If you want to reach, welcome and serve young adults, you will need to do some things quite differently. Being friendly and sincere won’t be enough.
Five specific areas need addressing:
1. On-line tools to engage and to build community:
· Web site — have a good one, comparable to the best sites that young adults use and consider normal. Ask young adults which sites they are visiting — the list changes constantly — and see how your current site measures up.
· Be prepared to communicate electronically — e-mail, instant messaging, blogs — not by postal mail or meetings.
2. Small-group formations
· Strong social component (Sunday brunch, dancing, theater outings)
· Frequent, consistent, and not too large
· Low pressure; focus on invitation and regularity
· Focus on recruiting good leaders, and let the groups go where they want.
3. Age-related activities (e.g. athletics)
· Self-led
· Reflect scheduling realities of age group
· Test and measure (no formula works in every setting)
· Don’t expect consistency
4. Age-appropriate worship
· Needs to be studied carefully, with strong input by young adults
· Not as simple as “guitar songs”
· Study what other churches are offering
· Be sincere and true to overall tradition
· Consider the possibility that your regular service needs to be updated, rather than a separate “young adult service” be offered
· Understand that worship’s importance varies widely within this age group
· In brief: don’t place high expectations on worship as the core of your ministry to this age group
5. Mission activities
· Respond to idealism in this age group; give them meaningful opportunities to serve in the community, not to work at church.
· Mission work is a way for young adults to meet like-minded people
· A congregation with a strong and sincere commitment to mission will generate more “buzz” than a congregation that indicates it is desperate to stop being so elderly.
Tom Ehrich is a writer, consultant, and leader of workshops. An Episcopal priest, he lives in Durham, N.C. The church wellness project may be found at www.churchwellness.com
