What the Needs of Young Adults Will Mean For Your Church

NEEDS

We asked the question earlier this week, “what do young people want from a local church?” The answers were wide and varied, but a consistent theme througout most of the comments was community.

Community.

A term that is at once both tangible yet impossibly ambiguous. What exactly does community mean and why are young people craving it so much?

Here’s five quick predictions on what the 21st century church will look like when young adults step into positions of influence in churches:

  1. Home groups, cell groups, mid-sized gatherings will move to the forefront as the primary evangelistic tool for churches.
  2. Large group gatherings will still have a place in the local church, but they will be seen as “icing on the cake,” instead of the cake itself.
  3. Because of the shift towards smaller communities, pastors will take on bi-vocational roles for A.) budgetary reasons, B.) evangelistic reasons.
  4. Denominational seminaries will become a thing of the past. Most theological learning will move online or become highly contextualized and internalized by the local church itself.
  5. “Sinner’s prayer” evangelism (i.e. “linear” evangelism) will give way to a more messy form of discipleship that includes dips and valleys; doubts and discussion.

Phew. All that from a desire for more community. Make no mistake about it, there is a seismic shift occuring in the Western church right now. The next 20-30 years will be some of the most interesting, exciting and challenging times in the Church.

How do you see the need for community shaping the church around you?

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Contributor: Justin Wise

I am a religious deviant who enjoys coffee, collared shirts, spending time with my wife and son, learning about quantum physics and creatively exploring the riches of the Spirit of Christ. Find more here: JustinWise.me
  • "Community. A term that is at once both tangible yet impossibly ambiguous."

    What I've found in my not-a-church community in the past two years is that I want to do life with people, not do church / religion. I see them more than once or twice a week. We are in each other's houses, cars and business. The reason it is hard for churches to define and develop community is because it cannot be found in the church (building), only outside of it.
  • jojo3365
    I think this is GREAT information!! Totally in line with the times, I feel the movement here is Desmo with the shared space businesses continuing to sprout up and grow... this is a really good thing if our intentions stay pure in the fact that being in community and having relationships with others is how human beings were made and creates grounds for exponential growth. Together we are BETTER!

    As far as the church is concerned - I think the more we realize we are the church ALL THE TIME and not just when we walk through a certain pair of doors the stronger we will be as a community. We as human beings are to be in relation with each other, created order and the ultimate creator - Those last words are borrowed from a sermon from Pastor Paul Stewart of the Gateway Church. It's right on in my humble opinion! Thanks doing the research and for sharing this Justin!! You are a good leader!
  • You use the word "occurring" with the phrase "right now" and you're exactly right. All of this is already happening and "right now" is when churches have the opportunity to decide whether to get on board or not.

    I love that you came to the conclusion that "community" is the primary need. Younger generations have grown up with unprecedented connectivity to the world around them. They crave it. They want to be a part of the conversation.

    Churches can embrace it or reject it, but they can't ignore it.
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