The Glen Waverley Uniting Church PSALTERLink to > https://churchesgrowingyoung.com/ > MinistryTeamReport201702 > CouncilMinutes20170222
Growing Young Book report.
Our questions
What can churches do to become more effective with young people?
Who and where are the most innovative congregations in the country when it comes to engaging young people well?
How might we learn more about them?
So
10,000 hours.
1300 individual interviews.
40 states.
80,000 miles traveled.
Defining an effective church
Identifying outstanding churches like these began with a simple definition. In conversation with a team of nearly 30 scholars, pastors, and thought leaders, we nailed down the following description: A church that is effective with young people is one that is involving and retaining young people in the congregational community, as well as helping them develop a vibrant faith in Jesus Christ. Simply put, we now describe these as churches growing young because: They are engaging young people ages 15-29, and they are growing—spiritually, emotionally, missionally, and sometimes also numerically.
The authors outline six strategies essential to engaging young people:
In the book each strategy is fleshed out, with stories from their research and a more concise breakdown on what it might look like.
1. Unlock Keychain Leadership:
- Keychain leaders entrust others with access and authority, and empower all generations including teens and emerging adults with their own metaphorical “set of keys” to help influence and shape the direction of the church.
2. Empathise with Today’s Young People:
- This means “feeling with young people” as they grapple with existential questions of identity, belonging, and purpose; as they experience “systemic abandonment” due to divorce and the self-absorbed adults around them; and as they act out a desire for connection through social media.
3. Take Jesus’ Message Seriously:
The authors were struck by how, in the churches studied, “Jesus reigns over poor theology and his words ring true for young sojourners hungry for life-giving direction.” One young interviewee said, “The goal for our church is not really effectiveness with young people, but serving and following Jesus. And young people like me are attracted to churches that want to do that.”
4. Fuel a Warm Community:
“Warm is the new cool” in these congregations, where authenticity triumphs over worship style or a multitude of programs. Young people who participated in the research praised their churches for “warm” attributes, such as welcoming, belonging, accepting, hospitable, and caring.
5. Prioritise Young People (and Families) Everywhere:
Churches in the study revealed a disproportionate prioritisation of young people—an impulse that, rather than excluding older generations, breathed lifeinto the entire congregation. As one pastor put it, “Everyone rises when you focus on young people.” Involving young people in every ministry has allowed these churches to thrive with authenticity and intergenerational relationships.
6. Be the Best Neighbours:
- The authors found that in churches growing young, the community accepts the difficult task of offering young people a thoughtful path to neighbouring well. They provide opportunities for teens and emerging adults to serve others, pursue social justice, find their calling, interact with popularculture, and respond to heated cultural issues.
Available Recourses:
Growing Young Discussion Guide
An eight week study, looking into more detail the research & recommendations of the book.
Growing Young Assessment
- To assess where are church community sits and more specified assessments for leaders.
Free Sermon Outlines & Slide Templates
- To run a two part teaching series.
Comments:
I really believe this research and resource would work well with our vision to be an inclusive multigenerational intercultural church community. I hope that we could work together to continue to grow young and continue to be a community that is moving towards a healthy and sustainable church that is serving our local and wider community.
AlaneeHearnshaw Feb 2017.