Beyond Church Activities in Nigeria: The Unseen Struggles of Young Christians By Oluwatosin Anthony Adesanya
A Call for the Church to Look Beyond Service and Become More Intentional About Youth Development
For the past six years, serving as a Youth President in my local church has exposed me to certain realities about the lives of young people that I believe deserve more attention within our churches.
It has been a burden in my heart for some time, and I believe it is time to express it.
I have watched young people struggle in different areas of life, ranging from spiritual growth and career development to relationships, character formation and preparation for family life. I have seen young people who desire to know God more deeply but lack the spiritual nourishment and guidance they need. I have also seen graduates struggle to find their footing in their chosen careers, alongside others who are still trying to understand life and build a future for themselves.
Beyond these are the struggles with responsibility, commitment, discipline, communication and the development of healthy relationships.
These are realities that cannot be ignored if we genuinely desire to raise young people who are spiritually grounded, emotionally mature and adequately prepared for life.
Yet, in many of our local church settings, the conversation about the youth often centres on what they are not doing enough of.
They are not attending enough programmes. They are not contributing enough. They are not committed enough. Their impact is not being felt sufficiently in the church.
But behind these complaints are young people carrying burdens that may not be visible to the very people demanding more from them.
The Burdens Our Young People Carry
I see young people carrying different burdens: family responsibilities, financial difficulties, career uncertainty, educational challenges, relationship struggles, spiritual questions and personal battles they may not feel comfortable discussing with anyone.
Some are struggling with unemployment. Some are trying to recover from painful experiences. Others are battling addictions, fear, frustration and the uncertainty of what tomorrow holds.
Some are even struggling to understand the God they profess to serve, yet they are expected to give their best to the activities and growth of the church.
The troubling part is that many of these struggles remain unknown to church leaders, while the young people involved are often judged by their level of participation and contribution.
I sometimes wonder how many of us truly understand what the young people serving in our churches are going through.
How many of us know the struggles of the brother who faithfully shows up for his departmental duties every week? How many know the burden of the sister who remains committed to church activities while privately battling financial hardship, family problems or uncertainty about her future?
We see their presence, but do we see their pain?
We appreciate their service, but do we understand their struggles?
These are questions I believe we must begin to ask ourselves.
They Want More From Us. But What Are We Receiving?
Sometimes, I find myself in a system where the expectations placed on young people seem endless.
More of our time. More of our resources. More of our skills, intellect and physical strength.
We are expected to be available for programmes, meetings, rehearsals, departmental activities and other church responsibilities. We are expected to contribute our abilities towards the growth of the church and the success of its activities.
And there is nothing inherently wrong with serving God or contributing to the growth of His Church. Service is an important part of our Christian calling.
However, I believe we must also ask whether the people who continually give are receiving the nourishment, guidance and support they need to grow.
A young person who is struggling to establish a career, overcome a personal challenge or develop a deeper understanding of God’s Word is still expected to give everything to the work of the church.
But who is helping that young person navigate life?
Who is asking the right questions?
Who is taking the time to understand what is happening beyond the church premises?
I am concerned that, in some of our local church settings, we have become more interested in what young people can contribute to the system than in how the system can contribute to their development.
What impact is the Church making in the lives of the young people whose impact it constantly demands?
They Say the Youth Are Not Giving. I Ask, Give What?
This is one of the questions that weighs heavily on my heart.
There are graduates without jobs. There are young people who have acquired skills but struggle to find opportunities to use them. Some have the knowledge and ability to establish businesses but lack the financial resources to get started.
There are also young people whose education was interrupted by family circumstances and financial limitations. Others are trying to survive through trading, vocational skills and other forms of enterprise, but they lack the support and opportunities that could help them move forward.
These are people who may still show up in church, serve in their departments, attend programmes and contribute whatever they can, even when their personal lives are far from settled.
How many of these young people have our churches deliberately identified and helped?
How many churches have systems that connect qualified young people with legitimate employment opportunities, mentorship, contracts and business support?
How many have programmes that help young people develop their careers, improve their skills and build sustainable livelihoods?
I understand that the Church cannot provide jobs for everyone or solve every financial problem. These responsibilities do not rest on the Church alone.
But surely, a community that calls itself a family should be intentional about the welfare and development of its members.
Sometimes, helping a young person may not require giving them money. It may mean connecting them with someone who can provide career guidance, recommending them for an opportunity, helping them develop a skill or simply giving them the encouragement to keep going.
Spiritual leadership should not end with telling young people to pray about their struggles. It should also involve helping them navigate those struggles with wisdom, practical guidance and genuine concern.
We often hear stories about how our leaders struggled in their younger days before eventually succeeding. Their experiences can be valuable, and their testimonies may inspire us.
However, the circumstances facing today’s young people are not always the same as those of previous generations.
We must be willing to understand the realities of the present rather than simply compare the struggles of today’s youth with the experiences of those who came before them.
Valued for Service, but Overlooked in Their Struggles
One thing I have observed is that young people can be highly visible in church activities while remaining practically invisible in their personal struggles.
Their skills are recognised when a programme needs to be organised. Their physical strength is appreciated when there is work to be done. Their creativity is celebrated when the church needs publicity, media coverage or a well-coordinated event.
But what happens when these same young people need help?
What happens when the brother who has faithfully served in a department for years is unemployed and still searching for direction?
What happens when the sister who is always available for church activities is struggling with family responsibilities and financial difficulties?
What happens when a young person who has consistently contributed to the growth of a department is privately battling addiction, emotional pain or spiritual uncertainty?
Are we concerned enough to find out?
Or have we become so focused on what young people can contribute to the Church that we have forgotten to ask what they need from the Church?
A young person can be dependable in the church and still be deeply confused about life. Someone can be an excellent worker in a department while privately struggling to make ends meet.
Availability for church activities does not automatically mean that a person is doing well in every area of life.
We must learn to see the person behind the service.
When Activities Replace Spiritual Growth
Another concern is the growing emphasis on programmes and activities at the expense of deeper spiritual formation.
Our calendars can be filled with services, conventions, celebrations, rehearsals, meetings and special programmes, yet some young people remain hungry for a deeper understanding of Scripture and a more grounded Christian life.
Activities have their place. Programmes can inspire, unite and strengthen a congregation. But activities alone cannot substitute for discipleship.
Young people need opportunities to ask difficult questions, study God’s Word deeply, understand the foundations of their faith and learn how to apply biblical principles to the realities of everyday life.
They need spiritual mentorship, accountability, pastoral care and safe environments where they can discuss their struggles without immediately being labelled rebellious, unserious or spiritually weak.
Over the years, I have watched young people withdraw from fellowship and church service, including some who were once deeply committed to their departments.
People withdraw for different reasons, and I do not intend to suggest that every departure has the same cause. However, I believe we must be willing to examine whether spiritual dissatisfaction, a lack of meaningful discipleship and the feeling of being overlooked contribute to the withdrawal of some young people.
Some who remain do so because of their departmental commitments or because they have found other sources of spiritual nourishment.
This should challenge us.
If young people are continually searching elsewhere for the spiritual depth they need, should we not ask what is missing within our own systems?
We spend resources organising programmes upon programmes, but how much attention do we give to the things that build young people at their points of greatest need?
How much time do we devote to helping them understand God’s Word, develop spiritual maturity and build a Christian lifestyle that can sustain them beyond the walls of the church?
We must not confuse an active church calendar with a spiritually healthy youth ministry.
When Speaking Up Is Considered Rebellion
Perhaps one of the most difficult challenges is the inability of some church environments to receive honest feedback from young people.
When a young person questions a decision, expresses exhaustion or declines an additional responsibility, the response may be to interpret the action as disobedience, disrespect or rebellion.
Of course, young people must learn respect, responsibility and accountability. Leadership deserves honour, and disagreement should be expressed with wisdom.
But respect must not become a tool for silencing genuine concerns.
A young person who says, “I am struggling,” should not automatically be regarded as lazy.
Someone who says, “I cannot take on another responsibility right now,” should not immediately be labelled uncommitted.
And a person who asks why certain resources are allocated to programmes while essential discipleship and development needs remain unmet should not be treated as an enemy of the Church.
Healthy leadership must be willing to listen, reflect and make adjustments where necessary.
The Church should be a place where young people can be corrected when they are wrong and heard when they have legitimate concerns. Both are necessary for growth.
Sometimes, what looks like withdrawal may be exhaustion. What looks like a lack of commitment may be the result of burdens nobody has taken the time to understand.
We must learn to distinguish between rebellion and a genuine cry for help.
What About Marriage and Family Life?
The concerns extend beyond employment and spiritual growth.
Consider the young men and women who desire marriage but are still developing the character and maturity required to sustain a healthy family.
In some settings, much emphasis is placed on prayers for marriage, prophecies concerning future spouses and spiritual activities intended to hasten the arrival of marriage partners.
Prayer is important. Faith has a place in every aspect of Christian life.
However, prayer should not replace preparation.
Young people also need practical teaching on communication, emotional maturity, conflict resolution, financial responsibility, commitment, personal discipline, mutual respect and the responsibilities of family life.
They need to understand that a successful marriage requires more than finding the right person. It also requires becoming a responsible partner.
Young men and women should be taught how to communicate honestly, manage disagreements, recognise unhealthy patterns, take responsibility for their actions and build relationships grounded in respect and Christian values.
They need guidance on the realities of family life, not merely encouragement about the day they will get married.
We should be preparing them not only to pray for their future homes but also to build healthy ones.
This is another area where the Church can do more through intentional teaching, mentoring and practical guidance.
Where Should the Change Begin?
I am not writing this to suggest that church leaders do not make sacrifices or that the responsibilities of ministry are easy. Many leaders genuinely serve, give and labour for the growth of the Church.
Neither am I suggesting that young people are without their own responsibilities. We must be willing to grow, serve, learn, contribute and take responsibility for our lives.
However, the relationship between church leadership and young people should not be defined primarily by what leaders expect young people to do.
It should also be defined by how leaders nurture, equip, support and prepare them for life.
Perhaps the change should begin with a few honest questions.
Do we know the actual struggles of the young people serving in our churches?
Do we have intentional systems for spiritual mentorship and discipleship?
Are we helping young people develop their careers, skills and financial capacity?
Do we provide safe spaces for them to discuss addiction, relationships, emotional struggles and personal challenges?
Are we preparing them for marriage, family life and responsible adulthood?
Do we listen when they express concerns, or do we immediately interpret their concerns as disobedience?
Are our programmes producing lasting spiritual and personal growth, or are we measuring success mainly by attendance, activity and public recognition?
These questions are not intended to condemn the Church. They are intended to challenge us to become more intentional about the people who make up the Church.
The Church must be more than a place where young people are mobilised to work. It must also be a place where they are discipled, strengthened, equipped and helped to grow.
A Burden That Must Be Addressed
For six years, I have watched young people give their time, energy, skills and resources to the work of the Church. I have also seen the burdens many of them carry quietly.
And I keep returning to one question:
How can we continually demand more from young people while failing to pay sufficient attention to what they need to become the people we expect them to be?
If the Church wants spiritually mature, responsible, committed and impactful young people, it must be willing to invest in their development beyond the programmes they attend and the services they render.
Let us not wait until they withdraw before asking why they are no longer present.
Let us not wait until they abandon their responsibilities before asking whether they are struggling.
Let us not measure their commitment only by what they give to the Church, but also examine how effectively we are helping them grow in Christ and navigate life.
The goal should not merely be to raise young people who can sustain church activities. It should be to raise young people who know God, understand their faith, develop their gifts, build healthy relationships, become responsible adults and make meaningful contributions to society.
I believe this requires a change in how we approach youth ministry. It requires us to look beyond the programmes we organise and pay closer attention to the people we are called to nurture.
It requires church leaders to listen, youth leaders to speak honestly, and young people to take responsibility for their own growth while seeking the support and guidance they need.
Above all, it requires us to remember that the young people in our churches are not merely workers, volunteers or instruments for achieving institutional goals. They are people whose spiritual lives, personal development and future matter.
The question is no longer simply whether the youth are giving enough to the Church. The question is whether the Church is doing enough to nurture the youth.
Perhaps it is time we stopped measuring the strength of our youth ministries only by the number of programmes we organise, the attendance we record and the responsibilities our young people fulfil.
Perhaps we should also ask how many young people are growing in their understanding of God’s Word, finding direction in life, developing healthy relationships, discovering their gifts and receiving the guidance they need to navigate adulthood.
The Church must not wait until young people withdraw before asking what went wrong. We must learn to see their struggles while they are still among us, serving beside us and trying to find their way.
If we desire young people who are spiritually grounded, emotionally mature, responsible and committed to the work of God, then we must be willing to invest in their growth, not merely demand their service.
This is not a call to abandon service. It is a call to make the people who serve, a greater part of our concern.
Beyond the activities, beyond the expectations, beyond the service rendered, there are young people who need to be seen, heard, nurtured and equipped for life.
And if this narrative must change, perhaps the first step is for us to ask ourselves honestly:
Beyond the work we expect young people to do, what are we deliberately doing to help them become who God has called them to be?
About the Author
Oluwatosin Anthony Adesanya is a Christian writer, media professional, and founder of OceanGrace Media Services. He holds a degree in English Education from the University of Ibadan and is passionate about restoring depth and authenticity to gospel music and worship in Nigeria.
“Beyond Church Activities in Nigeria: The Unseen Struggles of Young Christians By Oluwatosin Anthony Adesanya” By Oluwatosin Anthony Adesanya is a Guest Post on PositiveNaija.
