Young Adults - Hopes and Desires from the church

In the June issue of "The Banner"  there was an article from a group of Young Adults that  I wanted to interact with a bit; to compare what these Y.A. were saying, with what happens here at Calvin CRC.  It would be good for you to read the article first, either in the magazine, or online at:

http://www.thebanner.org/features/article/?id=3344

The article seemed honest, positive, and challenging for the church.  Chelsey Munneke, the author, starts out with her journey as a young adult Christian moving on to college, and her desire to "become involved in another Christian Reformed Congregation." 

We've all heard that young adults are checking out of the church, and to some degree that has happened here at Calvin as well.  We've also seen several young adults return to us from college and want to get involved in the life of this congregation.  Our "Lofty Studies" group, comprised of college age and working young adults, has steadily grown over the past couple of years  mirroring Chelsey's desires.  The question for us is, "Have we been honoring that desire with our young adults?"  

Chelsey didn't have it easy as she moved away from her home church.  In fact, she began to feel discouraged, excluded, "overlooked and forgotten."  She makes an interesting comment about her feelings of disconnect and discontent: "I was curious whether this disconnect came from me and my unwillingness to commit, or whether the CRC was struggling to connect with my generation."  

More than likely, for many young adults, it's a bit of both.  Many are busy with college life, so getting involved in a church just doesn't fit for them.  The church too  doesn't always know what to do with young adults, or maybe more accurately, is afraid to ask them the important questions of community that seem so important for them to have asked.   

While at a youth conference this past December, I attended a seminar on what the church was doing right when it came to embracing young adults into the life of any church.  It echoed the words of the group of young adults that wrote in The Banner.   Young Adults desire "deeper relationships, passionate commitment and convicting biblical messages."  They would "like to be involved with leadership in [the] local congregation, and want the church to be "a home in which we're needed, a family who gives us responsibilities and holds us accountable to them."  

Traditionally, maybe we have not done that as good as we could have, but we are on to something here at Calvin.  We are trying to answer the lament in the article that "the church has not often used or encouraged [Young Adults] gifts during the time of our lives when we are the most passionate, energetic, and available."

If you're watching our "Lofty Studies" group in the fellowship hall, you'll have noticed that they are taking up more and more room as they talk together.  It occurred to me, a bit ago, that this group is an invaluable untapped resource in the life of Calvin.  But how to engage each young adult in a way that is not threatening or putting on a guilt trip. 

I then realized that doing a Spiritual Gifting course would be a good way, so it was offered to them and several did it.  The nice thing about this Gifting course is that there's follow up afterwards, and that is the time to discuss their gifts and how they are, or are not, using them in God's Kingdom right now in their lives. 

The result has been that an avenue of communication has been opened, allowing young adults an opportunity to express themselves to the church.  Whether they truly wanted to get involved in the life of this church was now open for discussion.  This has been a great way to help them figure out gift based ministry and ways to use those gifts in God's Kingdom.     My hope is that they truly engage in the process of getting involved in something here at Calvin, or outside our community, but certainly beyond the "Lofty Studies" envelope. 

It was during one of these follow-up times that a young adult, who will be leaving us for 8 months to go to school, shared that it is his goal to get a job in Ottawa and be back at Calvin because he has forged some great relationships here.  When he returns, he wants to get involved in the life of this church.  That's neat stuff.  

For those young adults who have not done a gifting course the invitation is open to you, as it is for all those in Calvin.   

It was interesting to note from the course I took that churches that are doing things right have been doing the following:

1.  Valuing Youth and YA and affirming their presence.  (It's fair to say that Calvin has done that in it's youth ministries across the board). 

2.  Allowing Youth and YA to contribute in meaningful ways. (Doing things like Youth Praise Teams, being Mentors in SERVE, helping in Friendship Group and teaching church school, being GEMS and Boys Club leaders, and more, Calvin is moving in the right direction). 

3.   Recognizing and honoring youth and Y.A. regularly (More could be done in this area but some of the blog entries on this site attempt this in some small way).  

Similarly, churches that have raised teenagers and young adults who have remained in church into adulthood have been doing the following:

1.  Starting early when it comes to focusing on faith.  

2.  Working with families, not just youth. 

3.  Empowering teens to get involved in church, and the greater community, using their gifts as early as possible.

4.  Elevating expectations of teens when it comes to active participation in church life.  

Calvin is on the road to making these things a reality, and we should celebrate this.  In some areas we are doing well already, but there's always room for improvement.  

Looking at the current "Lofty Studies" group and seeing the potential, and desire, to engage in God's Kingdom, I am encouraged.  Watching a group of 8 youth from Calvin preparing for a trip to Winnipeg this July to  be mentors to youth with special needs is equally encouraging.  These, and other initiatives, may just help us lower that number of 70 % of our youth not attending church as they move to adulthood.

We need to continue to be vigilant in beginning the process of faith formation early.  That's why church school, GEMS, Boys Club, Intergenerational Church School, youth group, Lofty Studies, and yes, even our growing together groups are so vital to this church community.  These need to be places that allow for faith formation of our children, families, young adults, and adults.  They also need to be places where  mentoring and leadership opportunities for youth, young adults and adults can happen.  Those opportunities for service are many, and not just within the walls of Calvin's building.  

We are part of a church community, however, and there are always needs within it.  Currently we are searching for GEMS and Boys Club leaders, and more than likely a few church school teachers beginning this Fall.  If our young adults are anything like those in this article, I'm hopeful some will engage.   That hope extends to those who have been here for a bit longer too.  Will you consider how you are using your gifts in the life of the church, both inside and outside Calvin's walls?  

If any of you still wish to do the gifting course, please contact me.

In conclusion, this article was refreshing and encouraging.   Well worth the read.  Calvin is moving in some good directions and these may help to reverse the trend of young adult church defections.  I'm hopeful we will  see more of our young adults involved this next ministry season in some way, as well as many of you.

Blessings to you.