Students/Church/Future?

It's been said by well intentioned people that students are the future of the church.

But if that's so, what are they now? pre-church disciples? not-quite-ready-for-primetime parishioners?

No. A bunch of kids following Jesus through life, shining his light in the dark corners of their world....is the church - now.

Where did we get the idea that only a "mature believer" is a part of the church, and immature ones have to live in a holding pattern until adulthood?

On the other hand...

Were the leadership of a local community of believers entirely in the hands of 16 year olds....whoah! Can you imagine the passionate, disastrous course of that church? Yikes! They might go down in flames, but what a way to go! (A much more attractive alternative than the grey pre-death rigormortis that many churches have chosen.) And what Phoenix could God raise up from the ashes of the young church's plight?

I know, I know...this argument is way oversimplified. But the church has segregated itself by age far too long. Young and old are not diametrical opposites. Young and old are part of the same Body. What if leadership teams did include some youthful perspective? What if the enthusiasm of youth was directed toward building the Kingdom - not the youth group? What if the wisdom of age tempered the steel of young passion?