What makes an activity and time more valuable?

At our [town pastors’] weekly morning coffee the discussion turned to youth ministry and how difficult it was to get any significant youth attendance at weeknight (or even weekend) programs. The primary reason was all of the school extra-curricular activities and sports that goes on. There was lament that the youth weren’t nearly as passionate about Christ (meaning they didn’t prioritize attendance at church programs) as they were about basketball or drama.

The a priori assumption of this discussion was that church activities are more valuable than “secular” ones, such as those provided by the public schools. Is this assumption correct? Is time spent in church and church programs more valuable than time spent in non-church activities? Is religious instruction and socialization with predominantly church people more valuable than enjoying activities that utilize one’s skills and interests, and which involves socialization and interaction with non-church people? Is it proper to divide activities and time between what is sacred/holy and secular/profane, between what is clean – ritually pure – and unclean – ritually impure – (using the Old Testament Levitical terms)? I wonder…

Was Jesus’ attendance at the wedding in Cana a secular or sacred activity? Matthew’s banquet, which Jesus attended, and was for primarily for non-synagogue folks, was that secular or sacred? Jesus seemed to attract negative comments from “church” leaders for spending too much time outside “church” sanctioned activities…

I know there are good reasons to bring church youth together. It can be a time of encouragement. It can be a time to be reminded what it means to follow Christ. It can be a time that is more free (notice I don’t say completely free) from the bad influences of the world. There is value, but does this make organized youth church programs more valuable than other activities?

I think youth programs make it easier for churches and church leaders to work with youth since they are all together in one place at one time. But would youth ministry be any less if, rather than programs, we simply took the time to listen and be involved in the things the youth already are?