Front Door Youth Ministry

Front Door Youth Ministry accents the importance of public worship for discipleship for covenant children, youth and their families. It means that our worship elements of singing, prayer, preaching, reading of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments all express a nuturing role in their discipling influence so that each one, great and small, enthrone the Triune Lord with worship from body and soul. In America, it's been the black church that has led the way in Front Door Youth Ministry, and largely it's been the choir that's been the practical training vehicle for this. You look around at evangelical African-American churches on the US landscape, and you'll note that their choirs have most faithfully served as the means through which every-generation worship is offered. It's young and old, skilled and less skilled, wiser and less that lead the way, and it's the choir that's winsomely modeled the make-up of the church. It's worship-based, front-door ministry. For the past three or four generations in our country this has been the youth group of choice for our black brethren. Here, too, our brothers have much to teach us.

G. Mark Sumpter