A year ago I walked into our church’s young adult ministry and found less then ten people meeting on a regular basis. We’re a church of thousands. And there were 10. On a good day. Around 15 years ago, our young adult ministry was thriving. From what I can piece together, between the congregation aging and some heavy turnover with leadership of the program, it simply faded. Sound familiar?
Read MoreHow is the American Dream doing these days?
Among millennials, the results are interesting.
MSN reports that a study produced by Bank of the West found, “...Millennials (18-36) still view the American Dream as owning a home, paying off debt, and someday retiring from a fulfilling career. However, they've amended it a bit to include travel and pursuing their passions and living abroad. It's an American Dream that doesn't all take place in the U.S., and it requires significant capital to back up.”
Read MoreI joined a gym called “CrossFit” a few years ago. Maybe you’ve heard of it. In 2005, there were 15 locations. By 2015, there were over 10,000. It got so popular that you could start a “box” (lingo for “gym”) in your garage and people would sign up. I literally have friends who paid $100+ a month to go workout in someone’s garage.
Read MoreYour website might as well be the front door of your church when it comes to millennials. And if your website is outdated or unhelpful, you are telling a generation of people “this church isn’t for you.” So here’s a few tips of things to look for:
Read MoreGeneration Z-ers have grown up connected to the internet, and technology is a constant in their lives. Leonid Bershidsky of the Bloomberg View reports that Z-ers “multi-task across five screens: TV, phone, laptop, desktop and either a tablet or some handheld gaming device, spending 41 percent of their time outside of school with computers of some kind or another.”
Read MoreIt isn’t news to report that millennials are leaving organized religion in significant numbers. Church leaders are right to be concerned. A decrease in church participation will not only have implications for congregations but for the social fabric as a whole.
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