Many people have asked me to identify and list the important resources available to church leaders, youth workers, and parents about the crisis of kids leaving the church following high school and what to do about it. So, I have complied the following list of must read books (no priority order; other than the newest 2 books are listed first.) I personally do not endorse or agree with everything in these books – so please be discerning and read them with a spirit of honest evaluation. But, do not be a critic either. We can all learn some very valuable lessons from the research and the viewpoints of these writers.
Start reading!
1. Sticky Faith: Everyday ideas to build lasting faith in your kids by Kara Powell and Chap Clark. Published by Zondervan, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-310-32932-9
2. You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church… and Rethinking Faith by David Kinnamen. Published by Baker Books, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-8010-1314-0
3. Almost Christian: What the Faith of our Teenagers is Telling the American Church by Kenda Creasy Dean. Published by Oxford, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-19-531484-7
4. The Next Christians: How a New Generation is Restoring the Faith by Gabe Lyons. Published by Doubleday, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-385-52984-6
5. Together: Adults and Teenagers Transforming the Church by Jeff Baxter. Published by Zondervan, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-310-57874-1
6. The Greenhouse Project: Cultivating Students of Influence by Mike Calhoun & Mel Walker. Published by Word of Life, 2009. ISBN: 978-1-935475-00-2
7. Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches that Reach Them by Ed Stetzer, Richie Stanley and Jason Hayes. Published by B&H Publishing, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-8054-4878-8
8. Already Gone: Why your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can do to Stop It by Ken Ham & Britt Beemer. Published by Master Books, 2009. ISBN: 978-9-89051-529-7
9. reThink: Decide for Yourself – Is Student Ministry Working? by Steve Wright and Chris Graves. Published by InQuest Publishing, 2008. ISBN: 978-1-931548-69-4
10. Essential Church? Reclaiming a Generation of Dropouts by Thom Rainer & Sam Rainer III. Published by B&H Publishing Group, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-8054-4392-9
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
WAYS YOUR YOUTH GROUP CAN MINISTER TO SENIOR CITIZENS
“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers
in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
1 Timothy 4:12
In my last post I wrote about how the senior citizens can minister to youth. So, in the mode of “turn about is fair play”, here are some basic ideas for your church’s teenagers to put into practice in trying to minister to the “senior saints”.
1. Pray for them.
It starts here. Motivate your group to pray for your church’s older adults – by name! You can probably obtain a list from the church office or from the senior citizens Sunday School teacher. You’ll probably need to remember that some of the key seniors may be “shut-ins” and unable to attend church very often. Don’t forget these people should be the “heroes” in your church. They’ve earned your respect for their many, many years of living for the Lord. So, pray for them specifically and let them know that the teenagers are praying for them.
2. Honor them.
I’ve talked to several senior citizens recently and they feel somewhat “left out to pasture” or marginalized by the church. This ought not to be. They deserve honor – and it will be highly appreciated if your church’s teenagers demonstrate their respect for these older adults. I know several youth groups that host dinners or other times of fellowship for seniors – and that is a great place to start. Let them know they are loved and respected by the emerging generations!
3. Ask them.
This is a simple idea, but it can be powerfully important. Give them a voice in the church. Your teenagers need to hear from them and need to hear their advice and counsel. There’s one especially potent way that you can pull this off. Ask some of your church’s Godly senior citizens to share their story or their testimony with the youth. A few years ago, I asked one of the oldest men in our church (a World War II vet) to share his story with our youth group. He was a decorated war hero and yet he was scared to death by our teenagers. But, when he started telling his testimony, the kids were spellbound. You literally could have heard a pin drop in the room. This simple testimony helped our group connect with he and his wife and strong relationships developed out of this brief time together. It only makes sense to ask some of your church’s Godly and respected senior citizens to share their story with your youth group.
4. Use them.
I am convinced that you could recruit some of these senior citizens to be youth leaders. Of course, they will all say, “I’m too old.” No, the fact is – people get too old to play tackle football, but they never get too old to minister to young people. I understand that in many cases it might not work for them to be full-fledged youth workers, but they can and should be involved. Ideas abound from helping with mailings and paperwork, to organizing them into an intentional prayer-warrior team. The point is that these committed older saints can and should be involved. Plus, it will help them feel useful and needed. (Another key idea: recruit them for work projects alongside teenagers. The mentoring effect will be incredible.)
5. Help them.
Here one last way to minister to the senior citizens in your church. Offer to help them. Your group can help rake leaves, shovel snow, drive them to errands, pick up groceries for them, offer valet parking for them at church, and on-and-on. You will be amazed at how the seniors look positively at teenagers who are servants and who are helpful to them. This can help your group get their eyes off of themselves on onto the bigger picture of the body of Christ.
The Apostle Paul told Timothy that he could be an example to the believers (see 1 Timothy 4:12). I highly encourage all youth workers to implement these simple ideas to help motivate your teenagers minister to the older adults in your church. Blessings!
Special Offer for the Readers of My Blog!
Friends, this is not a “fire sale” – nor am I trying to get rid of inventory. I believe in resources and I want to do all I can to get resources into the hands of youth workers and church leaders.
Send me your mailing address at: mel@visionforyouth.com and I can invoice you for the books plus shipping.
I hope this helps.
Mel
Thursday, September 1, 2011
WAYS SENIOR CITIZENS CAN MINISTER TO YOUNG PEOPLE IN YOUR CHURCH
“Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.”
Psalm 71:18 (NKJV)
According to the US Government’s Health & Human Services Department we live in a country with a dramatically increasing population of older people. At this moment, almost 40 million people in the United States are 65 years of age or older – and that number is expected to grow significantly over the next several years. It’s definitely a ministry paradox to realize that this country’s youth population is also growing at a considerable rate. Many churches are filled with a large number of young people alongside of an escalating number of senior citizens.
Even though most of us have been raised believing there is a considerable “Generation Gap”, I am absolutely convinced that the different generations in the church need each other and that both sides of the generational divide actually want the same things in the church. Younger people and older people alike desire to serve and worship God in a local church environment that honors God, that teaches and preaches the life-changing Word of God, and that effectively reaches out to the unsaved and un-churched members of the surrounding community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Bible teaches the unity of the Body of Christ (see Ephesians 4:11-16) and that older people can and should mentor and encourage young people in the church (see Titus 2:1-10). Today’s young people need Godly and loving encouragement from the older people in the church – and actually current research points out that this generation of young people is very, very receptive to building close relationships with older people.
Here are 5 simple things senior citizens can do to minister to younger people in church:
1. Pray for them.
I highly encourage senior citizens to pray for their church’s younger generations – specifically, by name! It’s probably easy to obtain a list of their names from your church’s youth workers. Take each one to the Lord individually. God will begin to put a burden on your heart for them. You will be amazed at how external things fade away as you pray specifically for them and their spiritual growth. Once you have developed the habit of praying intentionally and individually FOR young people – then take the opportunity to pray WITH them. You will be amazed at how receptive today’s young people are for a time of special prayer with older people.
2. Encourage them.
It’s also important for the older, established people in the church to actively and purposely encourage them in their walk with God. Take the Biblical examples of Barnabas and Onesiphorus to heart. They were exceptional encouragers. Today’s young people hear so much criticism and negativity. Let’s change that trend in the church. Imagine the positive influence you could have on your church’s teenagers and college age young adults just by being a verbal encouragement to them. Ephesians 4:29 puts it this way, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Older people should take the initiative. Just say an encouraging word or two to young people in the church foyer or hallway. Believe me, it will be greatly appreciated.
3. Tell your story.
Today’s youth love stories. Most of the recent blockbuster movies have been epic tales told as stories. God uses human interest, real-life accounts of real people to touch the hearts of others. I think this is the idea behind the truth in Psalm 78:1-8. Older generations were instructed to tell the next generation “the praises of the Lord. And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done….” So that, “They may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments.” This generation loves “God stories”. Seniors should take every opportunity they can to share what God has done and is doing in and through their lives. Practical ideas abound. Invite young people over to your home and take the opportunity to share your testimony with them. Take a few young people out for coffee. Today’s young people love to connect with older people. I strongly recommend that churches use this as a ministry advantage. This simple action step will help break down the Generation Gap.
4. Minister alongside them.
It should be the standard norm in your church for each ministry position (ushers, Sunday School teachers, VBS leaders, etc.) to include a mentoring relationship with a younger person. Our churches must be intentional about becoming intergenerational. So, if you have any kind of ministry position at all in your church, why not invite a younger person to serve alongside of you? Even if you are not a ministry leader you can still minister with teens by asking them to help you bake cookies to encourage someone in the church, or to go with you to visit a shut-in. The key is to demonstrate your desire to serve the Lord to emerging generations.
I believe that every mature Christian in the church should have growing mentoring relationships with younger people. This is the Biblical pattern (see 1 Thessalonians 2:8 and Titus 2) and it should be replicated throughout our churches today. Over 90% of today’s young people have indicated that they would appreciate an older mentor. Yet, most adults feel like they don’t have time to so something like this. Friends, I have said for years that true mentoring is not necessarily a commitment of extra time. It is doing what you already do, just doing it with someone younger. The best mentoring takes place at church by the way. Begin this Sunday by building intentional, growing relationships with younger people.
It makes sense for older, spiritually mature people to be intentional about personally ministering to younger people in the church. Let’s bridge that Generation Gap!
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