What Are Your Growth Engines in Ministry?

“Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” – Jesus (Matthew 13:8, ESV).

Planting seeds. This is the reality of planting, investing, and being strategic, in areas of our churches where the outcomes far outweigh the investment. In business, they call this “growth engines”.

Growth engines are strategic outcomes (up to 30% or more) of what has been invested into it.

This is the reality of next generation ministries (NGM) throughout Canada. Why?

  • Because 80% of people come to know Christ before the age of 18[1]

  •  Because 2/3 of all church leaders experience the call of God in their teen or young adult years[2]

  • Because 70% of people retain their discipleship foundations in their formative years, when discipleship strategies are healthy[3]

In other words, NGM is strategic for evangelism, leadership development, and the future of the Church. Not only that, healthy NGM influences communities, attracts younger families, and develops strategies for young people to thrive, not just survive. 

With that said, even though the next generation stats haven’t changed much throughout the history of our Church, Canadian culture has. It is imperative that we create, invest, and discover new pathways to reach the next generation for Christ. This is why a national research project was launched to find key themes of reaching the next generation for Christ in Canada.[4]Here is a snapshot of the research themes + trends in our context:[5]

yatrinfograph.png


 

I encourage you to use this snapshot as a strategic conversation with your leadership team, next gen ministry, and congregation so that you can develop, build, and/or strengthen your Next Generation Ministries growth engine in your local context. 

“Those who have ears to hear, let them hear what the Spirit is saying…” Jesus (to the Church in a pagan world).[6]

[1]https://www.barna.org/barna-update/5-barna-update/196-evangelism-is-most-effective-among-kids#.VdkRiIuYyQo; also see http://www.churchleadership.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=44963&columnid=4545



[2]http://www.faithformationlearningexchange.net/uploads/5/2/4/6/5246709/spirit__culture_of_ym_essay.pdf

[3]Nelson, Alan E. How To Bring Out The Leader In Your Child (2nd Edition). Lead Young Training Systems, Charlotte, SC, 2013, iv 


[4]This was in partnership with the EFC, YFC, Intervarsity, Truth Matters, and Power to Change called the Young Adult Transition Research (YATR) Project. 

[5]For the full report, please feel free to download it here: https://gallery.mailchimp.com/482ffd0a6d/files/30258161-67ec-4d16-94dd-a7109358c75a/Renegotiating_Faith_Report_EFC_YATR.pdf?mc_cid=13cf903eb8&mc_eid=d048e61d12

[6]Revelation 2:29

*this post was used for the PAOC Testimony in the November-December 2018 issue.

Leadership, Emerging, Church, Youth Ministry, Teen Culture, InfobesityAndy Gabruchculture, iGen, YATRComment