Tuesday, April 30, 2013
God's Plans & GPS
I have a new article up on the Living Lutheran site about young adults and the pressure to discover God's "plan" for their lives. It's entitled "God's Plans and GPS".
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
The Hashtag on the Prayer Wall
The Pew Research Center just released a new study detailing the internet habits of American teenagers. Much of the information contained in the report is fairly standard...I think we all know that younger Americans are far more technologically savvy than older generations were at the same age.
What really interests me in terms of ministry is not so much the obvious conclusion that younger people use technology, but rather how they use technology. One of the findings in the Pew Report is that one in four teenagers access the internet almost exclusively from their cell phones rather than a computer. And in just two years the percentage of teens that have a smartphone has jumped from 23% to 37%.
Many Churches are still thinking about how to engage a digital generation. But if this study is any indication even that is behind the times as media consumption habits increasingly become mobile. Just how much does this affect the way that young adults think? Although Facebook is still the primary social media platform for young adults I've noticed a huge jump in the number of our students using twitter. Twitter's 144 characters or less format is certainly more conducive for mobile internet users, which is perhaps why Facebook has been making moves to become more mobile friendly.
This movement toward mobile internet usage was brought home to me several weeks ago. We often do prayer walls during worship where students can write their prayer requests. Reading over the wall the next day I noticed that someone had used a hashtag (#theubiquitoustwittersymbol) on the prayer wall. That has never happened before that I've noticed and goes to demonstrate just how much of our student's lives are shaped by online experiences.
I'm still not exactly sure what all this means for the Church besides the fact that we're way behind the times. Although most Churches are probably never going to become social media mavens the truth is that some level of media savvy is necessary just to talk with those shaped by the digital age. Any good missionary tries to learn the native language of the people they serve. I think the Church needs to think about that when it comes to reaching out to younger generations.
What really interests me in terms of ministry is not so much the obvious conclusion that younger people use technology, but rather how they use technology. One of the findings in the Pew Report is that one in four teenagers access the internet almost exclusively from their cell phones rather than a computer. And in just two years the percentage of teens that have a smartphone has jumped from 23% to 37%.Many Churches are still thinking about how to engage a digital generation. But if this study is any indication even that is behind the times as media consumption habits increasingly become mobile. Just how much does this affect the way that young adults think? Although Facebook is still the primary social media platform for young adults I've noticed a huge jump in the number of our students using twitter. Twitter's 144 characters or less format is certainly more conducive for mobile internet users, which is perhaps why Facebook has been making moves to become more mobile friendly.
This movement toward mobile internet usage was brought home to me several weeks ago. We often do prayer walls during worship where students can write their prayer requests. Reading over the wall the next day I noticed that someone had used a hashtag (#theubiquitoustwittersymbol) on the prayer wall. That has never happened before that I've noticed and goes to demonstrate just how much of our student's lives are shaped by online experiences.
I'm still not exactly sure what all this means for the Church besides the fact that we're way behind the times. Although most Churches are probably never going to become social media mavens the truth is that some level of media savvy is necessary just to talk with those shaped by the digital age. Any good missionary tries to learn the native language of the people they serve. I think the Church needs to think about that when it comes to reaching out to younger generations.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Young Adults & Gay Rights: Ignore at your own peril, Pt. 2
I hadn't planned to make this a two part post (see part one) but upon further reflection I wasn't done talking yet :)
My previous post was in response to a well written blog by a student at one of our sister ELCA Colleges. This particular blog calls on the Church to begin paying attention to issues of importance to young adults, particularly welcoming people of all sexual orientations into the Church.
I agree with the sentiments expressed in this blog and encourage you to read it. But it occurred to me that one might be left with the impression that acceptance of GLBT persons is merely another strategy for stemming the tide of young adults leaving the Church. So let me be clear...becoming a LGBT friendly Church is not going to suddenly correct the absence of young adults in your pews. Neither is changing the music, meeting in a bar, or any other "strategy" to make Church more appealing to younger generations.
In truth I don't know what, if anything, can reverse these trends. I think there are certain things like full inclusion of LGBT Christians that might make the Church a more welcoming environment for young adults but there are no silver bullets. The current absence of young adults in the life of the Church is a result of many cultural and social factors. Social stability for today's young adults is more elusive than it was for their parents who tended to get married and "settle down" much sooner. Unfortunately for the Church social stability is one of the driving factors for institutional commitment.
My appeal to Churches that care about young adults is to approach the issue of sexuality with an authentic openness to change. If you're going to support the inclusion of LGBT individuals in your Church do it because it's the right thing to do, not to be relevant. More than likely changing your Church's stance on this issue isn't going to make much difference in the number of young adults in your pews on Sunday mornings. But then again...neither will keeping the doors closed.
My previous post was in response to a well written blog by a student at one of our sister ELCA Colleges. This particular blog calls on the Church to begin paying attention to issues of importance to young adults, particularly welcoming people of all sexual orientations into the Church.
I agree with the sentiments expressed in this blog and encourage you to read it. But it occurred to me that one might be left with the impression that acceptance of GLBT persons is merely another strategy for stemming the tide of young adults leaving the Church. So let me be clear...becoming a LGBT friendly Church is not going to suddenly correct the absence of young adults in your pews. Neither is changing the music, meeting in a bar, or any other "strategy" to make Church more appealing to younger generations.
In truth I don't know what, if anything, can reverse these trends. I think there are certain things like full inclusion of LGBT Christians that might make the Church a more welcoming environment for young adults but there are no silver bullets. The current absence of young adults in the life of the Church is a result of many cultural and social factors. Social stability for today's young adults is more elusive than it was for their parents who tended to get married and "settle down" much sooner. Unfortunately for the Church social stability is one of the driving factors for institutional commitment.
My appeal to Churches that care about young adults is to approach the issue of sexuality with an authentic openness to change. If you're going to support the inclusion of LGBT individuals in your Church do it because it's the right thing to do, not to be relevant. More than likely changing your Church's stance on this issue isn't going to make much difference in the number of young adults in your pews on Sunday mornings. But then again...neither will keeping the doors closed.
Young Adults & Gay Rights: Ignore at your own peril, Pt. 1
Yesterday a friend of mine was ordained. That's not terribly surprising as I have a lot of friends in the Church world. What is surprising is how long it took. You see despite having been called and gifted for ministry my friend wasn't able to be ordained until recently because she is gay.
I know many in the Church would like the whole sexuality issue to just go away. That's how I felt for a long time until I got to know people like my friend. I watched her and many others struggle not only to discern their call to ministry (which trust me is hard enough) but also face a choice between two parts of their vocation...that of being a spouse and a Minister of the Gospel.
If you think that you can do ministry with young adults and ignore the sexuality issue you are mistaken. The writer of this "Open Letter to the Church from my Generation" speaks of many young adults who rightly call out the Church when it fails to practice the love that Jesus commands of us.
Many have argued that not all young adults embrace marriage equality or support the rights of our GLBT brothers and sisters. That is true. But clearly it is the vast majority. Last week when people were changing their profile pictures to the marriage equality symbol I was amazed at how many people supported these ideas across the traditional divide between denominations. It's no longer just those from "liberal" mainline denominations that support this change, it's Evangelicals, Roman Catholics and more.
If you're on the other side of the fence, I understand. I really do. But you can't sit on the fence forever. Despite the dire predictions of calamity that many predict anytime the Church embraces change, this is not the end. It's a new beginning. And in this season of Easter new beginnings are in the air.
Thank God for new beginnings, and for the many Gay Christians who have continued to remind us of our need for repentance and change. My personal thanks to my friend who did the same for me. That collar looks awfully good on you.
I know many in the Church would like the whole sexuality issue to just go away. That's how I felt for a long time until I got to know people like my friend. I watched her and many others struggle not only to discern their call to ministry (which trust me is hard enough) but also face a choice between two parts of their vocation...that of being a spouse and a Minister of the Gospel.
If you think that you can do ministry with young adults and ignore the sexuality issue you are mistaken. The writer of this "Open Letter to the Church from my Generation" speaks of many young adults who rightly call out the Church when it fails to practice the love that Jesus commands of us.
Many have argued that not all young adults embrace marriage equality or support the rights of our GLBT brothers and sisters. That is true. But clearly it is the vast majority. Last week when people were changing their profile pictures to the marriage equality symbol I was amazed at how many people supported these ideas across the traditional divide between denominations. It's no longer just those from "liberal" mainline denominations that support this change, it's Evangelicals, Roman Catholics and more.
If you're on the other side of the fence, I understand. I really do. But you can't sit on the fence forever. Despite the dire predictions of calamity that many predict anytime the Church embraces change, this is not the end. It's a new beginning. And in this season of Easter new beginnings are in the air.
Thank God for new beginnings, and for the many Gay Christians who have continued to remind us of our need for repentance and change. My personal thanks to my friend who did the same for me. That collar looks awfully good on you.
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