Mission Lifeguard 1

Question #1. What is the percentage of young people who have left your church (or conference)?

Question #2. How do you know?

How many young people are in your church (or conference)?

Question #2. How do you know?

Once saved, always saved Is this a Seventh-day Adventist belief?

Once saved, always saved Is this a Seventh-day Adventist practice?

1978

Young people need to create a new identity. Being different from the established norm gives them a new identity.

1978 Put them in charge of the church so they can create their new identity IN THE CHURCH instead of outside of the church.

2000

1,523 baptized young people, ages in baptized young people, ages in 1997.

2000 “It seems reasonable to believe that at least 40-50% of Seventh-Day Adventist teenagers in North America are essentially leaving the church by their middle 20s.”

2000 Of the 783 in the last year of the study, 1/3 had changed their address in the previous year.

2000 Of the 783 in the last year of the study, 80% were presently members of the SDA Church.

2000 Of the 783 in the last year of the study, 80% were presently members of the SDA Church. But only 55% attend church regularly.

2005 NSYR

2005 NSYR “Religion and spirituality are indeed very significant in the lives of many American teenagers.”

2009 NSYR

2009 “The common wisdom that religiosity declines sharply during the young adult years is shown to be greatly exaggerated.” NSYR

2011

“43% drop-off between the teen and early adult years in terms of church engagement.”

2011 “The dropout problem is, at its core, a faith-development problem.”

2011 “The church is not adequately preparing the next generation to follow Christ faithfully in a rapidly changing culture.”

NOMADS

NOMADS They walk away from church engagement but still consider themselves to be Christian.

PRODIGALS

PRODIGALS They lose their faith and consider themselves to “no longer be Christian.”

EXILES

EXILES They are still invested in their Christian faith but they feel “stuck” or “lost” between culture and the church.

2012

Churches that implemented MISSION LIFEGUARD reclaimed 83% of their young people in 6 months, and 94% of their young people in 12 months.

I made up those numbers, just like other people do when they “quote statistics” about young people leaving the church!

CPR

Connect P R

Connect Praise R

Connect Praise Release

CPRCPR

Chit-chat P R

Chit-chat Pout R

Chit-chat Pout Restrict

How hard can it be?

SPOTTERS

LIFEGUARDS

What are the top 3 qualities you would want in a lifeguard?

A fool-proof way to keep young people in the church!

“Church-Boy Charlie”

2012 $8.95 for the booklet. On sale at SECC Convention for only $5

2012 $39.95 for the complete kit. Includes the leadership booklet, 2 t-shirts, whistle, tote bag and media kit.