- Interesting information and very frustrating to me personally. This article is one of the reasons that I disconnect from mainstream intermediaries of the Christian business enterprise.
The article basically says to me that the church treats young adults like religious consumers in order to get them to attend. When are we going to stop asking how do we get the church to grow and start asking the question "how do we get the church to have impact?"
The article says "For instance, attenders report a considerable increase in their involvement in church, spiritual growth, and needs being met at the megachurch. Yet, 45% of megachurch attenders never volunteer at the church, 41% don't participate in small groups and more than 30% give very little money." I'd say, who cares if they attend if attendance doesn't result in disciples being made - and if volunteer, connecting in a real way to others in a small group, and giving money aren't among the measures of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, then what are those measures.
This kind of article feeds the (in my opinion) misguided hunger in the congregational world to treat people like religious consumers - to feed the consumer worldview of those who walk in our doors. And over time it's resulted in churches that are more interested in growth and attendance than in making disciples who have community impact.
Comment by Jim Herrington - 6/23/2009 1:24:14 PM
- I agree with the previous writer's comment about worrying less about church numbers and more about impact of the church on the populations Jesus calls us to serve: the poor and disenfranchised. The statistics in another story in the same issue (Hunger Abounds in the U.S.) illustrate the need for concern.
Perhaps, the anwer lies in thinking "bothand" rather than "eitheror". Megachurch members can have fun in local church programs AND be involved in social justice causes. Anyone who has worked in a food kitchen with a bunch of friends from church knows that it can be fun as well as a life-changing experience. Students at the Christian university where I teach raise their own money to participate in International Service Projects all over the world every summer. They have fun AND they serve Christ. University leadership sets the expectation AND provides the encouragement to meet Christ through cross-cultural service to others.
If 45% of those attending megachurches don't volunteer, that means 55% do! That is something to celebrate.
Perhaps, more "customization" of volunteer opportunities is needed. Perhaps, asking those non-volunteers more about how Christ is calling them to get involved and what resources they need to do so would be helpful.
Comment by Mary Crist - 6/23/2009 4:04:58 PM
- "Derek at Fellowship Bible Church says the commitment to "Scripturally sound, but culturally relevant" doesn't mean focusing on one generation over another but figuring out the best way to meet each generation's unique needs in biblically sound ways. The challenge, he says, is for churches to train leaders who are passionate about different segments of the church body and then to turn them loose so they can meet those needs.
"If you lose the younger generation, in 20 years your church is going to be dead," Derek says. "You have to see each generation as being equal, and we try to have staff members and leaders who are just as passionate for every age group. The ground is level at the foot of the cross."" This quote sums it all up for me. One of the things that I think churches have to do is value each generation. The challenge today is how to do that when there is such a heavy emphasis on technology without losing our seniors or contributing to their feeling disengaged or devalued.
Comment by Pat - 7/5/2009 2:45:47 PM
- I appreciate this article very much. I'm glad someone finally did the work. I hope most are not suprised by the results.
Certainly we would expect that those who "go to church" would be going to mega-churches That is what makes them mega, the VACT that everyone is flocking to them and that they would CHOOSE to flock there (have we not spent the last two decades trying every marketing technique to get back those who left after high school?).
The fact remains that the vast majority of this age group are not going to church at all correct? Seems that would be another good article, why they are not attending a mega or a mini church. Kinnaman and Co. gave us a good start (i.e. unChrisitan) but I'd like to see more on this. I have many hunches, but the baby-boomers in charge like to see lots of data like you've produced in this report.
Keep up the good work!
Comment by Steven Dye - 7/13/2009 9:57:13 AM