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Alright, this new young adult service thing we're doing seemed to be an interesting topic to a couple of you, so I figured I might as well write a blog or two as we get ready to kick it off.
First, let me give you my theory on The Problem. Now, you have to understand that I'm writing this blog and pursuing this ministry based the specific young adults of the Lufkin/Nacogdoches area. (We all know what happens when a church tries to cookie-cutter something that worked in College Station or San Diego or Nashville or D.C.) It should also be mentioned that I'm just a dude who's trying something that may totally fail.
If you'll allow me, I'd like to reference my favorite TV series and one of the greatest dramas to ever be produced on television, The West Wing. I've just started watching through Season 4 and that particular season actually has quite a significance to what I'm doing with "the Remnant."
In Season 4, President Bartlett is running against a governor from Florida. This governor is everything that the President is not - conservative, Republican and an idiot. When the Governor first began the election, the whole White House thought the election was a shoe-in, but they're currently finding that "Governor Ritchie" is actually making tremendous strides with his regular-guy-I'm-doing-my-best campaign.
I'm kinda' like Governor Ritchie. I know very little about young adult ministry, but I'm a regular guy and I'm doing my best and strangely, folks seem to be supporting me. (Go figure.)
On to The Problem.
Like every church in Lufkin, mine is struggling with ministry to folks in the 18-30 age group. It's no wonder - that particular age group comprises college students, college grads, singles in careers, married couples, married couples with children and those already divorced.
With college students, the problem is pretty obvious. The majority of those folks attending college IN Lufkin live at home or at least in close connection with their parents still. This changes church - these students don't need a "service," because they almost always attending church with, or at the urging of, their parents. So creating a seperate ministry option often flops. It would be different if they were 200 miles from home, where they could actually choose their worship option. Many of them can't, or don't.
For those outside of college, the problem is really one of options. Let's face it - many churches don't even have ONE good ministry opportunity for young adults, let alone multiple options for the various groups.
The third, and more general, problem is entirely cultural. These "millenials" or "gen z" or whatever-they're-called-these-days don't generally want a pastor. Those of you who follow church ministry at all know that the pastor role is quickly vanishing. And I can attest to this because I see this in my own life. Folks in the 18-30 aren't typically for someone who's going to come visit them in the hospital if they get sick or call them on their birthday or actively engage in ministering to them in their specific problem. I'm not saying this is right - I'm just saying this IS. Most folks in this group have either extended networks of friends or co-workers who operate in this community-support aspect. Because of that, the 18-30s tend to look at church as more of a give-me-the-stuff-i-need-and-i'll-see-you-next-week mentality.
So the problem is that you've got a culture that really actually needs some Biblical pastoring but would rather value powerful presentation and living in a local-family system that doesn't emphasize the need for much ownership of spiritual discipline.
That, in my opinion, is the Problem. How the Remnant fits in? We'll save that for the next time...
First, let me give you my theory on The Problem. Now, you have to understand that I'm writing this blog and pursuing this ministry based the specific young adults of the Lufkin/Nacogdoches area. (We all know what happens when a church tries to cookie-cutter something that worked in College Station or San Diego or Nashville or D.C.) It should also be mentioned that I'm just a dude who's trying something that may totally fail.
If you'll allow me, I'd like to reference my favorite TV series and one of the greatest dramas to ever be produced on television, The West Wing. I've just started watching through Season 4 and that particular season actually has quite a significance to what I'm doing with "the Remnant."
In Season 4, President Bartlett is running against a governor from Florida. This governor is everything that the President is not - conservative, Republican and an idiot. When the Governor first began the election, the whole White House thought the election was a shoe-in, but they're currently finding that "Governor Ritchie" is actually making tremendous strides with his regular-guy-I'm-doing-my-best campaign.
I'm kinda' like Governor Ritchie. I know very little about young adult ministry, but I'm a regular guy and I'm doing my best and strangely, folks seem to be supporting me. (Go figure.)
On to The Problem.
Like every church in Lufkin, mine is struggling with ministry to folks in the 18-30 age group. It's no wonder - that particular age group comprises college students, college grads, singles in careers, married couples, married couples with children and those already divorced.
With college students, the problem is pretty obvious. The majority of those folks attending college IN Lufkin live at home or at least in close connection with their parents still. This changes church - these students don't need a "service," because they almost always attending church with, or at the urging of, their parents. So creating a seperate ministry option often flops. It would be different if they were 200 miles from home, where they could actually choose their worship option. Many of them can't, or don't.
For those outside of college, the problem is really one of options. Let's face it - many churches don't even have ONE good ministry opportunity for young adults, let alone multiple options for the various groups.
The third, and more general, problem is entirely cultural. These "millenials" or "gen z" or whatever-they're-called-these-days don't generally want a pastor. Those of you who follow church ministry at all know that the pastor role is quickly vanishing. And I can attest to this because I see this in my own life. Folks in the 18-30 aren't typically for someone who's going to come visit them in the hospital if they get sick or call them on their birthday or actively engage in ministering to them in their specific problem. I'm not saying this is right - I'm just saying this IS. Most folks in this group have either extended networks of friends or co-workers who operate in this community-support aspect. Because of that, the 18-30s tend to look at church as more of a give-me-the-stuff-i-need-and-i'll-see-you-next-week mentality.
So the problem is that you've got a culture that really actually needs some Biblical pastoring but would rather value powerful presentation and living in a local-family system that doesn't emphasize the need for much ownership of spiritual discipline.
That, in my opinion, is the Problem. How the Remnant fits in? We'll save that for the next time...
4 comments:
I think a great topic before addressing how the Remnant fits in would be to describe how the Church is currently failing to address the problem; i.e. is it failing to acknowledge it, or is it addressing the issue but approaching it ineffectively?
From my limited experience I've noticed that ministries often fail because of the approach.
Josh Patterson used a quote by H. Richard Niebuhr in his sermon this weekend: "Great Christian revolutions come not by the discovery of something that has never been known before. They happen when someone believes radically in something that has always been there."
What do you think?
I think most churches probably struggle the most with approach. I know that in East Texas, the biggest problem is that churches A) Don't have anybody who's willing to invest time thinking/praying/working for young adults AND B) Have a tendency to reject any type of ministry that looks anything unlike the ministries they already have.
I too think they reject ministries that don't conform, but they often do it passively (though lack of spiritual, financial and physical support).
I think the bigger problem is that the Church (particularly in East Texas) tends to over emphasize the elderly and youth with disregard to the "working class" of the Church.
I think the vitality of a church can be measured by the activity and attendance of the 20-35 year old male -- a rarity in many churches but seemingly in abundance in thriving, spirit filled churches.
Oh man, this problem is way bigger than (our approach) or even (East Texas). This problem has been around since time was born. Peter wrote his words to a people who were Christians but were wrapped up in the commonality of their culture. As if to say, "live this same life... just live it differently than you used to, and as everyone else does."
I used to think that the answer was that if only the church would recognize their inefficient ministry to college students that the problem would correct itself. As if by somehow channeling funds to the college department you'll bring in 100s of young adults. Since when is a church deemed successful if they have dozens of young adults attending?
Compartmentalization in our churches is killing our churches. Listen, I'm a Youth Minister who hates the fact that because I'm a Youth Pastor I can not (on the whole) have the same influence on Senior Adults as I do 7th graders. I'm not the guy who is saying do away with all graded divisions in the church... However, don't we all want to be a part of a church which makes no distinctions in importance depending on your age?
To put too much emphasis on any age group in the church can be disastrous to the overall body. And speaking of bodies, I want a body with all parts, not a body with small legs, no toes, and one massive right arm!
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