Why should you join a youth group? Why should anyone? Here are the top 10 reasons a youth group is a great place to be:

10.  In any friendship, we make mistakes. Being part of a Christian group means we believe in forgiveness.

9.  The negativity of others can bring us down. In a Christian group, we believe we are created in God’s image and we are good to the core.

8.  We look around our world and wish we could make a difference. In a Christian group, we are called to work together to make this a better world to live in.

7.  It seems like there’s no right or wrong in the world we live in. Being in a Christian group can give us direction and help us to choose what is right and provides friends who will support us.

6.  By ourselves, we don’t always feel close to God. Jesus promised that where two or three gather in his name – he is with them.

5.  Some of the other teens around me seem so lethargic. They don’t seem too excited about their faith. In a Christian youth group, most people are there because they want to be there. The enthusiasm is contagious.

4.  In a Christian group, we have others with whom we can pray and share our concerns.

3.  In a Christian group, Jesus is our role model and we have other leaders who strive to live like him.

2.  In a Christian youth group, we can bring our friends who have the same needs we all have and who also need a supportive group of friends in their lives.

1.  In a Christian youth group, we are connected to the larger church that Jesus established. It is a place where we can know our God, grow in love and faith, and change the world we live in.

It’s can be tough out there on our own. In our hearts, we know we are called to love others and be faithful to God’s word – but it’s not easy. Not everyone defines love the same way. Jesus said, “Love consists in this – laying down one’s life for a friend.”

Every day, there are caring adults and other teens who lay down their lives for us – by giving us their attention, time, prayers and friendship. Every day, we can go with a group of friends, a family of God, that will always care. No group is perfect, but our God is – and God is always there. God calls us to love, to forgive, to be patient and to make a difference. He calls us to do this together as his church. Friendships made in youth ministry groups can grow into lifetime friendships as we continue in this faith-filled community we call the Catholic Church. If you’re not part of a youth group, then please think about it. Contact your parish office to see when it meets and how you can join. Peace!