Trends in Adults

Ken Braddy Manager – Ongoing Bible Studies

The Diga del Cingino Dam in Italy. Notice what appear to be imperfections (protrusions) in the face of the dam wall…

These are European Ibex, and they like to eat the moss and lick the salt on the dam wall

Perspective matters. What’s your perspective on the adult members and guests of your Sunday School?

Think about the adult members and guests who attend your church…. …what kinds of trends do you see? Share your thoughts with a neighbor

Trend 1: The Boomer Wave

The Senior Segment is Growing Americans 65+ are the fastest growing segment of the population The number of Americans 65+ has increased twelve-fold (3.1M to 37.9M) An American turns sixty every 7 seconds (24 hours from now, 11,520 more adults will have turned 60) Source: Boomers & Beyond, p.4

Senior Segment Will Almost Double ,781,49738,784, ,932,58824,562, ,914,0638,744,986 39,628,14872,091,915 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, National Population Estimates & Projections

How Fast is the Country Aging? The older population grew 18 times as fast as the younger generation between 2000 and 2010 (source: U.S. Census Data) <

Happy B-Day, Centenarians! People living to 100 will quadruple by 2050

Projected Future % of Population Age 65+ Percent of Population13%19% (1:5)

Labor Force Participation Rates Age 65+ ( ) % of Population Men, Age %29%20%17%18%22% Total, Age %18%13%11%13%17% Women, Age % 9%8%9%14% Source: US Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Statistics, Current Population Survey Q: What trend do you see?

Marital Status Ages 65-74Ages 75+ MaleFemaleMaleFemale Married78%55%67%30% Widowed6%24%22%59% Divorced10%15%6% Separated1.4%1.6%1%.5% Never5%4% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, DataFerrett, Current Population Survey Q: What trend do you see?

10 States with 1M or more Seniors 1.California 2.Florida 3.Illinois 4.Michigan 5.New Jersey 6.New York 7.North Carolina 8.Ohio 9.Pennsylvania 10.Texas

Seniors Respond to the Gospel BAPTISMS BY AGE GROUPS, SBC YoungSenior PreschoolChildren YouthAdult YearTotal(Under 6) (6-8)(9-11)(12-17)(18-29)(30-59)(60+) ,6574,40351,65474,99493,10070,466105,02415, ,9304,36449,13871,60786,92866,104101,80515, ,8934,38649,28770,88284,05665,906102,68017, ,3574,13948,95467,84681,24661,39497,96815, ,9474,20749,76767,59184,04063,772102,18016, ,8504,27249,68365,47981,70860,36294,13016, ,8264,17949,84765,07579,58758,09991,75416, ,9413,87845,82561,79275,98955,92987,73314, ,1983,84044,74161,23375,21556,04184,66716, ,7373,89144,16263,04076,44257,33187,61117, ,0083,35642,30259,81573,11854,32681,73016,361 Source: LifeWay Research

Trend 1: What opportunities do you see?  Begin a ministry to Boomers…and let them lead it  Major life events make Boomers open to the Gospel…evangelize them  Boomers have experience, financial resources, and time…recruit them  Boomers will serve, but it won’t be every Sunday…allow flexibility

Books on Boomers I Recommend Boomers & Beyond (Amy Hanson) R-E-S-P-E-C-T (Craig & Gandy) One Church, Four Generations (McIntosh) Who Stole My Church? (McDonald) Designing an Older Adult Ministry (Gentzler) Catch the Age Wave (Win Arn) Forward Together (Johnston) The Graying of the Flock (Knapp)

Trend 2: Church Attendance, Baptisms, & Giving We aren’t in Kansas anymore…

Baptisms Declined in % decline to 314,956 people 1:50 ratio in SBC churches Baptisms declined 6 of last 8 years…2012 baptisms lowest since 1948 “While we celebrate every new baptized believer represented by these numbers, fewer reported baptisms is heartbreaking” – Thom S. Rainer, President and CEO of LifeWay

BAPTISMS BY AGE GROUPS, SBC YoungSenior PreschoolChildren YouthAdult YearTotal(Under 6) (6-8)(9-11)(12-17)(18-29)(30-59)(60+) ,6574,40351,65474,99493,10070,466105,02415, ,9304,36449,13871,60786,92866,104101,80515, ,8934,38649,28770,88284,05665,906102,68017, ,3574,13948,95467,84681,24661,39497,96815, ,9474,20749,76767,59184,04063,772102,18016, ,8504,27249,68365,47981,70860,36294,13016, ,8264,17949,84765,07579,58758,09991,75416, ,9413,87845,82561,79275,98955,92987,73314, ,1983,84044,74161,23375,21556,04184,66716, ,7373,89144,16263,04076,44257,33187,61117, ,0083,35642,30259,81573,11854,32681,73016,361 Baptisms in the past decade

ACP Reports Show Decline in 4 Areas “…most of the ACP metrics declined in 2012 including membership, average attendance, baptisms and total giving” – Facts & Trends, June 2013

Trend 2: How should the church respond?  Train members to share their faith…and share yours  Encourage members to build relationships with lost neighbors, co-workers, friends, etc.  “Clarify the win” for Sunday School leaders and their group members  Be accountable for your group’s evangelistic efforts

Trend 2: How should the church respond?  Teach on biblical stewardship  Tell stories about people…put a face on your giving  Reclaim inactive members  Be proactive in reaching out to guests and prospects  Establish a new member’s class and explain your church’s expectations of members

Trend 3: Biblical views of marriage and family will be challenged

LifeWay Online Survey of Adults March 12, percent of American adults agree same-sex marriage is a civil rights issue 63 percent agree and 27 percent disagree that pastors should be allowed to refuse to officiate same- sex weddings if they are made legal in their state; 58 percent agree and 33 percent disagree that photographers should be allowed to refuse to work same- sex weddings if they are made legal in their state

LifeWay Online Survey of Adults March 12, percent agree and 52 percent disagree that rental halls should be allowed to refuse to rent out their facilities for same-sex weddings if they are made legal in their state; 27 percent agree and 67 percent disagree landlords should be allowed to refuse to rent housing to same-sex couples if same-sex marriage is made legal in their state; 14 percent agree and 82 percent disagree employers should be allowed to refuse employment to someone based on their sexual preference.

Trend 3: How should the church respond?  Realize that believing what the Bible says about sexuality increasingly puts us at odds with the culture  Without hiding our beliefs, we must look for opportunities to have conversations, build relationships, and demonstrate grace  Lift up couples who are examples of what biblical marriage should look like  Regularly teach on marriage from a biblical perspective

Trend 3: How should the church respond?  Don’t use social media to rant and rave  Live a godly example for others to see…we will increasingly look different than the culture  When we have attention drawn to us, boldly share Christ and keep the focus on the cross, His forgiveness, and the fact we are all sinners who can be saved by grace

Trend 4: Growth of the Non-religious

July 2, 2013 Survey by  1/3 of adults under age 30 are “religiously unaffiliated”  1/5 of adults age 18+ have no religious affiliation  2/3 of Americans (religious and irreligious) say that religion is losing its influence in America  55% of the unaffiliated say the trend doesn’t make much difference for our society

“Nones” on the rise Pew Forum survey Oct. 9, 2012  Unaffiliated adults have increased from 15% to 20% of the US population in the past 5 years  Unaffiliated adults believe religious institutions are too concerned with money, power, too focused on rules, and too involved in politics  2/3 of the unaffiliated say they believe in God (68%)  88% of the unaffiliated are not looking for a religion that is “right for them”

Trend 4: How should the church respond?  Establish relevant ministries to people of your community…make a difference (21% of the unaffiliated believe churches make a difference by aiding the poor and strengthening the community)  Do not expect the unaffiliated to come looking for a church home…you will have to go to them  Establish sermon series and Bible studies that address felt needs to “connect the unconnected”

Trend 5: Leadership Training and Starting New Groups are connected to Sunday School growth

Starting New Groups

Does the circle look like this? “The natural inertia of any group is to turn inward” (Missionary Sunday School) Form a Circle & hold hands… Is there another way to form a circle and still hold hands?

Curriculum investment for a group of 10: approximately $230/year Annual giving by the members of the group: $10,000+/year

# of people in the group Per capita giving Annual total 10$20$10,400 15$20$15,600 10$35$18,200 15$35$27,300 10$50$26,000

My church in Murfreesboro, TN

Trend 5: How should the church respond?  Regularly start new groups  Implement leadership training