Losing A Generation

Last night we wrapped up a little experiment we called Hanging Out.  It was a 6 week young adult ministry where we looked to taking the next generation from adolescence to adulthood.  While there is a lot to learn we were able to get a lot of the experience.  We found students that we had not seen since high school return and a few young adults who had never been connected.  Now we’re taking the time to evaluate how to move forward.

Courtesy of Pink Sherbet Photography/Creative Commons License

As a youth minister you might feel that you are done with the next generation as soon as they graduate high school.  While your job description might agree with that assessment the reality is that you are called to help the next generation move from adolescence to adulthood.  While there is no perfect program you need to approach the situation by:

• Working Against The Problem: The only way to work against losing a generation is by building a forward thinking youth ministry.  That means teaching your teens habits so that they can grow on their own.  It means teaching them how to connect in Christ-like relationships.  It means showing them how to invest in the local church.  

• Acknowledging Their Presence: Creating a ministry that serves the next generation is ideal; however, there are small steps you can take if you are short on resources.  To acknowledge their presence make young adults in your church a topic of discussion.  Have the pastor address them in his messages. Invite them to join small groups, ministry and mission opportunities in your church.  Let them know that you know that they are there. 

• Connecting Them To An Older Generation: The journey from adolescence to adulthood can be a very confusing season in a person’s life.  By connecting young adults to an older generation you equip them with people who will invest in their future.  This can be done in intergenerational small groups where different generations are feeding into one another.  You can also partner up young adults with men and women who have wisdom to share.

Build a strong student ministry and prepare your teens for the future.  Create a culture of intergenerational ministry in your church and you’ll pick up young adults walking into church for the first time.  Bridge the gap by starting the conversation and make it a church wide effort.

How are you connecting with young adults in your church?