If the average age in your Church gets higher every year, then

[Stan]

If the average age in your Church gets higher every year, then it may be time to start saving for a Tombstone.

[Dottie]

I think the average age in our church is getting lower. I was in the kindergarten room this past Sabbath, and there were about 15 or more children in there. We have active Pathfinders and Adventurers clubs. There is a separate service for youth regularly. Each of the departments in the children's division is busy each week.

Babies are getting dedicated frequently, people are getting baptized or joining by profession of faith. "Etc., etc., and so on."

[karl]

If the average age in your Church gets higher every year, then

have some children.

[Dr. Shane]

Well our members keep having kids and our oldest member just died this week (102 years old) so that should bring our average age down a bit.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Within the past 3 weeks three of our older members died. There are a lot of young families in the church though. It's interesting, however, that the same people (now in their late 70's and 80's) are still expected to be the ones carrying on in the different capacities at church. The younger ones are "too busy."

[Dr. Shane]

I have seen a number of churches were the older ones don't want to turn things over to the younger ones. I think there comes a time when the older members need to sit back, listen and just be a voice of wisdom. The younger generation should be forced to pick up the reigns and the older generation be mentors for them.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

The problem in my church is that most of the younger people refuse to help out in any way. They think the 76 yr old has done all the showers and such, and the 85 year old just this year turned down being church clerk for the first time in over 30 years. Efforts are made by the nominating committee to place people where they would do a good job, but the younger ones adamantly refuse, or accept, but then do not show up when they are needed.

[Dr. Shane]

That sounds like a sick church. It sounds like they are not meeting the needs of the younger generation. If the younger generation were having their spiritual needs met they would have Christ living inside of them and be anxious to work in His service. It sounds like the church needs prayer.

One thing that might be good is to ask the local conference to send someone to evaluate the church and suggest things that can be changed.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Actually members from other churches in the area are flocking to this church. It's just that most of the younger adults don't want to do their part. It's been that way ever since I can remember. The old-timers end up doing the lion's share of work, while the younger members sit back and try to keep their brats quiet in church.

Every church needs prayers. And if the younger generation doesn't want to participate except as an audience, then that's their problem. It isn't the problem of the church. The younger generation is not dependable. At all.

[Dr. Shane]

I can't say I agree with that assessment. If the younger generation in a church is not participating, there is a problem that needs to be addressed. I am involved with three Adventist churches. Our membership is in the "W" church. We attended prayer meeting and AY at the "M" church and do missionary work with the "MX" church. We alternate our attendance every other week between "W" church and "MX" church. All three of these churches have active young people. The younger generation I know is as dependable and ambitious as those in my generation.

When a person doesn't get their nutritional needs met, they will become physically sick. In the same way, when a person doesn't get their spiritual needs met, they will become spiritually sick. Churches need to evaluate themselves from time to time to see if they are reaching all the demographics as best as they can. If they are only attracting a certain segment of the population they need to look into why other segments of the population are not being attracted.

I can offer some clues about the younger generation.

1. The younger generation needs friendship and often times one-to-one mentors. But they need to choose their mentors - not have one assigned to them.

2. The traditional worship service is not enough. For many in younger generations the divine service is more like the frosting on the cake and not the staple of spiritual nourishment as it is for many in older generations.

3. Young people need to be invited to the homes of others for lunch on Sabbath afternoon and stick around for potluck. Many young people receive more spiritual nourishment from what happens after the divine service than what they get out of the service itself.

4. Young people need to feel a sense of community and acceptance. Small groups are a great tool. Groups of three to six members doing Bible study, meditations or even just playing table games together creates can meet this need. I meet with a small group once a week and we eat together and play our guitars afterward.

5. The church service needs to be relevant to them. Many young people are reached by PowerPoint sermons and Contemporary Christian music.

6. Young people need to feel a part of something and like they are making a difference. Such roles as being part of the church's music ministry, the church's drama department, laymen ministries, prison ministries, Pathfinders, VBS, community services, etc. It has to be more than just a title and more than just a couple times a year. Those involved need to feel like they are making a difference and appreciated.

7. The younger generation wants guidance in dating and marriage. So many either come from homes broken by divorce or grew up with friends in divorced homes that they are hesitant to get married and unsure about it when they do. Marriage retreats are popular among many younger couples. When these retreats also teach parenting skills and household financial skills they really provide spiritual nourishment to the younger generation.

8. The younger generation values time with their children. Churches need to have family ministries that nourish family relationships. Single-parent families need to be included in such programs. The focus of such programs has to be relationship development (making friends).

When the younger generation has their spiritual needs met, they will want to be active and part of church leadership. If a church has young people in it and they have no desire to be involved in church leadership, it is because the church isn't a relevant part of their lives.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Thank you Shane. We do quite a few of those things, most, in fact.

We already had our Conference Evaluation. The outcome of that was that the pastor needed to do more sermons on SDA Doctrine. I won't go into the details of why.

[Dr. Shane]

Well, of course we need to teach Adventist doctrine. The difference is that for the older generation the doctrine brought them into the church. Revelation seminars would teach people our doctrine and they would join because of what they learned. They formed friendships with people after joining the church.

The younger generation is brought in by friendship. The doctrine keeps them in the church once they have already started coming. In our last evangelistic campaign we had a fellowship dinner in our fellowship hall every night before each meeting. We made friends with those attending. Some went out to their homes. At the end of the campaign we baptized 17.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Was that in a Hispanic church? They differ quite a lot from traditional churches.

[Dr. Shane]

The recent evangelistic campaign I referred to was in an English-speaking "American" church. Two of the churches we are involved with are English-speaking and one is Spanish-speaking. Hispanics are more vocal about their faith. They pray for their family and friends for weeks before a campaign starts and then invited them to the campaign with them. That is one of the main reasons Hispanic churches grow so much. It is basically the same philosophy of friendship bringing people into the church and doctrine keeping them there.