eCrozier #37

On May 19, 2010, in mission, young adults, by bishopbenhase

What does it take for a church to be attractive to younger adults? The Alban Institute has been asking similar questions to this for decades now. Some of the answers they are discovering to that particular question should not surprise us given what we know about young adults. Alban’s first take on this question proposes three approaches churches should consider taking, by being:

  1. Flexible about membership while also honoring the importance of commitment to a community;
  2. Welcoming to young adults while also not appearing desperate when they visit on Sundays; and,
  3. Clear about the Church’s teaching and beliefs while also encouraging their questions and making room for the doubts they might have.

Clearly, such a stance toward young adults present some challenges. Just how can we do the above? The three approaches might seem in tension with one another and in some ways they are.

My hunch is that following fads or the latest gimmick to attract young adults is not the way to go. Such a response will be short-lived and young adults will recognize the lack of authenticity. My experience tells me that young adults have a pretty good radar in place when it comes to someone trying to sign them up for something or who is trying to sell them something. That means it might be wise not to try to track them into the new member class right away. Maybe invite them into a small group that is exploring the practices of our faith like prayer, the Holy Eucharist, hospitality, and service? Then invite them to begin such practices in their daily lives. Get them involved in something that does not require them to sign on the dotted line or make a long commitment. That can come later.

A stance toward young adults that is flexible, welcoming, and clear seems to produce the fruit that we are looking for.

+Scott

 
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eCrozier #09

On February 3, 2010, in mission, by bishopbenhase

I don’t know if you have followed the roll out of the new Apple iPad. I haven’t followed it all that closely. While I appreciate technology for what it can do, I am really not all that interested in the details. I guess it is akin to the old saying about not really wanting to know how laws and sausages are made. Anyway, I do find Apple’s roll out of the iPad interesting for what it might tell us about our work of evangelism. Let me explain.

For years now, the experts in evangelism have told us that we need to be more like successful businesses. We’ve been told that we need to be consumer-oriented. We need to listen to the needs of consumers and then respond to those needs, just like successful businesses do. This is what many of the mega churches have done. They do market studies, find out what potential parishioners want in the way of church (e.g., comfortable seats, good lattes, small groups for their particular life situations, etc.) and then they have crafted their programs and “worship experiences” based on those needs. And they have grown (although there is some evidence now that it is not at all sustainable).

Anyway, that is the model that was transferred from business to the church and we have bought into hook, line, and sinker. Even though we might not do any of those things in our parishes, we have come to accept the conventional wisdom that if one wants to “grow a church,” then that is the way to do it.

With the iPad Apple has not provided an answer to what people have told them in market studies. Apple has made a proposal about what people might want and what people could love, if they had it. We will have to wait and see how people will respond. Will they want it? Will they love it?

I hope our Church will be more like Apple and less like traditional, though successful businesses. Let’s get out there and make a proposal to people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s share it with them in a way that is compelling and true to our tradition. I convinced a lot of people could love Jesus the way you and I do if we worried less about the wrappings of the package or the market method of delivery and rather focused more on providing them with the basic answer to the question: “Does God love me?”

+Scott

 
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