MANY young people today would not enter a church, the final session of this year's Methodist Conference was told on Saturday.
As a result, the church was having to move its ministry out into neutral environments in order to provide pastoral care, the Rev David Neilands told delegates.
As General Secretary of the Methodist Department of Youth and Children's Work, he told the conference in Bangor, Co Down, of the decline in attendance at Sunday schools and the uniformed organisations.
Other areas, such as youth clubs, were drawing greater numbers than a generation ago, said Mr Neilands.
"There are areas of decline and it has been a slow, gradual decline," he added.
"We have to be realistic about that, but also, we have not to lose our vision about the possibilities which lie before us as we work with young people and children."
Youth workers not only forged close relationships with children but also reached out to the family circle, he said.
"In a society where church is becoming a minority interest let us value the context which our youth work establishes with the wider community" Mr Neilands said.
Many churches established neutral buildings, such as drop in centres, in the hope of attracting the young, who normally shied away from church influence, he pointed out.
"Many of today's generation will not come into church," he said.
"This young generation is under tremendous pressure and there is tremendous need for pastoral care."
The Rev David Mullan, who ministers in Portadown, appealed for patience from young people.
"We want a moving along but we can only move at a certain speed and as long as they understand that and have that little bit of patience with us, we will get there."
The Methodist President, the Rev Kenneth Best, was later presented with a petition, signed by 600 young people from throughout Ireland, calling for openness within the church.
It read "As young people belonging to the Methodist Church we want to urge the leaders and people of our church to look forward to the new millennium with an openness to change, a willingness to embrace new ideas in all parts of church life and a commitment to listening to God's voice as, He challenges the church to minister to this and future generations."
Closing the conference, the British Methodist President, the Rev Brian Hoare, who had chaired the four day sitting, prayed for the success of the multi party political talks on Northern Ireland's future and the work of the Forum.