2. Ministry to a Disconnected Generation Chap Clark Fuller Seminary www.chapclark.com Twitter: chapclark

3. Ministry to a Disconnected Generation Chap Clark Fuller Seminary www.chapclark.com Twitter: chapclark Go to chapclark.com for powerpoint and outline

4. Same kid… Two conversations

5. HISTORICALLY: - Fixed, in stages (Piaget, Erikson) - Generational issues - Assets (scaffolding) and Pos Psych Growing up today What data tells us…

6. - “I get it; I’ve been there” Growing up today What data tells us… CULTURALLY: - What you see is all there is - Spiritual development and Human development are different things

7. Timing and Duration PubertyCulture 14.5 16Pre-1900 1970-1980 Today 13 18/20 12 mid-20s

8. Changing Stages 14-15 DependentInterdependent 11/12 19-21 Independent mid-20s early-30s? Emerging Adulthood J. J. Arnett

9. Teenage brain “If you think of the teenage brain as a car, today's adolescents acquire an accelerator a long time before they can steer and brake.” - WSJ, What’s wrong with the teenage mind?“ Alison Gopnik

10. What has happened?? An exponential loss of Social Capital …

13. Every child must be provided significant Social Capital in order to become an adult

14. What a child needs: 14-15 Attachment that is GENTLE 12 19-21 mid-20s Social Capital (Attachment) Attachment that is ENPOWERING Attachment that is I NTERDEPENDENT

15. The State of Postmodern kids: skills needed for successful adulthood

16. ongoing adult support and guidance offered The State of Postmodern kids:

17. skills needed adult support The State of Postmodern kids:

18. “…These two trends have created a serious problem in our country, indeed a crisis.” Dr. James Comer, Yale University Carnegie Corporation’s Commission on Youth Development and Community Programs, 1989 The State of Postmodern kids:

19. What has happened?? An exponential loss of Social Capital …

20. What has happened?? An exponential loss of Social Capital … even in their family

22. Ask a third grader to draw a picture of their family tree…

23. “Regardless of headlines labeling us ‘helicopter’ dads or ‘soccer’ moms, in many ways parents seem almost invisibly removed. Twenty-first century parent-managers, negotiating every single logistical challenge of their kids’ crammed schedules became too frenetically busy to be a magnetic presence in the internal landscape of a child’s world.” - Childhood Unbound, Ron Taffle Parental Rationalization:

24. How kids have been treated by adults…

25. Even in their friendships, even at church… there can be a gnawing loneliness

26. Youth and Children’s Ministry and the Fragmentation of the Church The History of Intergenerational (or, “Family”) Ministry Y.M. Church

27. Y.M. The History of Intergenerational (or, “Family”) Ministry Youth and Children’s Ministry and the Fragmentation of the Church

28. Church Y.M. C.M. M.M. W.M. C.M. F.M. “Church” The History of Intergenerational (or, “Family”) Ministry

29. 4 Tiers of Developmental Influence Parents Non-parental committed adults Non-parental and non-committed adults/peers Media, Ecology

30. the point for us? The church must provide the SOCIAL CAPITAL that young people need to BOTH participate in the kingdom of God and to be NURTURED into adulthood by the household of faith We listen We engage We initiate We empower!

31. Abandonment has created holes in the net… Childhood Attachment Community Attachment Teacher small group leader

32. When there are holes in the net… Childhood Attachment Community Attachment Youth Professional Family Friend Teacher/ Coach Church Community Youth Leader Adoptive Ministry Social Capital

33. the point for us? The TRAJECTORY of ministry to the disconnected:

34. Adoptive Ministry We are family… we are siblings (John 1:12-13) Adoptive Ministry We are family… we are siblings (John 1:12-13) 1.In every church, there are those are “in” and “out” 2.As an “adopted” child, I am given a new family 3.Jesus has his eye uniquely on the vulnerable 4.Adoption is immanent for the outsider “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40) “We are God’s offspring” (Paul, Acts 17:28) 1.In every church, there are those are “in” and “out” 2.As an “adopted” child, I am given a new family 3.Jesus has his eye uniquely on the vulnerable 4.Adoption is immanent for the outsider “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40) “We are God’s offspring” (Paul, Acts 17:28)

35. Adoptive Ministry The Goal of youth and children’s ministry is to participate with what God has declared is true by: - Proactively encouraging each one to actively participate in the community with gifts, relationship and voice - Corporately nurture, train, guide and protect the young and the vulnerable