As I sat in Bible study, I found myself feeling a bit guilty (even though I had shown up). A few of the women had really tried to get a younger crowd into Bible study. They'd even arranged babysitters to be at the church. And I've noticed we also don't have very many younger people who attend church on Sundays (and, by younger, I basically mean ages 15 - 45, give or take a few years... I myself fall within this group).
So today, as I was watering my in-laws garden, I sat on their porch with a notebook, trying to come up with ideas on how to appeal to that younger crowd. I pulled out my reading from Bible study. I looked at my scribbled notes.
"Don't have enough generations involved in the church"
"What's needed?! What's lacking?!"
"Why so many 'Spiritual but not Religious'?"
"What does younger crowd want?"
My brain just kept spinning. I had been one of those "Spiritual but not Religious" up until recently. Why? Where had the church failed me? Had it? Well, it had. And it still does although I do try to give it chances.
I was about to give up, when my eyes suddenly caught sight of a line in the lesson. The lesson was discussing when Jesus sent his disciples out in Luke 9 (and also in Mark 6, and I think in Matthew as well...). The paragraph read:
"In all three versions of the story we've looked at in this study, we see that Jesus doesn't spend any time on the disciples' fears or protests or smart-aleck remarks about tons of bread. He simple says, 'Show me what you have'." (gather Magazine, August 2013)
Show me what you have.
That's the secret right there. Show me what you have.
I spent many years in marketing, and also did some staff trainings. And in both arenas, I learned that to successfully get people to do your bidding, you have to be able to appeal to that question inside them "What's in it for me." And, in my trying to figure out how to bring my age group into the church, I was using that same thought process. But, the problem is, we already know what's in it for us when it comes to church.
Nothing.
In our minds, the church has nothing to offer us. Harsh? Definitely. True? Of course not. But we tend to believe so. I thought this for years. I mean, think about it... what does a church offer?
Fellowship? Our age group would argue you can get just as good fellowship anywhere else. Church isn't needed for that. Especially when you consider that most of the people who go to church are elderly, or those who marginalize us, or those snobs with their noses in the air, or so on and so forth.
Forgiveness, prayer? Again, a church is not needed for this.
Education? Seriously? With everything available online if we really, truly want to learn about God?
Because of this, the church is simply not relevant in the minds of 15-45 year olds. And, if you really think about it... if the church was relevant and desired, they'd be seeking it out - not the other way around. The truth of the matter is, the church needs them, not the other way around. We, the church, need the different age groups and talents and ideas.
Show me what you have!
We should be asking this of these young people. We should be asking them to show us what they can offer our church. We should be telling them - we need your talent. We need you. Please show us how you can help strengthen us.
And what they have could be any multitude of things... maybe they can sing, or play piano (or other instrument), during service. Maybe they can lead a choir. Maybe they write their own music/hymns, or they write. Enjoy reading scripture aloud? Paint? Teach? Enjoy watching younger children? Perhaps they could start a craft group, or scrapbooking club, within the church. Or maybe they quilt.
There are so many different talents... we need to find out what they've got and utilize them. That's the second part of this - we cannot squash their ideas. If several of them think having a choir would be beneficial, and they want to join this choir... if the ladies who attend church every Sunday, and go to every Bible study, decide that because we've never had a choir, we shouldn't start one now... well, if we do this, we just lost all those young people... again.
If we have a few who say they think having a Bible study outside the church (a park, bar, restaurant, someone's living room, etc) would make them more willing to come - don't say "nope, we have a perfectly fine church. And we don't need to start a second Bible study." In doing so, you again have just lost those young people... again.
My age group is more than willing - we're even excited - to show you what we have to offer you. But if you shoot us down, we're going to go back to being happily "Spiritual but not religious". But if you put a little confidence in us... if you said "I know you can do this... please do it for our church"... you'd be amazed, I think, at how we do come through.
****Edit (8/18/2013)**** due to comments received in regards to this post, I have created a part two to clarify a bit better. Please also read "It's Not About Showing What They Have?"
I like what you have to say about churches asking the youth what they have to offer in the Church. I'm blessed to be a part of a local church that does that.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I will be singing and playing a song on my guitar during the worship service in a couple weeks. And the Bible study group that I'm a part of does have get-togethers outside of church.
I actually feel pretty good about the church that I belong to, and I feel like it is a blessing and an honor for me to be give to it. But I do believe there is always room for improvement in any church.
That's great, Will! I'm glad to hear you have a church where the younger generation is welcome and encouraged to participate. I am curious - does your Church also have a good gathering of elderly? I'm just asking because it seems that the few I've seen which are good with the younger crowd, fall off when it comes to the 50+.... and those with a good 50+ crowd tend to have little activity from younger.
DeleteWe definitely have a good demographic at my church. Although the Bible study group that I'm a part of is specifically for young adults, and includes people roughly from ages 18-40. I know that generation gaps can be difficult to span. But there are a lot of senior members at my church and they are often involved in leading worship a so forth.
DeleteDuring the course of this summer, our pastor went on a sabbatical with his family. The neat thing is that in his absence, the congregation heard sermons from our youth pastor, and also sermons from an elderly, retired pastor who is a member of our church.
I pray your church can be an example and inspiration to others. I believe a good demographic is important... but I also believe that within the church, there are activities intended for individual groups (as well as those for everyone). A Bible study geared towards young adults is a wonderful idea - and one I personally want to get started in our church. We have an existing Bible study, but this generally only brings in the 50+ crowd (and despite efforts, no one else wants to join). We also have a quilting club - again, older ladies.
DeleteThat's pretty special that you were able to experience different preaching/sermon styles from a variety of people within your church. I want to join your church! :)
I like the following, "We should be asking them to show us what they can offer our church. We should be telling them - we need your talent. We need you. Please show us how you can help strengthen us."
ReplyDeleteWe do need to be careful not to be a consumer organization as we are there to please God not human beings. So, there is a balance and I think the above quote from your piece strikes that balance.
Thanks for the comment William. I agree that we need to be careful about becoming a consumer organization. Too often it seems the church believes that's what is needed - it thinks it needs to sell itself to the people... thinks it needs to prove it's worth, and please the people. God doesn't need to prove His worth. His Church doesn't need to prove His worth. We just need to open the doors and allow everyone to find that worth, and to find how they can humbly show their worth to God.
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