Reaching this Generation
I recently spent 26 Days in the USA traveling to 7 different states within North America! From North Carolina to Denver to Texas across the country to Seattle and then across to Florida. I spent some time with key partners and friends who are passionate about reaching teens across their communities and neighborhoods.
While I was traveling I got to spend time with youth leaders from across USA and I observed varying degrees of cultural contexts within youth ministry and how they simply do youth ministry. Each state is different, each church has a different method, each denomination has their own style!
So for the sake of the article I am writing I am going to compare two youth groups (not going to mention them) and ask some probing questions and hopefully God would lead us by His Holy Spirit in this article!
We will call them youth group A and Youth group B.
Firstly something notable from an article I read:
Gen Z may be the most socially savvy group marketers will ever meet, with 81% of teenagers on social media.
93% of Gen Z’s visit YouTube at least once a week, and 54% visit the site multiple times throughout the day. Gen Z also uses Twitter (26%), Google+ (26%), and Instagram (17%) on a weekly basis, but less often.
With mobile-only, disposable media networks, brands need to create shorter form content — whether it's a video or an animated image — that is tailored to each social platform. This has to do with where I am going with this.
Let’s look at youth group A:
They has the most amazing facilities a South African could behold ! They had an extremely talented worship band, they all met together and were pumped, charged and ready for the nights activities, they even gave the youth leaders an amazing dinner before hand! When I walked into the auditorium there were over 300 teens, worship was amazing, in fact, their voices sounded like angels, the video intro before the youth pastor came on was superb! The youth pastor was dressed like a super star with the new hole in the shirt look (fashion they say), and his message was probably the best youth sermon I have ever heard. BUT something I observed was that the teens were not engaged , they were talking and on their phones, texting and watching their mates on snap chat.
Let’s look at youth group B
They all met at someone’s home. There seemed to be a good vibe going, and there were new teens. There were about 50 or 60 teens! Everyone was chatting and eating food. They did something different. They asked the teens to go into the different rooms and look at pictures that had been placed on some tables. Each picture was different and thought provoking. I watched as the youth pastor asked about those pictures and heard absolute honesty from the teens! Teens were engaged!
I don’t like to really compare youth groups but I must say that here are some observations! As a 41 year old who has been in youth ministry for over 20 years, I do get to a point where I am looking at the current generation and asking how do we engage them?
As I observed in youth group A, they loved the music, they rocked to the beat! But were so un-engaged when it came to the grit of the evening. Youth group B was the opposite as I witnessed a different level of envolvement. I took a step back and really thought about this and had to ask the question of “how do we reach this generation?”
Here are 3 invaluable insights I learned.
Interesting fact about Millennials -
40% express their individuality with tattoos.
75% describe themselves as "authentic."
1. Digital DNA
Generation Z really does have ‘digital DNA’ – researchers say that if you compare the brains of a Gen Z child against someone born 10 years earlier you can see a physical difference. The part of the brain responsible for visual ability is more developed. Youth group B really had triggered this within this group of teens! They were super responsive and really connected with the youth pastor! So make use of visual for this generation! These teens were more engaged and I believe were really gripped by what the youth pastor was saying to them. Don’t be afraid of social media.The fear of this is called Visiobibliophobia. check it out.
Emily Hooley, 16, recalls a Very Dark Moment: "We went to Wales for a week at half term to revise. There was no mobile, no TV, no broadband. We had to drive into town just to get a signal. It was really hard, knowing people were texting you, writing on your Wall, and you couldn't respond. Loads of my friends said they'd just never do that.
Use media to your advantage. I know a very good friend of mine Mark Tittley is a firm believer of using media and visual to really bring across his point during a teaching session. Click on his name for further resources regarding youth ministry.
2. This generation is passionate!
This generation is passionate. They are more connected than ever. In youth group B, when those pictures that evoke emotion were shown, they were super passionate and wanted to do something. For some it really connected with most of them! Youth group A had the Jenga blocks, the coffee station as well as the X-box but they were not challenged! This generation want to be challenged!
79% want to visit all 7 continents! I see young missionaries seeking to understand culture and this world. Let’s show them a God who loves and cares for them. Let’s show this generation that they can’t find meaning or significance in how many likes or followers they have. We need to teach this generation how to fall in love with a non-digital Jesus! A Jesus who is real in every way and wants to connect on a deeper, more spiritual level with this generation.
Connect with us an we have training and equipping to help guide you. (www.golivedare.co.za)
Facts About Generations Series:
51 Of The Most Interesting Facts About Generation Z. 74 Of The Most Interesting Facts About Millennials. 44 Of The Most Interesting Facts About Generation X. 53 Of The Most Interesting Facts About Baby Boomers.
3. This generation seeks convenience
I know this can allude to apathetic teens, but really and honestly we living in a world where everything is so convenient and you can get everything on hand! So my question is, can you get everything so convenient? Even Jesus? Is Jesus convenient at a certain time! The question for youth pastors and leaders is how do we make Jesus less convenient and more stable in the lives of teens?
They really do want everything now and can get everything now, but the Christian life and walk takes some perseverance to grow character, and this is not convenient! Maybe this is the strategy of the world (Satan), to make Jesus so irrelevant in a convenient world!
Romans 5:3-5
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance and endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation and this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
Let us model our lives in the footsteps of the Master and live out the values of a Gospel Advancing ministry in our daily lives.
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