I saw this comic being passed around Facebook, and I thought that it was worth sharing.
https://www.facebook.com/thewadebowen/photos/a.94430680887.89018.17995575887/10152919317750888/?type=1&theater
I enjoyed the comic, but please note that it is really not the “next generation” who is struggling to put down their phones.
The pervasive use of portable technology affects all of us.
Image via Wylio
Spring is here, and many churches are set to once again launch a group of seniors. Parties will be hosted. Pictures will be shown. Bibles will be distributed. Graduation banquets will be held. As someone who has led many of these events, here is my revised list of what I believe seniors should be given as they leave.
Within the church, emerging adults often wonder what the church expects from them. Use this opportunity as a rite of passage to let them know that they will be treated and respected as full-members of the community. Our banquets always included a word of encouragement from our senior pastor or pastor of adult ministries.
I want them to remember moments of God’s goodness (and not simply memories of skit nights). I want to provide times when they knew God’s presence was real. I want to provide testimonies that show His mercy was undoubtable. I want to provide times of reflection that engrave a knowledge of His goodness in their own lives.
Most of our students had never experienced how difficult it can be to make new friends at a church, and so we literally walked through the entire process of finding a new church. We changed their curriculum, roles, and experiences during their senior year to prepare them for departure.
I want my students to leave with my cell phone, and the numbers of others who will continue to care for them. I want them to know that absent does not mean forgotten. Here is one simple way to communicate your continued care (The First Two Weeks).
Our students need to know that they don’t need to abandon their faith during college in order to be “normal.” In contrast, I had several graduates whose spiritual growth exploded during their college years. We need to rewrite the metanarrative of both adolescence and emerging adult as a great time to be a follower of Christ. The church must guard the perspectives given about these phases of life.
This new swag bag is not perfect, and I am sure that you will find it lacking. What would you like to include in your senior swag bag?
All of us who work with adolescents can rejoice that as they leave, they do not go alone. The God who saw them through junior high retreats and senior high mission trips, God goes with them now.
Dr. G. David Boyd is the Founder and Director of EA Resources, a non-profit designed to encourage and equip parents and churches to minister to emerging adults. He is also the Founder of the EA Network.
http://www.pewforum.org/files/2015/05/2015RLSpromo640x320.png
New research was released this week from the Pew Research Center confirming trends that we already knew were true. In the last seven years, the percentage of adults (ages 18 and older) who describe themselves as Christians has dropped by nearly eight percent.
Millennials are leaving the church, and they are not alone as they exit. The article states, “While the drop in Christian affiliation is particularly pronounced among young adults, it is occurring among Americans of all ages.”
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/05/12/millennials-increasingly-are-driving-growth-of-nones/
Some people respond to these statistics with a shrug of shoulders, while others feel as if the sky is falling. Rather than ignoring the problem, I believe that these statistics should cause Christians to act as the men of Issachar who, “understood the times and knew what Israel should” (1 Chronicles 12:32).
EA Resources is committed to providing resources to parents and churches working with emerging adults. If you are passionate about seeing Millennials return to faith, and seeing churches equipped to change their community, join our team!
Dr. G. David Boyd is the Founder and Managing Director of EA Resources. If you would like to invite him to speak for your community, you can contact him at gdavid@earesources.org.
Millennials value Authenticity. However, what does this really mean? People have asked me about what the Millennial’s meaning of authenticity, and how their perception is different than other generations.
There is a difference.
According to Karl Moore, in an article on Forbes called, “Authenticity: The Way to the Millennial’s Heart”, he states that “We must better understand the postmodern worldview to effectively work with Millennials.”
I completely agree.
Photo courtesy of Aaron Robert Photography. Copyright 2014. www.aaronrobertphotography.com
I believe that many problems faced by the institutional church are based on the inability of modernistic leadership to lead, communicate, or attract those with a postmodern worldview. The gap between these two ways of viewing ourselves, our world, and our God have erupted into multiple problems for church unity, and the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately, many Christians believe that the Christian faith can only exist within a modern mindset, and therefore those who speak about postmodernism are enemies of God.
However, God is neither Modern nor Postmodern.
The Christian faith can flourish within both the failings of modernity and the weaknesses of postmodernity. I don’t have time to go into all these differences; however, let’s take a look at the concept of authenticity.
Modernity valued science and system. Postmodernity reveals that science is limited, and systems are always lacking.
Modernity gave us answers as reason reigned on high. Postmodernity gives us perspectives as diversity reigns.
Authenticity has always been marked by a consistency between declared beliefs and actions. It is a personal resiliency in the face of changing environments. This aspect of the word remains the same.
The difference between the authenticity of a Millennial and those of other generations is often due to scope. Millennials understand their limited perspective, and are hesitant go beyond those borders.
Photo courtesy of Aaron Robert Photography. Copyright 2014. www.aaronrobertphotography.com
Authenticity is limited to the essentials of firm personal beliefs rather than an array of causes and meanings that they are called upon to support from a church, a political party, or other clamoring institutions. Those who call Millennials to adhere to set dogma will lose them. The louder the clamor, the faster they run.
It does not mean that they are against personal beliefs, but they are reluctant from having their beliefs be institutionalized. Comprehensive theological systems are suspect, while individual freedom is applauded. When the individual makes a commitment to an institution, they feel as if they have sold your personal perspective out. (Maybe this is why church membership is declining? Source)
According to Moore, “Postmoderns want to be able to be themselves. They are not interested in playing “the game” their parents once did.” I am not a Millennial, but I remember growing up that our church used to condemn the playing of cards because they were a devise of the devil. It was part of the community’s dogma; however, our family always played with Euchre with cards. When we attended church, we were sworn to secrecy. Millennials are not interested in this lifestyle; therefore, churches should only hold on to doctrine that is essential to their identity.
True authenticity doesn’t try to build a complete theological system, but acknowledges the gaps in their perspective. It is not fearful of the holes in its worldview, and can be at rest with problems unresolved.
Millennials do not run from the truth. I believe they are ruthless searchers for truth. They are not fearful of different perspectives. They value the input of others. They feel the stories of others enrich their lives rather than threaten them.
Authenticity is holding strictly to your individual beliefs rather than following an institution and adopting theological labels (such as premil/post-trib/Calvinist).
A call to authenticity often requires us to lead with the broken, the challenging, and the lacking in our lives. Not in order to find healing or fullness, but to acknowledge the humanity within each of us. It also requires us to support the perspective of others.
What do you think about authenticity?
Dr. G. David Boyd is the Founder and Managing Director of EA Resources. He provides resources for parents, churches, and emerging adults.
https://twitter.com/wsj/status/467631829882007553
I found this chart on the Wall Street Journal, and wanted to share it with my readers. While the economy has improved over the last three years, the gap between earnings and educational debt has continued to grow.
It is more crucial than ever for…
As the church, we must seek to minister to people in various stages of life and the challenges they are facing. May God guide and empower you as you seek to care for the emerging adults in your life. If I can help, please let me know.
Dr. G. David Boyd is the Founder and Managing Director of EA Resources, a non-profit designed to encourage parents and churches as they seek to minister to emerging adults.
© 2012 moodboard, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio
On Thursday, May 7, Christian Life in Farmington, MN will be hosting a seminar for parents entitled,
“Trusting Them, Trusting God: Allowing Our Children to Grow in the Decision-making Process”
The conference will begin at 6:30 PM.
The ability to make decisions is crucial to your child’s entrance into adulthood, but many parents struggle to step back and allow their children to make choices (and sometimes fail). In this conference, we will explore the biblical basis for allowing our children to make decisions, and how to equip them to make good decisions. We will explore the difficulties they face when making decisions in today’s culture. Ultimately, this conference will encourage your heart, and call you to renewed faith in God.
This workshop is completely free. You can help us prepare by RSVPing at HMeyen@christianlifeschool.org.
Here is a link to an article on YouthWorker.com that discusses the reasons for having Rites of Passage in the church.
It is written by Stephanie Caro who is a youth worker, author, and speaker.
I am a strong believer in reintroducing Rites of Passages into the church and our families. If we are going to help emerging adults step into adulthood, then we must give them clear directions and expectations. Rites of passage are part of this process.
Dr. G. David Boyd is the Founder and Managing Director of EA Resources, a non-profit designed to provide resources to churches, families, and emerging adults.
Are college student are becoming more reckless in their spending habits? A recent article claims that their financial discipline has wanned over the last three years. (Here is the article link.)
© 2013 NCinDC, Flickr | CC-BY-ND | via Wylio
What is fueling the fire among churches to reach Millennials? Our motivation is important to consider before making decisions. If your church is seeking to minister to Millennials, take a moment to ponder these misguided motivators.
If you are looking to build your budget this way, you probably would have better luck winning the lottery. While some emerging adults are actively giving to their communities, many emerging adults are struggling financially, and are not at a stage of life to make large contributions to their community. Even among Christians who tithe, many emerging adults don’t believe that this concept is limited to local church giving, but have the freedom to give anywhere to further the Kingdom of God. Regardless, money should not be a motivating fact when considering to whom God has called us to serve (James 2)
© 2008 Richard foster, Flickr | CC-BY-SA | via Wylio
Image is everything, and sometimes we target young couples to make ourselves appear fresh and vibrant. Many churches fill their websites with pictures of hip young professionals and young families (Like this one to the left!). Judging people and showing favoritism based upon the individual’s age (also called ageism) is wrong.
The future of the church is not at stake. It is God’s church, and He has always reserved a remnant of his people unto Himself (Romans 11:4). If you have the attitude that the “sky is falling” in regards to Millennials and the future of the church, they will not come, but flee.
© 2012 Mike Mozart, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio
Aside from the popular perception that youth workers only drink Mountain Dew while playing video games, many youth workers have zero to little margin in their work or private lives. While this isn’t usually a reason why churches start an emerging adult ministry, youth workers are often the first person expected to lead this ministry. Here are some reasons why I disagree.
Parents of emerging adults are struggling, and we should be providing encouragement (This is why EA Resources exists!); however, don’t allow your vision to be formed from discontent voices. Just because an elder or core family is struggling is not sufficient to sustain a healthy ministry especially if that ministry is only to provide something for their “age group.” It is important for churches to understand human development, and determine their vision for young adults. (Here are some questions to guide your community to form a vision.)
While few churches would profess to these sources of motivation, the potential for these unhealthy motivators exists within EVERY church.
If these motivators remain unbridled, then your ministry has a rough road ahead. Remind your team regularly why Emerging Adults are important to the church, and why you are doing this work.
Here are some proper sources of motivation:
© 2007 Atli Harðarson, Flickr | CC-BY-ND | via Wylio
Emerging adults are not attending our community, but God has called us to love them. Let us go out and seek after those who have left the church, and try to understand why they have left. Let us seek a humble heart, and ask God how He can use us to bring them back.
Emerging adults are members of our community, and so we need to seek to minister to them. They are sticking around, and you are not sure what to do about it. Rather than just start an extension of youth group or pushing them to serve in youth ministry, the church needs to determine what do we expect of them, and how can we help them fully mature. (Click Here to Read How you can Start!)
We need them as much as they need us. (Read More – The Disfigured body of Christ)
Dr. G. David Boyd is the Founder and Managing Director of EA Resources. He has a passion to equip parents and churches to understand the emerging adults in their lives. If he can help you or your community, contact him at gdavid@earesources.org.
Photo Courtesy of Aaron Robert Photography. Copyright 2014. www.aaronrobertphotography.com
One of the first obstacles to overcome when a community desires to minister to emerging adults is the question of leadership. As already overwhelmed staff and volunteers exchanged fearful glances around the table, this question of responsibility often keeps church communities from moving ahead. Continue reading
