house if I didn't have a date, a babysitting gig, a paper due, or a band performance coming up. Almost anything was better than being stuck at home with my insufferable sibs.
IronSea7072@reddit
Family across the street invited all the neighborhood kids to Awana. I went and got into a fist fight in the parking lot. Never got invited again.
LetThem_1972@reddit
Do tell on the fist fight.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
Ooooh, my sister's boyfriend was heavily into Awana. He also went to Moody Bible institute in Chicago, so you could say he was "into it".
Bazoun@reddit
Yeah I got thrown out of YG for “talking.” I hadn’t said a word.
Joeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyy@reddit
Hell ya, that’s where the horny girls are. Those church lock ins omg. The older teens didn’t watch us they were busy getting it on too. Dam to be 12 again.
kcfdr9c@reddit
I admit it and I’m not ashamed of it. I agree 100% it was a place to escape my shitty home life. They (parents) strong armed me to church every Sunday morning and I’ll never forgive them for it. It was just something they made us do as a matter of course. Like “My parents did it to me therefore I’m gonna do it to you”. We didn’t pray or say Grace as a family at the house. It was all just for show of conformity to the social construct of the time. Probably the reason I detest organized religion as an adult. Youth group however was a completely different story. It made Sunday evenings something to look forward to if you can believe it. I became friends with people from my school who I would never have socialized with at school. And summer camp… it was my favorite week of the year!! Got to hang with my ‘camp friends’ from previous summers, be accepted by my peers and counselors, and even got my first kiss. It was magical.
foilrat@reddit
I did.
Then I saw those fake hypocritical assholes for what they were. I went to a christian private school until 8th grade. When my friends in high school were treating me better than the "christians", I noticed.
I quickly started to hate church.
I went because my parents made me go until I graduated HS. I decided not to fight that fight so I just went.
The only christian religious ceremony I've been to since was a surprise (to me) mass at a catholic wedding.
My disgust and loathing for the churt has grown to encompass almost every religion, and the monotheistic Ambrahamic ones in particular.
90Carat@reddit
I had a crush on a girl in high school. Then she asked me to go to youth group with her. Crush ended.
SnooCakes8914@reddit
In my case, it was my parents demanding it lol. Actually some good memories from it. What was especially funny is that the biggest pot dealer in my HS was in my youth group and his dad was a chaperone lol.
Breklin76@reddit
I went to one for a while. Wednesday evenings. It was fun. Lots of middle school kids from the schools in our city. I pretty much went for the girls and the snacks.
RollTideMeg@reddit
I did. LOVED it. Still great friends with people that went with me. But ours was more about fellowship and less about preaching the Bible. Good wholesome fun for teenagers in a small southern town.
GroundbreakingHead65@reddit
My sister in law married her teen group leader which still makes me side eye 25 years later.
My mom would threaten to send us to Bible school as punishment so no youth group in my house.
PacRat48@reddit
I loved it. My kids go but it’s not fun like it was back then. A lot more practical today
Correct-Condition-99@reddit
Heck no. But some of my cousins ducked in and out of that as an excuse to be out on school nights...
Chemical_Author7880@reddit
Not me. I went to Catholic School and we were non-joiners after years of either Catechism after church or weekly in primary/middle school. By HS my extremely GenX cohort was over hanging out with religious purpose.
tacosandtheology@reddit
The opposite: I was too "punk" to join any group as a kid. Then I discovered the Catholic anarchist Dorothy Day and things finally clicked.
OldSkooler1212@reddit
A friend tricked into going roller skating with his church group one time. When we got the rink the pastor was trying to get everyone to be “saved”. Closest I came to church in my youth.
KurtStation68@reddit
I joined, after high school, for all the wrong reasons - lasted about 3 years before I made college friends. But I suppose there was some good to come out of my time.
Sticktalk2021@reddit
Boosting cars and breaking windows
Appropriate_Oven_292@reddit
My youngest child goes and she loves it. It’s a great program and she’s unlike me and relatively pious. My eldest hated it…and so did I lol! I hated it so much. We never did anything..and when we did it wasn’t remotely religious. Of course, we were Episcopalian, so I’m not even sure the church leaders believed in God.
My youngest usually doesn’t want to go, there are other distractions, but she always enjoys it when she goes.
There’s nothing wrong with sending a child to a program with other children whose parents share similar values.
NYVines@reddit
Cute girl roped me in. I didn’t stay long.
Sumchap@reddit
Yes indeed, Reformed church youth groups, pretty good bunch back in the day and we had some pretty wild times. Unfortunately it led to a near lifetime of serious church involvement up until about 6 years ago. But some of those youth i still see once in a while.
PennyG@reddit
Here. Church camp was so much fun. But it was for reasons that would HORRIFY the church members.
tanhauser_gates_@reddit
I did. Most fun I've ever had as a teenager. I wont go into detail, but catholic kids are crazy and I was right in the mix.
twistedivy@reddit
I enjoyed my UMC youth group. Drank my first beer, smoked my first cigarette. Got to see the country on a few summertime “service” trips. Went camping for retreats. Good times!
NegScenePts@reddit
Was forced into bible camp at 15 and again at 16, with no previous religious background. Turned me off christianity forever.
nadiaco@reddit
😂
rhiannonirene@reddit
Idk about drawn in… my family was active at church and I have fond memories of lock ins and service projects with the same kids I went to church with.
Constant_Sky9173@reddit
Had a blast. Great place for a teen to get laid in those days.
dewihafta@reddit
I went to exactly one trip/volunteer thing with my family’s church.
I was really into Les Mis at the time and played some of my tape of the original broadway cast for the youth leader. When she dropped me off, i told her she could borrow it for awhile. She said okay and took the tape.
A few years later, i was working at a blockbuster video and saw her again. I asked offhandedly about the tape and if i could get it back. She swore up and down that she had loaned me one of her tapes in return, and wouldnt return it until i gave her hers back. Now, i know for sure that didnt happen. The woman listened to christian rock; i wouldnt have borrowed one of those in a million years.
I asked her which one it was that she had loaned me. Of course she “didnt remember.”
Right…
Ah, the honesty of the “godly” set.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
Ha! One of my volunteer activities was to run the church sound system for events. One time I was setting everything up and hour ahead of time, and I was playing Mozart's Requiem (admittedly a bit loud - good acoustics). A group of 70+ church members started harassing me about "music these days."
dewihafta@reddit
Whaaaa? Bizarre…
MannyMoSTL@reddit
Forced to participate? Yes
“Drawn to it?” Hell NO.
aheadlessned@reddit
My parents made me go. I'd take my homework and sit in the back to work on it (which pretty much sucked because they'd get loud.)
Gisselle441@reddit
I got asked out by the 20 year old guy that was co-leading UMYF one night. I was 15.
My parents squashed that one pretty much right out of the gate. He was cute though lol
StrangeAssonance@reddit
We had that “guy” at my youth group. He didn’t last long before being asked to leave. Guy wasn’t subtle at all and way too creepy.
Taphouselimbo@reddit
The youth group helped me remove myself from the church. They were an insular spiteful pack of privileged brats that enjoyed picking on me. Very godly and I thank them for giving me my anti authoritarian and anti religious zeal I have today those absolute trash people who taught me who and what they were.
Its_edible_once@reddit
Me too. Have distrusted Christians ever since.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
The hypocrisy exposed as an "insider" is what sealed the deal for me.
jdekay@reddit
Youth group was fire. We had a dope basketball league with the other churches.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
I didn't play on our team, but we hosted the league tournament every Thanksgiving weekend and I always worked the concession stand.
StrangeAssonance@reddit
It was some of the best years of my life. All of us having crazy parents riding the religion train and bringing us along for the ride.
Like that common experience of bonding was unique and something that helped me make a lot of solid friends for years.
My oldest living friend is from those days.
jaxbravesfan@reddit
My dad was the pastor, so I didn’t have the choice not to go. But I would have wanted to go anyway. It was fun. Our youth group leader was great, and always had us doing something. Pizza and bowling, miniature golfing, or go-carting after church on Sunday nights. Ski trips to the mountains during Christmas breaks. Summer trips to places like Niagara Falls, Gatlinburg, and D.C. Lots of pool parties in the summer, with the added bonus of a bunch of hot girls in our youth group. A lot of Saturdays doing community service. Us guys played in church softball and basketball leagues (I wouldn’t be surprised if I still held the record for number of ejections in the basketball league).
Both my daughters loved their youth groups growing up and went of their own accord. While we’ve always attended church, we let the kids decide how involved they wanted to be. My oldest daughter met her husband at youth group.
jcostello50@reddit
Yeah. CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) was pretty tame. It was a great excuse for socializing with teens from other schools.
AcanthocephalaDue715@reddit
Episcopal youth camp was a carnival of sin
jpow33@reddit
Absolutely. We went to a place called Trinity Ranch in Colorado, which was notorious for sneaking into the woods for booze/weed/make-out parties.
AcanthocephalaDue715@reddit
We had camp wood elmdale Kansas and pretty much the same thing. We had a buddy from Wichita that brought us supplies at night lol
LivinghighinColorado@reddit
You mean the 'indoctrination'?
AForse@reddit
My participation in a church youth group was sporadic, and ended when a friend of mine yelled “Jesus Christ!” at a quiet moment because someone stood on his toes! lol!
Available_Wolf1059@reddit
I enjoyed it in the 80’s and honestly it probably kept me out of trouble. Our youth pastor was in a Christian rock band (they kind of reminded me of U2). I remember on some trips blasting Motley Crue in the church van and no one cared. We didn’t have cell phones to keep us busy, only music. It was a lot of fun. By the time I got to college only 3 of us went to the college group. We hung around for a while then after college we all moved away.
As for my kids, they all did it and enjoyed it. Youngest is now 16 and never really connected so she doesn’t go to youth group any more but she said she enjoyed it. We still go to church from time to time. It seems these days a lot of churches are more political than Bible based and that’s a big turn off so when they start preaching politics we usually don’t return and visit somewhere else. The one we occasionally go to now is mainly elderly people with only a handful of kids but at least they stay out of politics.
CimbyNotpit@reddit
I took part in my church’s BYF. ( Baptist youth fellowship) I loved it so much. We went on trip to other states several times and retreats a couple times a year. Had lock ins and did community service and just loads of fun. I made so many friends. The leaders were amazing people. It was a huge part of my life and I think it made me a better person. It’s crazy to me how much I was involved and now am not interested in organized religion.
TheJokersChild@reddit
Next door neighbor for a while was part of a church. Spent a lot of time with her while mom was working so that's how I got into Royal Rangers. No memory at all of it except for when I got my finger jammed all up playing whatever dodgeball-type thing we were playing one night. Wasn't long after that before I was out. No church for me for quite a while.
erilaz7@reddit
I went to my church's youth group regularly in junior high and high school. I remember activities like going out for ice cream, a road trip down to one of the SoCal theme parks (Magic Mountain?), and an all-night VHS movie night where one of the movies was First Blood!
JerseyTeacher78@reddit
My Presbyterian youth group in deep NYC was one of the best experiences of my life. It gave me something wholesome to do on Friday nights, and I made friends and got good adult guidance that got me through tough times. I wish my (now catholic) church had something similar for my daughter. Aside from communion class, that is.
Zen_Hydra@reddit
I had the good sense to dodge every religious activity I could manage. I really had more of an inclination towards sex, underage drinking, and smoking as a youth. Church was something the olds were into for some silly reason.
snoopy_88@reddit
yes. i went to Icthus. nuff said.
Tanya7500@reddit
There were weekly dances but had no church involved. I would not have been there
VerdantField@reddit
Yes lots of youth groups, Sunday school, religious school. I’m an atheist now, at best. 🤣
Puzzled_Plate_3464@reddit
I was in the Moravian Church youth group. It was pretty cool - not too much regarding religion - lots of just hanging out and having fun. As churches go, Moravians are pretty chill.
My first long term "real" girlfriend was in the same youth group - we had known each other since 2nd grade. First time I got to 2nd base was at an overnight "we are making sugar cake for communion" sleep over at the church :)
I remember our youth group leader catching us with alcohol at another sleep over. Also, he one time took us all to the midnight movies at one of the sleep overs - to see Quadrophenia.
ButterflyOld8220@reddit
My Methodist church youth group was so much more fun and chill than the Baptist group I went to with my friends. The majority of my peers went to Fishy at the Protestant church.
The Methodist group was led by two college students from CU and they were so fun. They took us to see "Pretty in Pink". (Minister thought "Hannah & Her Sisters" would have been better. 🙄). Gail, aka Mr. Gail, had an old Chrysler she called the Iacocca Mobile. I kept in touch with her for ages - even went to her wedding.
Resident-Complex4682@reddit
Also Methodist and very VERY chill. I appreciated having friends that didn’t go to my same school.
We watched Risky Business one get together, The Changling one nightmare inducing time, and just generally INappropriate movies together. 😂
I guess my church youth group was more Blockbuster than Jesus? I turned out ok.🤗
EmuMooMuuMuu@reddit
Loved UMYF. The Iacocca Mobile is hilarious!
I_do_not_post_here@reddit
Big games of hide and go seek were fun in a big old church.
Plus frenching girls in the basement.
There was lots of Amy Grant playing.
I ain't religious, there was a cute girl there
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
Amy Grant, Petra, Stryper, Michael W Smith, many many more.
PhotographsWithFilm@reddit
Yep. It's where I learned how to drink and have underaged sex.
Previous_Finance_414@reddit
Are you my brother? Did we go to the same youth group?
PhotographsWithFilm@reddit
LOL. I see there is a bit of a mix in this thread.
My parents were very religious, so it was expected. And yes, it was fun. I wasn't a sports person and the only community I had was the church.
But there was so much contradictory behavior going on...
And they very much leaned into the whole Christians are not perfect, just forgiven thing.
AcanthisittaPlus5047@reddit
My parents forced me to join. I hated it.
MaximumJones@reddit
Catholics didn't have the exact Protestant "youth group" movement, but we definitely had the whole "honor among thieves" (you don't tell on me and I don't tell on you) thing. 😁
green_dragonfly_art@reddit
Luckeee! My Gen. Jones sister had a big, active youth group. By the time I was in high school, there were only a few of us teens. No adults wanted to volunteer to coordinate a youth group for so few kids. I felt that my congregation didn't care about us. So, I looked at the local park district to see if they had programs for teens. They only had children and adult programs. Nothing for teens. They didn't care either, probably because there weren't many of us "Baby Busters."
thisoldguy74@reddit
I was pretty much raised in the church since sometime in preschool. Youth group was a big part of my teenage years in the late 80's and early 90's. Plenty of OPs came through during those years. All different types of people were attracted to the youth group scene for various reasons and different durations.
We eventually moved away from church ourselves. It is interesting how something that was once a large part of our life isn't anymore. We shift as people over the course of life, we aren't static for sure.
unclefes@reddit
Builders and Sentinels. I was Sergeant at Arms! Kept waiting for the big reveal, for something to change. It never did. There may be something out there, but if so, it has never spoken to me.
DisastrousWalk8442@reddit
Where else would I have learned how to smoke?
sjmiv@reddit
Young Life was pretty popular in our area. I went once because a bunch of people I kind of knew were going. It was too jesusy for me and I left halfway through
Enough-Cow-6869@reddit
Young Life in the 80's. Their camps were so fun. Im agnostic now.
Impressive-Shame-525@reddit
My father was a youth minister at a Baptist church.
So.... Yes. Hahahah
Robthebold@reddit
I did because a girl I wanted to go out with did YL. Didn’t preach JC too much, singing songs and such mostly, snuck JC in from time to time.
One_Barnacle2699@reddit
I was an atheist even as a teenager but I had a friend who was involved with the youth group at her church where a classmate’s father was the pastor. I had a huge crush on the classmate, so I went to one meeting. My crush ignored me the whole time and Jesus wasn’t enough for me to keep attending.
My friend wound up pregnant our junior year in high school and her boyfriend dumped her. Nothing to do with the church group, but she was literally the last girl anyone thought this would happen to.
Electronic_Fix_9060@reddit
My kids are right into it now. We don’t attend church so this is all coming from them. They’ve not changed their personalities or behaviour so I think for them it’s great fun to hang out with friends.
lowlatitude@reddit
I went to young life once without understanding what it was exactly. My parents asked if I was sure because they knew. We were/are atheists, so they figured my reaction would be amusing. A whole lot of sitting around talking about the jesus. The main dude was married to a hot blonde (classic stereotype) and he was so effeminate, so probably boinking the pool boy. I couldn't believe how the other kids were into I, but I sat in disbelief (see what I did there) and miserable. When my parents picked me up, they asked how it went and if I'll be back. My response: nope
AppropriateAmoeba406@reddit
That’s where I got dittled! Anyone else?
GalianoGirl@reddit
Nope. My family stopped going to church when I was 11. They only went to church because it was expected of teachers in the 1960’s.
We lived 10 miles out of town nobody was going to drive us to a youth group.
caryn1477@reddit
For me it was the '90s, and I wasn't drawn into it, my parents made me go. Let's just say I'm atheist now.
Lost_Taste_8181@reddit
I did. I shared a special bond with those friends even if we ran in different crowds at school. 31 years later, I still think of them.
largos7289@reddit
LOL all i know is, those catholic girls.... they can teach you a thing or three. There was nothing holy going on at some of the retreats. There was definitely oh my gods being said thou... Maybe it was just me thou... Well there was really three that where doing that stuff. oddly enough two where sisters, like real sisters not nun type of sisters.
skbugco@reddit
Catholic School Girls in Trouble. IYKYK
CityCabCat@reddit
Only to get out of the house and socialize. Strict parents.
MysticKei@reddit
I was raised relatively secular (apparently more-so than my parents were aware of or appreciated). I went to one with a friend and it gave me so much cringe I wasn't even comfortable with that friend anymore.
I don't remember the details but they said or did something at the group that aligned with something that caught my attention when I spent the night at her house once before.
guzzijason@reddit
I had a couple friends - brothers - that were from a bible-thumper family, and one year they recruited a bunch of guys in our friends group to join them for this big evangelical church summer basketball tournament.
My friends, I can’t tell you how many technical fouls my team earned for using the Lord’s name in vain during that tournament. We absolutely did not belong there.
It was a fun diversion, but at no point did the thought of joining this cult ever cross my mind. It was just a bunch of weirdos that liked to get together and have church sermons at random to new during the tournament. Hard pass.
BloodyBarbieBrains@reddit
A little. I had (still have) zero religious belief. But I went to socialize and flirt, which was fun.
skbugco@reddit
I grew up Mormon- “youth group” was just (a small) part of the deal.
Sufficient_Stop8381@reddit
My parents were really religious. We went to church 3+ times per week, so yeah the youth group was a big part of it. Mostly for the girls. Then after high school, when I stopped, I didn’t know what to do with my time. I figured it out, found girls at college to bang.
youngkpepper@reddit
I belonged to the youth group at the Episcopal church I attended. Father Greg, the priest who helmed it swore freely and also smoked weed (not in front of us); he was super cool.
A lot of people got laid on youth group trips.
Gullible-Biscotti186@reddit
Early 90’s for me and we were atheists but my “youth group” was FFA and Jr. Cattlemen… You can’t spell Agriculture without the cult in the middle…
mwatwe01@reddit
I had a great time at youth group. Fun activities, got to know and date a few girls. No complaints here.
drew_almighty21@reddit
Had a great youth group. Some amazing trips!
Kind-Shallot3603@reddit
I do. Lost my virginity and learned how to make a gravity bong (different days) at youth group. We were completely unsupervised in the giant church basement.
Cowboy_Buddha@reddit
Rallies, camping retreats (2 of them), overnight lock-ins, and a ski-trip, the whole 9 yards. Some of the best memories I have of being a teenager. I have pictures in a box somewhere.
aberfoyle496@reddit
I did, it was a great time.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
For sure, we had tons of fun.
Cowboy-Dave1851@reddit
Drawn into? I was forced to attend by she who gave me birth. Sunday was my only day off from school and after-school job but she thought I needed to get religion instead of sleep.
Ammortalz@reddit
I did. Youth group, choir, church camps, the whole bit. The last church camp I went to I brought alcohol and hooked up with a girl named Connie behind the congregation building. Been happily atheist for the last 35+ years.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
My youth group experience was probably the single biggest influence on my subsequent atheism, LOL.
Katerinaxoxo@reddit
I was heavily involved in Campus Life in high school and for me it was a life saver.
It was the only place that I felt like I belonged, I wasn’t bullied or made fun of, and could make friends and have so much fun.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
Did you go to any of the national conventions? I remember there being some in Washington DC and Ft Collins Co. I also attended a work camp sponsored by an organization simply called "Group".
Katerinaxoxo@reddit
Just the local stuff at the city & county level. We did do an annual camp at Catalina Island during spring break. It was rad. Beautiful & got to see dolphins jumping in the ocean.
Intelligent-Monk-426@reddit
My mom thought they were bad influences. 😭
Lucky-Remote-5842@reddit
They were! 🤣
HintonBE@reddit
I was "drawn into" it because my father was part of a religious cult, along with a lot of other people and their kids. We had "youth groups" and "youth camps" and other "youth get-togethers" where we were told all about how evil the world was.
SenatorBeers@reddit
It was how we managed to play basketball each week.
Throw8976m@reddit
I was one of those! It was fun! I went to the meetings mostly because I had a massive crush on one of the older boys. Camping trips, concerts... we saw Billy Graham's Last Crusade! Honestly, it was great for me because I was being abused at home and bullied at school, and it gave me a friend group and something solid to cling to. My youth leader took me under her wing. She was a crackpot, but she was like my second mother.
My youth group got really involved in the Brownsville Revival, if you've ever heard of that. Probably the last big "outpouring" of the sort the world will ever see. We would go several times a week. Honestly it was a blast, and it helped me come out of my shell (I was extremely shy and had selective mutism from the bullying, and the prayer/singing was pretty therapeutic in my particular situation.)
Most of the kids I was in youth group with went into careers involving the church. I got an AA degree in philosophy and then moved on to other things. I'm raising my kids in the church but I have a pretty mainstream approach to it, and the kids do as well. I still listen to TobyMac sometimes :)
Previous_Finance_414@reddit
That’s where I learned about drinking, smoking and sex. Good times.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
islanddiver76@reddit
I didn’t have a choice. But our big annual event was an overnight lock-in at the old armory.
Weak_Ad6116@reddit
I was only “drawn into it” because my parents forced me. Glad I don’t attend church anymore.
itwillmakesenselater@reddit
1/3 of the students in my high school belonged to one big Baptist church that had activities every weekend. They threw tons of money at their youth program and the kids treated it like a private club.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
For sure it was treated like a club. We didn't have anything like officer or anything, but there were certainly "in" and "not in" kids.
Normal-Philosopher-8@reddit
As someone who grew up religious, I was also trying to escape - only trying to get out of home and church/youth group. Finally compromised with my parents about one that let us play volleyball every Wednesday night.
Agent7619@reddit (OP)
Wednesday was our meeting night too. A 45-60 minute informal lesson/sermon and free time before and after.