Five Major Tends and What Would Jesus Do
Thom Rainer of Life Way has identified five major trends in the faith life of America, are we ready for them?
1. Our nation will see the emergence of the largest generational mission field in more than a century. This means that a large proportion of our children: those born between 1980 and 2000, will likely not be Christian. How we will respond to this? Our children want a faith that speaks to them, that is encouraging, gives them hope, relates to them in the here and now. They do not feel the Church is doing enough for them. Our children are not rejecting our faith they are rejecting the way the Church has ignored them. Which leads directly to the next major trend.
2. The dominant attitude of this huge generation toward Christianity will be largely indifferent. I am a huge social media fan and I remember a colleague of mine from the Diocese of Lansing say: "We have to be willing to present material to everyone in ways they can related to. That means having an interactive on-line presence, doing things in ways that seem unconventional to some but very relevant to others." The Church must begin to think outside the box, after all Jesus thought out side the box.
3. Senior adult ministries in churches will experience steep declines I totally agree with this statement. When the term senior citizen was first coined it was in response to those who felt a great deal of disrespect based on their age. While ageism still exists the "Boomers" refuse to allow that to happen to them, so to some they seem to be denying they are growing old; I say they are doing what should be an example of how to grow older: Live Until You Die. The Church must begin to address senior ministries with the same attitude: "Yes, I know I am growing older, but God still has great plans for me! Don't treat me as if I have one foot in the grave!" Which should be addressed with the next trend:
4. The large Boomer generation will become more receptive to the gospel. The Boomer Generation is coming back to the Church because they have tried it all, experienced it all, done it all, and now want to find a home. In my Diocese of Lansing we have a large population of Deacons and Priests who are coming to ministry in Mid-life because they have felt a call to share their life experiences. The one caution I would express would be that we do not preach down to the Millennials falling into the trap of trend number one, and we don't over simplify for the Boomers falling into trap number three. All of these generation are asking for the same thing: "Respect me where I am, don't treat me as less than God would!" Which brings me to the final and most important trend:
Finally the fifth trend I feel is the trend that is most important to renewal and rejuvenation of the Church: 5. Family will be a key value for both of the large generations. As a Spiritual Director who works with moms, this is a trend very close to my heart! I have a mom in my mothering group whose Catholic husband works for the local United Church of Christ. He came home one May relating all the activities the church was going to be doing for the moms of the congregation. Her TEARFUL response was: "Why don't we, (the Catholic Church), support Moms! Her question is quite telling of how the Catholic church, as a whole, has forgotten about mothers/women; without them there will be no Church. The National Catholic ministries for women, for moms, that seem to populate the Church all revolve around crisis. The first is Project Rachel, I was director of Project Rachel, one of two Nationwide Recognized Catholic, (Woman's), Post Abortion Ministries, here for the Diocese Of Lansing. (Here is an article of my work with that ministry.) The second is Rachel's Vineyard; which began as an off shoot of Project Rachel. Another Nationwide Recognized Catholic, (Mother's) Ministry is The Elizabeth Ministry, for families that have suffered miscarriage and infertility. Where is the Mothers of PerSchoolers for the Catholics? Look around the pews next Sunday see if the women don't unnumbered the men? Why aren't we CELEBRATING Motherhood. Why aren't we recognizing Mary as Jesus' Mother, the Theotokis, as a major saint in the vocation of motherhood/womanhood/family? If we are not careful we will be seen as the Church of only the wounded.
These trends ask us to look at ourselves very closely. They ask us if we have become too comfortable with the status quo? They ask us if we are too much in our head and very little in our heart? They ask us if we feel we can survive without two of the largest generation that populate our Churches? They ask us if we wish to continue to ignore those who are pleading with us to left them in, let them feel loved, let them have a home. Are we willing to shake things up or are we comfortable? What would Jesus do?
1. Our nation will see the emergence of the largest generational mission field in more than a century. This means that a large proportion of our children: those born between 1980 and 2000, will likely not be Christian. How we will respond to this? Our children want a faith that speaks to them, that is encouraging, gives them hope, relates to them in the here and now. They do not feel the Church is doing enough for them. Our children are not rejecting our faith they are rejecting the way the Church has ignored them. Which leads directly to the next major trend.
2. The dominant attitude of this huge generation toward Christianity will be largely indifferent. I am a huge social media fan and I remember a colleague of mine from the Diocese of Lansing say: "We have to be willing to present material to everyone in ways they can related to. That means having an interactive on-line presence, doing things in ways that seem unconventional to some but very relevant to others." The Church must begin to think outside the box, after all Jesus thought out side the box.
3. Senior adult ministries in churches will experience steep declines I totally agree with this statement. When the term senior citizen was first coined it was in response to those who felt a great deal of disrespect based on their age. While ageism still exists the "Boomers" refuse to allow that to happen to them, so to some they seem to be denying they are growing old; I say they are doing what should be an example of how to grow older: Live Until You Die. The Church must begin to address senior ministries with the same attitude: "Yes, I know I am growing older, but God still has great plans for me! Don't treat me as if I have one foot in the grave!" Which should be addressed with the next trend:
4. The large Boomer generation will become more receptive to the gospel. The Boomer Generation is coming back to the Church because they have tried it all, experienced it all, done it all, and now want to find a home. In my Diocese of Lansing we have a large population of Deacons and Priests who are coming to ministry in Mid-life because they have felt a call to share their life experiences. The one caution I would express would be that we do not preach down to the Millennials falling into the trap of trend number one, and we don't over simplify for the Boomers falling into trap number three. All of these generation are asking for the same thing: "Respect me where I am, don't treat me as less than God would!" Which brings me to the final and most important trend:
Finally the fifth trend I feel is the trend that is most important to renewal and rejuvenation of the Church: 5. Family will be a key value for both of the large generations. As a Spiritual Director who works with moms, this is a trend very close to my heart! I have a mom in my mothering group whose Catholic husband works for the local United Church of Christ. He came home one May relating all the activities the church was going to be doing for the moms of the congregation. Her TEARFUL response was: "Why don't we, (the Catholic Church), support Moms! Her question is quite telling of how the Catholic church, as a whole, has forgotten about mothers/women; without them there will be no Church. The National Catholic ministries for women, for moms, that seem to populate the Church all revolve around crisis. The first is Project Rachel, I was director of Project Rachel, one of two Nationwide Recognized Catholic, (Woman's), Post Abortion Ministries, here for the Diocese Of Lansing. (Here is an article of my work with that ministry.) The second is Rachel's Vineyard; which began as an off shoot of Project Rachel. Another Nationwide Recognized Catholic, (Mother's) Ministry is The Elizabeth Ministry, for families that have suffered miscarriage and infertility. Where is the Mothers of PerSchoolers for the Catholics? Look around the pews next Sunday see if the women don't unnumbered the men? Why aren't we CELEBRATING Motherhood. Why aren't we recognizing Mary as Jesus' Mother, the Theotokis, as a major saint in the vocation of motherhood/womanhood/family? If we are not careful we will be seen as the Church of only the wounded. These trends ask us to look at ourselves very closely. They ask us if we have become too comfortable with the status quo? They ask us if we are too much in our head and very little in our heart? They ask us if we feel we can survive without two of the largest generation that populate our Churches? They ask us if we wish to continue to ignore those who are pleading with us to left them in, let them feel loved, let them have a home. Are we willing to shake things up or are we comfortable? What would Jesus do?
Very interesting. My biggest fear is that my son will be indifferent to Christ. Let's all pray for the next generation. The secularists are winning and I'm doubtful we can turn it around. May God change hearts.
ReplyDeleteHere in Wales most of the famous Welsh Chapels are closed and standing derelict or turned into flats or shops, although smaller than it was the Catholic Church is doing better than the many flavours of the Non Conformists. The church throughout the UK is facing up to managing with fewer clergy, Permanant Deacons and a more active laity but don't forget a smaller church does not mean a less faithful one.
ReplyDelete"Respect me where I am, don't treat me as less than God would!"
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!
Manny,
ReplyDeleteI can not accept that the "secularists are winning". Aren't we being called to be in the world but not part of the world? Why then be so worried about the world? Society does not just happen, it is created by what we do and what we don't do. As one of my favourite passage from Mark: "Get up, Jesus is calling you.” Mark 10:49
What a great post!
ReplyDeleteI think the Church has always followed a different paradigm from the Protestant churches, in that our community has always been so heavily focused on Eucharist. In other words, I don't think mothers are the only ones who are neglected in the Church. My husband & I spoke to our pastor at some length one afternoon following a wedding (we are wedding musicians, among many other things), a man in his 70s. He said it's families that are lacking. This includes mothers, but it's also support for families.
The modern family's life is structured, not around faith and faith community, but around secular activities: sports, music, arts, dance, scouts, etc. None of these are bad, but they take away from the family's ability to connect--w/ e/o, and with God. This is something that we really struggle with in our household. My husband works and teaches music lessons; I write and teach music lessons; we lead a contemporary choir at church and teach NFP. Yet even that busy-ness, centered as it is around faith, really makes it hard for us to keep the connection we value so highly--beginning between the two of us. Probably this will ease off when the high maintenance care stage of childhood passes, but as our second (age 4) has Down syndrome and we're expecting our fourth baby this December, it's going to be a while!
Patty, I guess I shouldn't worry, but I do. Lord teach me to be not afraid.
ReplyDelete@ Kathleen
ReplyDeleteI've not heard a Catholic priest called a pastor before which led me to visit your blog.
Is this usual? I think I am out of touch.
@methodist megan, I think its a USA thing,but then I grew up calling some Padre because of a forces conection. (RAF)
ReplyDelete@Methodist Megan,
ReplyDeleteIn the states those priests who are in charge of a parish are called pastor or senior pastor. Priests are than those who work under a pastor. But all are priests; confusing I know
@kathleen,
ReplyDeleteI hear ya' but with out mothers there is no family. You speak of being busy with children. Every generation families/mothers/spouses have had to juggle child/other responsibilities. That is why it is important for there to be many, many, many different ways for, and here I will say it, women/mothers to get their much needed support. It is the one vocation that has no spiritual safety net. Priests have them, even marriages have them, but not moms!