Bob's Blog

There was a time when churches believed the way to keep and reach young people was through events. The more spectacular and creative the event, the better your chances of keeping the next generation of church attenders. For a time, this was the norm for most churches in America and for most youth groups. Not that Bible studies or other programs were not important but if you couldn't draw them in, then how could you ever think you'll be able to keep them in church?

Those days are gone and we now see that "event-driven" youth groups were not the answer. Today, youth groups are moving more towards depth. Depth does not only mean digging deeper into the Bible but going deeper in your growth as a disciple. Depth for young people includes the whole person, or as Ed Stetzer puts it in his book, Lost And Found,"Depth is about the level of content. It's about engaging people at every level-emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, and even physically." This generation isn't looking for easy answers but wants to know if God is there with them as they wrestle with the tough issues of life. Real depth of disciplesip equals godly transformation.

So what does that look like for youth directors, Sunday school teachers, college-age leaders, and pastors of churches? Here are a few insights to help guide you.

• Teach the entire Bible, even the difficult sections.
• Foster discussion in Bible study and teaching.
• Address tough topics and and answer difficult questions.
• Do not be afraid of saying,"I don't know."
• Empower everyone to look for answers.
• Place a priority on Scripture memorization.
• Sing theologically sound music.
• Promote life application to Scripture.
• Establish climates of honesty and openness.
• Encourage examination.
• Pray.

Lost And Found:The Younger Unchurched and The Churches That Reach Them

A few years back, I returned home to California to find that many things had changed since I last lived here. I grew up in a very diverse neighborhood of European, Latino, and Asian descent. Today, that same neighborhood is predominately Mexican with a variety of other Spanish speaking cultures mixed into the area. Some of these groups are immigrants or families of immigrants. There are many that are third generation (like me) and might speak only English (again, like me). The range of of education varies from those holding post graduate degrees to a few classes taken in high school. With the prediction that California will be a Latino majority by the year 2030, there are many wondering what impact this huge economic and culturally powerful state will have on our country.

My thoughts lean towards another direction. I wonder what the Church in California will look like and what its influence will be on our nation. A book I am reading by Ed Stetzer, Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches That Reach Them, has researched and surveyed nearly 800 young people across America, some of them being Latinos. Though, not an in depth look into the Latino culture (13 percent that were surveyed were of Latino descent), this book is one of a very small study of how unchurched Latinos, especially those in their twenties, think about Christianity. The findings might surprise you. I know it did for me.

• 84% of Latinos believe that God is real.
• There was the belief of 69% of Latinos that there is only one God and He is found in the Bible.
• 70% believe that Jesus died and came back to life.
• 85% believe that Jesus makes a positive impact on a persons life.

Those are pretty encouraging numbers but there is another side to the research. Dan Kimball's book, They Like Jesus But Not the Church, is very true. While most Latinos are very positive on God, they are not so with Christans. Around 40% say they do not believe their lifestyle would be accepted by the Church. A whopping 69% believe that churches are full of hypocrites. An incredible 89% believe they can live a good relationship with God without being involved in a local church. Finally, a finding that really broke my heart, only 7% believed that you could find out what it means to be a Christian at a church.

What does this all mean? With an increasing population of Latinos moving into the Southwest, we need to see that young unchurched Latinos are open to hearing the Good News (about 89% of all unchurched young people are open to hearing about Jesus). How we share Christ to this younger generation rests on how we as the Church live out our faith. They see the beauty, reality, and truth of Jesus but haven't connected our Lord to the Church.

Ever so often, I like to pass along books, journals, or resources that I think would be of help to churches in ministering to the Millennial generation. Here are some "reads" that I think you'll enjoy.

The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World.
One of my favorite books discussing the virtues of Jesus in today's shifting culture. With contributors like John Piper, D.A. Carson, Mark Driscoll, and Tim Keller how can you go wrong.

Vintage Jesus.
Mark Driscoll's excellent book on bringing Jesus to the post-Christian generation is one of the best. He's a proven communicator with the iGen crowd and does not back away from straight orthodoxy. A must have for those that are teaching young people.

Lost and Found and Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age.
Both of theses works are from Ed Stetzer, author and director of LifeWay Research, and are packed with keen research and insights into the Millennial generation. Lost and Found deals with reaching the unchurched young of America. Planting New Churches centers on developing churches that will take us into the 21st century.

Leadership Journal:Summer 2009.
One of the best journals dealing with the peaks and valleys of the iGen nation. Some very challenging and thought provoking articles that engages the Church to redefine their ministry approach to this generation.

A recent book shared its research on reasons why young people (ages 17-22) leave the church. The age range is significant because of the numbers of young Christians who leave during these years. The dropout rate for 17 to 18 year old is -24% and for ages 18 to 19 it is -29%. These findings have been circulated in other books, articles, and blog posts that cover the "dechurching" of young Christians in America. Here are the Top Ten Reasons Church Dropouts Stopped Attending Church:

1. Simply wanted a break from church.
2. Church members seemed judgmental or hypocritical.
3. Moved to college and stopped attending church.
4. Work responsibilities prevented me from attending.
5. Moved to far way from the church to continue attending.
6. Became too busy, though still wanted to attend.
7. Didn't feel connected to the people in my church.
8. Disagreed with the church's stance on political or social issues.
9. Chose to spend more time with friends outside of church.
10. Was only going to church to please others.

The same research asked the question why young people stay in the church? The results were very encouraging and insightful for churches that were struggling with their own exodus of young believers. Here are some of those reasons.

1. Strong relationships with peers, older adults, and pastor.
2. Church is seen as a vital part of their relationship with God (65%).
3. Committed to the purpose and the work of the church (42%).

Another important discovery was finding the reasons why those who had left the church, then returned back to either the church they grew up in or to another body of believers. The number one reason was because of relationships. Most returned because their parents or another family member encouraged them (39%). Another group returned because of a friend or an acquaintance invited them (21%). Another factor was their relationship with God. Either they felt God was calling them back (28%) or the sensed the need to return to the church.

Research and surveys can be found in Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts.