I have been opportune to head the teens and youth ministry since 1982 on campuses and nationally through AGAPE conference international, since 1985  

12 Major things that attract, grow and keep teens and youths in the church

• 1. Understand what makes youths and teens tick. 
• 2. Believe it is better to train the young than to repair men.
• 3. Psychologist say 50% of what a man will be in life, in terms of personality and habits, is formed in the first 5 years, by the time he is 12 years, 75% of his personality is formed. The remaining 25%is due to influence of the society. Unfortunately, the church still sees them as the church of the future and does nothing about the young boys and girls. 
• 3. Recruit qualified Teen and Youth Pastors and invest in developing leadership capacity. Skillful teens and youth counselors that are able to understand teens and youths, can communicate with them and have a working knowledge of the scriptures.
• 4. Organize outreach programs around their identified felt needs. Most of their questions and interest, revolve around academics, love, sex, marriage, relationship, friendship, courtship, fashion and approval. We organized teens' outreach programs recently that gathered 500 teens in our church auditorium, it featured plenty of music and choreography. Topics of ministrant were centered on "career choice for the top, "what's the big deal about sex?" About 80 teens surrendered their lives to Christ.

5. Stimulate their intellectual capacities in their programming. Stimulate their interest. By widening/broadening their mental horizons.

6. Provide opportunities for social contacts that develop the teens. Empower them for leadership roles, involve them in planning their own programs.

7. Keep the channels of communication open. Let the teens be able to confide in you their leaders.

8. Command the teens by counsel. A teenager can be guided even when he cannot be governed, he can be directed even when he cannot be driven. 

9. Organize the teens and youths into departments. This take care of their natural societal tendency to form gangs and cliques.

10. Let them know not only in words, that the Church is concern about themThe teens and youths know that the church are concerned about them and their problems and that they are available for help at all times.

11. Build Relativity. The Teen’s department or teens church is relevant to the teens:  

• Another should be culturally relevant gospel. 
• There should be teens oriented alternative worship and musical creativity. 

     Provide interactive learning through role play, group work, discussion, drama, hypothesizing, project work, problem-solving, information technology circle conversation, buzz groups questions and answer sessions e.t.c.

12. Help Teens discover their spiritual gifts. Give them a spiritual test to discover their gifts. Challenge them to discover their S.H.A.P.E shape refers to spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality and experiences.