Here’s an interesting infographic from the Barna Group that shows Adventist millennials as compared to other millennials in the nation.
The graphic is a little tough to stomach, but thankfully there is a section at the end with implications and recommendations.
Update: I’ve just received some more resources related to this project and am publishing them here as well.
Below are three things related to this infographic:
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I Repent. I am part of the problem that created this issue for Adventist young adults.
As an Adventist Educator I focused on words and getting them right and not looking for was of integrating the head learning into the heart and hands, and getting students experimenting. Experimenting with learning, owning your own direction of knowledge, beliefs, practice, and dreams takes people out of the job of learning and makes passivity that leads to apathy. I was doing the coward approach to learning.
Now, I also will challenge the young adults. You may have to start teaching yourselves if we don’t do it well. Get on the Kolb integrated learning process
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/history/kolb.html
Pick a place to start: Everyone has to be a teacher and learner simultaneously if Church is going to be the learning community that changes these stats and stays in a dynamic that is like the Holy Spirit (teaching us more and more things).
I want more on this poll: Where do I go to see how people interpret these findings? Where do I see the instrument (some survey’s I have seen have funky questions)? Need more info for helping to relate to this?
Wow, Duane! That’s a powerful confession. God bless you. You have such a great heart and passion for teaching. I really admire that. I really resonate with the idea of learning communities, especially with the Holy Spirit guiding us. I will definitely check out the link.
Regarding the study, I’m working on getting the full report with more information. I’ll post it here as soon as I get my hands on it. Thanks!
Dr. Covrig,
You are way too modest. IMHO you are part of the solution! [Simply acknowledging there is a problem and we’re part of it lends us towards authenticity with Millennials, which is part of the solution.] I can give testimony to many ways you are forging new learning environments and mentoring students in transformative ways.
BTW, the full report will soon be released. Stay tuned.
Thanks for sharing, Rodlie. Fascinating. Info-graphics are not meant to have all the details and it’s a great one that does its job of intriguing us while giving us the gist of the whole study-i get that,but I’m with Duane on this: wondering about the study’s process and in what regions the interviews were conducted in. Also wondering about the religious groups they are being compared with. The SDA faith extends to so many systems and makes up a culture beyond Sunday morning,hence…the seeming deeper grievances? Overall, the study highlights a more important concern: how does the church grow more effective in supporting,discipling people through their faith journey.
Hi Sabine! Yeah, a lot of questions related to the study. I agree with you. Hopefully I can get my hands on it and post it within a day or two.
Hello Pastor Sabine,
In the enthusiastic wake of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists year-end presentations on young adult retention, let me offer here a step-by-step model to help you launch or refine your young adult ministry: From LOST to LIFE.
http://wp.me/pc14V-YG
I’d be particularly interested Sabine in your thoughts about the generalizability of this model to other demographic cohorts in the church.
The full report is soon to be released. In the mean time, if you’re interesed, you can download all the Barna Group presentation assets from my dropbox: https://db.tt/TX3KBriQ
Thanks for this!
Great resource here! Looking forward to reading more,thanks for this Rodlie!
You’re welcome, Sabine!
Allan- maybe you can attest to this,too: the most impactful ministry that i’ve been a part of has been the ones that have fostered a safe place for newcomers,especially (relationship), a platform for spiritual conversations (transformation) and a de-stigmatization of “things we don’t talk about” such as through public revelation of drug use, depression or adultery in cries for help(forgiveness). While i haven’t conducted a formal survey like this one, experience has shown me that my interpretation of the Bible for knowledge-sake or that doesn’t intersect with people’s current reality is not what makes the deepest, lasting difference. I suspect that the areas of spiritual needs may be the same today across generations even though the “Implication” headings might shift in priority.
Thanks Doc
for sharing the link with us,and opp to learn more to do better.
Pastor Sabine, I believe the research verifies your experience. In fact, the other day as I looked at the “Implications” section of the infograph, it struck me that this could very well have been a graphic depiction of the missional mindset of…Christ Jesus. Here again we see great impications of a 1st century movement continuing to transform, even in the 21st. Seemingly ironic, that social science is revealing what the Christian community has known all along. Not only trans-generational, but maybe moreover potential universally applicable. Of course contoured to contextual nuance.
What is happening in the church/world is a reflection of what is happening in the home. I’m never impressed with studies that blame the church for the ills of this world. Home is still and always will be the main influence of each child.
I’m not saying that the church can’t and should not seek to disciple our youth. All I’m saying is that we are confronted with sad realities–parents are letting their children down.
Ed, I hear your important commentary here. And the research would attest to the importance of home, school, and church in the formative years of our children. I don’t believe these research findings are trying to ascribe blame, but rather to take a careful assessment of the effectiveness of the “church” component as a contributor to the discipleship of children and launching them into meaningful and engage faith life as young adults. It may be worthwhile to also look at the potential role the church can have in parenting education and support.
As the research indicates and confirms – more and more local churches need to begin a value-driven ministry that intentionally creates & cultivates a welcoming and empowering atmosphere and culture. We need more cultural architects in the making in the church leadership.
COR (Church of Refuge), a ministry by Center for Youth Evangelism – helps, empowers and resources local churches to begin this process of cultivating a value-driven church. We just came back from Southview SDA Church in Minnesota conference this past weekend to launch them into a network of churches that are very intentional about creating a welcoming a safe environment for young adults.
In the following weekends, we’ll be heading over to Texas, North Carolina and California – where local churches are voluntarily beginning to see the need for value-driven ministry.
If you’re interested in getting started – visit http://cye.org/cor.
This is great stuff, Justin. I’m not sure what PMC’s relationship has been to COR, but I’ve been impressed with everything that I’ve ever read about it. Keep up the good work.
A very interesting study. It just shows the work that we need to be more like Jesus. It is also a challenge for the leaders to make deliberate efforts to encourage all of us to be concerned about ourselves and the world around us. We are the salt of the earth and this study shows that we are losing our saltness.
Samuel, you’re right. We pray on….