Healthy Youth Ministry South Wisconsin Passionate Believers January 26, 2019 Rev. Mark Kiessling LCMS Youth Ministry
Healthy Youth Ministry
South Wisconsin
Passionate Believers
January 26, 2019Rev. Mark Kiessling
LCMS Youth Ministry
Background: Missing from the Pews• Millennials make up a quarter of the U.S.
Population, but make up only 12% of U.S. Church membership.*
• The LCMS fares slightly better with 15% of members being Millennials (approximately 300,000 of the Synod’s 2 million members).
LCMS Research Services & LCMS Youth Ministry
23% 25% 24%
24%12% 15%
19%
16%17%
20%
20%20%
15%
27% 24%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
US Population US Protestant Churches LCMS Membership
Children (under 18) Millennials (20 - 36) Generation X (37 - 51)
Baby Boomers (52 - 66) Seniors (over 66)*Faith Communities Today 2015 (www.faithcommunitiestoday.org)
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South Wisconsin District• The LCMS recently started to ask for age
ranges of baptized membership.
• SWD’s numbers trend younger than LCMS averages.
LCMS Research Services & LCMS Youth Ministry
19%
15%
15%
21%
30%
Baptized Membership - SWD Congregations179 Congregations Reporting (86%)
Bapt Memb <18 Bapt Membs 18-34 Bapt Membs 35-49 Bapt Membs 50-64 Bapt Membs over 65
Background: Millennials were Never Here in Large Numbers
LCMS Research Services & LCMS Youth Ministry
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
3,500,000
4,000,000
4,500,000
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
Child Baptisms US Births
MillennialsBoomers Gen X Plurals
4
Background: Retention Must be Addressed
• The Synod’s rate of retaining children into adulthood (1-in-3) has not changed in the past three generations of adults
• Low retention of Baby Boomers into adulthood, led to lower rates of babies being born in the Synod (hence, fewer infant baptisms)
• Already beginning with low numbers, poor retention of Millennials has made them the smallest segment of Synod’s confirmed membership.
• As Millennials now start families of their own, the cycle could potentially continue as a smaller proportion of their children are born in the church.
• Retention rates are not likely to change on their own, therefore, for the sake of Millennials and the generations to come, retention must be addressed.
LCMS Research Services & LCMS Youth Ministry
5
Congregational StudyTo Random Sample of LCMS Congregations:
“Tell us about your confirmands from 2004-2006.”
Millennial StudyTo Millennials who had some affiliation with the LCMS:
“Tell us about yourself, beliefs, and life in the Church/LCMS.”Follow up Focus Groups with individual Millennials
What was the research?
Background: 1-in-3 Rate of Retention of Millennials
LCMS Research Services & LCMS Youth Ministry
30%
11%
11%
15%
3%
10%
18%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Whereabouts Unknown
No Longer Attending Church
Attends Other Denomination
Occasionally at Home Church
Different LCMS Near Home
Still LCMS but Moved Away
Regularly at Home Church• 2017 Confirmation Survey identified
around a 1-in-3 rate of retention for individuals after confirmation.2
• The large number of young people whose whereabouts are unknown are those who have lost contact with their home church, and likely are not attending church at all.
• This retention rate does not take into account baptized children lost prior to confirmation.
31% LCMS Retention
2. Specifically the survey asked congregations about individuals confirmed in 2004-2006. Approximately half of the respondents to the survey being pastors who were not present those years, which is one reason why the “whereabouts unknown” category is so high.
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Background: Pew Religious Landscape Survey (2014) Data Shows Similar Retention
LCMS Research Services & LCMS Youth Ministry
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
LCMS Evangelical Protestant All Other Unaffiliated
Pew RLS 2014: Current Church Membership of Those Raised LCMSMillennials All Ages
Source: http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/
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Who are we talking about?
•People whom Jesus loves, also deeply loved by parents, grandparents, family, pastors, and friends.
•Millennials – Born 1981-1996 (aged 23-38)Pool trended “young”
Who are we talking about?
• Millennial responses pertain to confirmed LCMS, and may or may no longer be LCMS members.
• Responses were grouped into these categories:
Active LCMS – In worship at least once a month (majority of responders)
Nominal LCMS – Consider themselves LCMS Lutherans, but do not attend monthly
Evangelical Protestant – WELS, SBC, PCA
Mainline Protestant – Mainly ELCA, PCUSA, UMC
Unaffiliated – Atheist, Agnostics, SBNR, or a different faith
Catholic/Orthodox – Not a significant sample
Why talk to young adults?
•Better understand or disprove Millennial “trends”• LCMS and General Christianity
• Business/Sales
• Technology
•Better understand today’s (and tomorrow’s) young parents
Qualifications of the
Retention Study
• It’s not about aggregate numbers
•Recommendations focused on retention of young people (and families)
•Not intended to recommend how congregations can connect with and integrate Millennials or Young Adults, however key practices were discovered from the data.
Set Context
Local/Congregational Level• Congregational Environment
• Healthy Congregations• Healthy Church Workers• Resilient against/deal
Biblically with conflict• Congregational “ownership”
• Lay Leadership• Pastor/Church Work
Transition
Set Context
Local/Congregational Level• Pastors and Church Workers
• For those who are Active LCMS, Pastors and Youth Ministry Practitioners were positive factors.
• For those who had left, they were as likely to be a “negative” influence on their walk in faith or LCMS.
• Families
• Parents and home environment matter
• Young People
• Help them connect to other LCMS young people, and resources, especially once they leave home.
Set Context
District/National Level and the Christian Church
• Districts and Synod addressing our “mobile” society.
• Increase intentionality in connecting young people post-graduation.
• Life-long discipleship by parents, pastors/workers, and the young people themselves.
• Existing or new networks for passing on members
• Transition in life for all ages
Set Context
District/National Level and the Christian Church
• What are major touchstones for LCMS congregations to be aware?
• Research: Connectivity of LCMS young adults in other denominations.
Qualities of a Healthy Youth
Ministry
Communities that have…
• Engaged Parents
• Supportive Adults
• Opportunities to Serve and Lead
• Warmth, Challenge and Grace
Qualities of a Healthy Youth
Ministry
Help each Young Person to…
• Deeply understand their Baptismal Faith/Identity
• Desire to live out their unique vocation(s)
• Develop resiliency of faith during life’s transitions and disappointment and to counter the forces of Satan and parts of today’s culture which are contrary to healthy Christian faith.
Healthy YM… engaged parents
Our research found Active LCMS Young Adults:
• Saw a high level of faith practiced by their parents (prayer and Bible reading at home, church attendance, serving or leading at church).
• Had healthy relationships with parents where they were comfortable talking about their faith and even doubts.
• Relationship with father was especially important.
Healthy YM… supportive
adults
• Clearly prioritize young people across the church. • In Jr./Sr. High, Active LCMS more likely attended a
youth-focused ministry event, servant events Lutheran/Christian camp experience, etc. (In other words, the church had active ministry for young people.)
• Intergenerational
• Longevity matters. When a pastor or other staff had served more than 10 years, retention rates were improved.
• Active LCMS young adults felt that their pastor cared about them personally, and that their church ministered to them through major life transitions, even if they were not in a “youth group”.
Healthy YM… opportunities
to serve and lead
• Suggestion: Mentors and reverse mentoring
• Suggestion: Belonging is not a pre-requisite for service. Service is a pathway towards belonging.
• Congregations with leaders under 32 show greater LCMS retention and fewer losses before high school graduation.
Healthy YM… warmth,
challenge, and grace
• Supportive, authentic, “safe” community of believers, open to questions and doubts
• Focused on teaching truth in love
• Tight community
• Adept at handling conflict
• Serve the community
• Relationship over program
Healthy YM… deeply
understand their
baptismal faith/identity
• Teach Well
• Identity…Community…Humble Confidence…Vocation…Mission and Service
• Faith Practices
• Honest conversations
• Relationships (Rubber hits the road)
Healthy YM… live out their
unique vocation(s)
• Confidence in daily living
• Loving my “neighbor”
• Witnessing in their daily lives
• Peer to peer connection
• Future Church Workers – supporting/creating the pipeline
• Active LCMS may likely be single, but if not, their spouse or significant other is most likely an LCMS Lutheran as well.
Healthy YM… resilient faith
in Christ.
• In the face of crisis
• In the face of expected transition• Transition post-High School
• Active LCMS were more likely to have attended an LCMS Campus Ministry while in college.
• In relationship to others and expected disagreement
• Urgency to Grow in Christ/Faith• Owning their faith
• In order to serve others
Comparing Church Attendance Over Time By Their Current Worship Attendance
LCMS Research Services & LCMS Youth Ministry
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Active Today
Not Attending
Active Today
Not Attending
Active Today
Not Attending
Hig
hsc
ho
ol
Gra
du
atio
nEa
rly
20
s
Weekly At least once a month Every couple of months Once or twice a year Not at all
“Active Today” includes all who attend worship at least monthly, regardless of church affiliation. “Not Attending” includes all others.
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Graduation from Highschool and the Years Following are When Most Left the Church
LCMS Research Services & LCMS Youth Ministry
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Childhood
Highschool
Graduation
Early 20s
Mid 20s
Late 20s
Tracking Church Attendance over Timefor Young Adults not in Worship Today
Weekly At least once a month Every couple of months Once or twice a year Not at all
Chart includes all young adults who attended worship less than three times in the past year, regardless of denomination affiliation.
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Healthy YM… resilient faith
in Christ.
• In the face of crisis
• In the face of expected transition• Active LCMS were more likely to have not moved
away from home.
• In relationship to others and expected disagreement
• Urgency to Grow in Christ/Faith• Understanding personal belief in the one, true faith,
and place in community.
• In order to serve others and witness to Jesus
Healthy Youth Ministry
South Wisconsin
Passionate Believers
January 26, 2019Rev. Mark Kiessling
LCMS Youth Ministry