Bob's Blog

CE National is hosting its second annual CELS event. CELS is CE Nationals' leadership seminar that is geared towards youth pastors who are looking to connect with other young leaders across the country. I attended last years CELS and came away with a ton of great thoughts and free goodies (like a sweet TNI sweatshirt that I'm sure I'll need to take for this trip). I'll be there again for this year's seminars and look forward to reconnecting with good friends.

One of the reasons I enjoy the event is that it helps me to see the future direction of college-age people. Although CELS deals mostly with junior high and high school ministries, most of us who work with college-age recognize that this age group is still developing as late adolescence (Arnett). There are some studies that see late adolescence reaching into mid-twenties (Time, 1/24/05). Whether you agree with this observation or not, I still get the chance to hear and see what today's youth workers see as the main issues facing young people. My own belief is that youth ministries should and will expand its definition to include college-age (18-23).

If you would like to come and join us for this two day event, you can contact CE National office for all your registration information. If you register in time you might even get a room at the Philemon Center. I hear they have a hot tub and a refrigerator that is always full of snacks.

Every so often, I like to check out what other churches are doing, so I browse their web pages clicking on icons that take me deeper into their community. Some churches are very creative in how they set up their web page. I like it when I search a church, click onto its page, and come to a blank screen that reads "downloading." Within a few seconds a scene bursts open onto the screen. It could be an artistic scroll that unfolds into a postmodern symbol or an ocean scene with a family walking on the beach (you see a lot of those from California churches). The icon tabs are discreet and easily identified with a variety of church ministries.

Usually, I go to the ministry section to see how they serve their community. Some pages are more elaborate than others but all give the basic information that would help anyone who is looking for a church that might connect to them. For a younger generation a "post-mod" web page can generate a curiosity to explore more about your church. Even a staff page can be a reason for them to consider attending your church (you know...an "urbanish" black and white pic with a young staff and an older pastor with the shaved head). Most young people will look for a couple of things while searching your web page and they all have to do with social networking. Connecting with others, especially with their own age group, isn't anything new but how a younger group of people connect includes the Internet. Here are a few ways that churches are trying to reach this generation through their church web site.

• Video or video chat
• Web-based small groups
• Blogs
• Social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter)
• E-invites or E-vites
• E-newsletters
• Satellite (multi-sited churches)
• podcasts
• mp3
• Webinars

ED Stetzer's "Lost and Found"

While some of these ways of reaching young people will decrease the Internet as a tool to connect and communicate with twentysomethings is a part of everyday life for them. So, how is your church seeking ways to be a part of their world through the one place they all gather as a generation?