INDIANAPOLIS—Bishop Philip R. Cousin told the Indianapolis Star during the recent African Methodist Episcopal Church convention that the church's key issues are: healthcare, poverty, education, the war in Iraq, the economy, AIDS in Africa, and appealing to youth.

"As most Protestant churches, we are in the midst of trying to recognize the situations and concerns of our young generation," said Cousin, a senior bishop of the worldwide AME Church. "We need to be able to speak to the hip-hop generation. We want to make sure there's the involvement of all age groups in the ministry of our church."

More than 30,000 church members heard the appeal to youth during the church's "Episcopal Address" to the worldwide conference.

"Sex, money, love, drama, rims and tims; these are the issues of the time," the address stated about the hip-hop movement. "The issues of this culture do not come without the questions of a wandering generation ... questions of homo- and heterosexuality, brokenheartedness, single parents, fast cash, weed and drugs must be answered."

The African-American conference represents 6,000 churches.

"Instead of the church impacting the world, too often the world impacts the church," Bishop Vinton R. Anderson said at the conference. "We have to change that."

Cousin said connecting the church to the culture is the solution. "We have to make our Christian message relevant to the times," he said.