When I moved to WCC I was 36 years old. There was a solid group of folks around 50 years of age who said to me, "We have led the church for a long time. We will attend, we will participate, we will give, but find some young people to take leadership. Every church needs young people."
Well, I think we did this. We found many young people and they got involved in the church. Now a funny thing has happened. All of those young people are older! I turned 50 this year!
When a church forgets to reach young people, when a church loses the generation 22-35, the future is bleak. The landscape is littered with churches that are populated with older folks. There are churches where I would be considered one of the young folks. Death awaits such places. The future is predictable.
Everyone is always worried about young people 18-22. But I know this now, they are in college, they are testing their wings, they are doing other things. Not that we should forget them, but they usually don't think about coming back to church until later. When young people enter their mid 20's to early 30's they are getting jobs, getting married, having kids, and returning to church.
These are the folks that we must be sure to connect with. Not simply to welcome them, but we need to nurture them, support them and give them authority. A successful future for us is not a bunch of 50 year olds running a church that welcomes young people. A successful future for us looks like lots of older folks supporting a church that is led by exceptional young people.
Now, I love all of you and we are all important, but I hope you understand, if we don't win and deploy the younger folks, our church will be gray in 20 years and dead in 40 years. Those of us who are no longer "young folks" need to understand what our future looks like without a solid core of young people involved at WCC.
If you are reading this blog and are age 23-35 and are interested in getting more involved in the church, I would like to hear from you. My generation will attend, will participate and will give. We want to launch you into your future. We want the church to be successful, years after we are gone. Send me an email and lets have a cup of coffee.
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
2 comments:
Again, here I am commenting to your blog. Maybe it's time for a new hobby. Maybe this is a sort-of hobby.
I want to help my age group find Jesus. I want to help anyone find Jesus, but my ears and my heart have perked up every time I have ever heard or read the slightest mention from you about my age group. I can tell it's something that has been in your prayers and on your mind for years.
When I first heard you talk about attracting people my age to Woods Chapel, I felt something like "this is good" in my head. It wasn't because I thought we were gonna receive special attention because of our age -- like we were some kind of commodity. It wasn't because I wanted the church to attract more people my age so I could make friends. It just registered to me that this was a good mission to have.
Ever since God called me to the ministry, it has been a wait-and-see game for me. There aren't a lot of open doors. So I study and I meditate and I pray and I wait for God to show me what to do.
There is just something about Woods Chapel and your heart for my age group and my own experiences that seem to converge. And I take that as a sign from God. I know the church has been trying to reach all age groups long before I ever came along. Obviously, I don't presume to think I have the answers. I don't. I just have a heart for this, and I know that is God's doing -- not mine.
You probably have already gathered this much about me. But I am writing this comment in order to be explicit. I want to figure out what the church needs from me in this area and how I can serve. Is it all about figuring something out on my own and presenting it to the Dream Team? Or is there some collaborative process already going on?
I have learned that ministry is not about me. So I tend to keep my mouth shut about the fact that I am literally STARVING for an opportunity to be deployed in ministry. Not long ago, I thought my going into ministry was a favor to God. Little did I know. Now I feel selfish for thinking I even deserve an opportunity to serve in ministry.
I appreciate your interest in young adults (or whatever we are), and I would appreciate being able to help in any way the church works in this area in the future.
This is a fun post to come back and read. Thanks for planting a seed, and giving it room to grow. At least, that's how I would articulate what you've done with young adults in our church.
No matter what happens, I have this strong sense that we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves. And that makes me know we will get through everything as a family. I believe in this family, and I laugh to think about how lavishly God has blessed us.
Among these people, I have no fear.
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