Saturday, February 23, 2008
Today, someone asked, "Where are the young families in your church?"
I had an interesting visit today with a bright young couple with two beautiful kids. Both husband and wife were troubled, that upon a recent visit to our worship experience they saw very few young couples. While they observed that a 'baby shower' was on the church calendar, they asked "How many young married couples with children do you have in your church?" Of course, I knew that the church has not done so well in reaching this age group. In fact, couples age 35 and under are quite scarce. Wherever they are, they are not in church--at least, not in United Methodist churches in Plant City; and more specifically, they are not at Trinity. Want to know my response to their question? I replied, "Well, we have about 10 young married couples at Trinity." (35 and under) Is this correct? If it is, can you name them? And, do you think they are ever at the worship experience on the same Sunday? If so, are they participating in a Life Group/Small Group? Just a few more questions: 1) What do you think we can do to reach this age group? 2) Can you help? 3) If so, how? Ponder this conversation with me, will you? Any comments?
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4 comments:
A few thoughts.
1. Perhaps we should ask what we are doing to attract those who are over age 35, as that is the age group that seems to find a home in our church. (We depend on residents in neighboring mobile home parks to support our monthly dinners. Surely we have members living in other communities with young families that could be solicited.)
2. Is our location too remote from thriving neighborhoods?
3. Look at Sunset UMC, not far from us and an even older congregation.
4. What do we offer young families? No, we don't have a gym, babysitting, playgrounds, theater, but we do have a loving congregation that would readily embrace them. What are young families looking for in a church (see above?), or are they even looking for a church? Many are not.
5. We need to be alert disciples and diligent in inviting the unchurched, to include younger families.
6. Pray, as a church,that we will do #5.
6. Let's use the Big House in a Big Way this year to reach out to families with children.
You raise some very good questions and you have some keen observations. Are we depending upon the "older group" in our church to, as Andy Stanley says in his GO FISH series, "invest" in others and "invite" them to our worship and church functions? Have we yet come to understand what it is to "win, establish, and equip people as disciples of Jesus Christ"? All communities where our congregants live, all parks, all places of employment should be effected by the Light in us. This has to carry over into 'every age group' being represented in the church body. And, real impact cannot be mad without love and intercessory prayer, as you have mentioned! BIG HOUSE! Ah! What a great idea!
One more thing: we also have to 'come out of the shadows' of anonymity.
This situation has such a major impact for more than just our church. Paster, you have reminded us more than once and how true it is, the Christian church is one generation away from decline. I don't know what the solution will be. Certainly, all of the above comments are true and valid.
Young couples and young singles have busy lives, all is good, no problems, no concerns. As we get further along in life, God tugs at our hearts, troubles may rise up and we have no where left to turn.
For here and now, I firmly believe that music may be the way to reach people. Maybe an outside concert, or simply a Saturday night sing-a-long, outside, under the stars, hot dogs and roasted marshmellows, and let us all make a joyful noise to the neighborhood. There are lots of families that live within just a few blocks of Trinity. I know the weather is hot, and now the evening showers, but making a joyful noise might spark an interest. And pray, pray, pray, and then pray some more.
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