A few weeks ago I had the chance to visit another church on Wednesday night during their youth service. I was excited about going but admit I was also sort of intimidated. I mean, this church’s youth group is bigger than my church’s entire congregation! I expected the people would be nice (it is a church, after all!) and figured someone would have mercy and lead me to the youth room if I got too lost.

I went in the right entrance but didn’t see a sign to the youth room. A lot of teens were around, so I got brave and asked one of them where they meet. He pointed me in the right direction, just down the next hall (and was nice enough to not ask why a mom like me was looking for the youth hang out spot). I went into a room big enough to be a gymnasium, with a stage at one end, mixer board at the other and rows upon rows of blue plastic chairs in between. Wow. This was a far cry from the youth rooms where I help teach Sunday school.

I’ve never been to services at a church this big, and have always thought I’d feel uncomfortable. Granted, they’re sure to have a small group I could plug into, but trying to find the right spot can still intimidate me. After all, I’ve attended the same church all my life and like that we’re small enough to know everyone.

But I noticed something that night I’d never really thought of. As the youth started coming in – literally a couple hundred of them — I saw kids from every walk of life. Preppy kids, skater kids, athletic kids, fashion plate kids. Public school kids, private school kids, homeschool kids. And no matter what they were like, there were other kids just like them. Here’s what I learned: everyone is sure to find a place to belong because the group is so big. That’s important anytime, but especially when your in middle or high school. And you can’t always say that about a smaller church with fewer youth.

So what’s your favorite thing about your youth group, or your group of closest friends? Who do you hang out with, and how accepting are you of others? Leave a comment to let us know, or share how you learn to look beyond yourself and see the kids hanging on the edges looking for a new friend. You might just be the person to help them feel at home.