ICHC Presents…….

Three out of every four kids attending a youth church group won’t be attending any church They May Be Leaving a Few Years From Now!

By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY Protestant churches are losing young adults in "sobering" numbers, a survey finds. Seven in 10 Protestants ages 18 to 30 — both evangelical and mainline — who went to church regularly in high school said they quit attending by age 23, according to the survey by LifeWay Research. And 34% of those said they had not returned, even sporadically, by age 30. That means about one in four Protestant young people have left the church. "This is sobering news that the church needs to change the way it does ministry," says Ed Stetzer, director of Nashville-based LifeWay Research, which is affiliated with the publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. "It seems the teen years are like a free trial on a product. By 18, when it's their choice whether to buy in to church life, many don't feel engaged and welcome," says associate director Scott McConnell. Young adults aren't sticking with church

Beware Invasion of the “NONES” No Religious Affiliation

Religious “Nones” – are people who self- identify as atheists or agnostics, as well as those who say their religion is “nothing in particular” – they now make up roughly 23% of the U.S. adult population according to Pew Research.

NONES Present Tremendous Influence on Today’s Teens! Overall, religiously unaffiliated people are more concentrated among young adults than other age groups – 35% of Millennials (those born ) are “nones.” In addition, the unaffiliated as a whole are getting even younger.

Create a sense of belonging at your church Do youth feel that they have space to meet the needs and desires that are truly “theirs?” What can you do to make church experience even more “theirs?” How can you involve youth in making it “theirs?” Suggestions

Create opportunities to develop competence in youth Discover how many of your youth know what their talents and spiritual gifts are? Discover what can you do to help more students identify their own gifts and abilities? Discover how many of those who know their talents and spiritual gifts are actively using them? Discover what keeps them from using them? What can you to do remove those obstacles? Discover what does your ministry do to develop students’ leadership potential? Discover what else can you do to help develop students’ leadership abilities either in your church and community? See more at: students-at-your-church#sthash.a83Juipb.dpuf

Create environments for: Youth to better understand and grow in faith Youth to genuinely encounter God Youth to learn how to develop, relate and apply their faith to daily life and to the world Youth to practice using their voice to affect positive change in church and community Adults to nurture, support and partner with youth in the application of their faith to daily life and positive social change Adults to practice responding to these youth needs… Youth need advocates, guides, experiences and constructive challenges

BE Have Your Youth to Answer The Following Questions

In your opinion, what is a Christian? If someone asked, what would you say?” How do you feel about church? How can church be better for you personally? What would church need to be like in order for you to be excited about inviting your friends? How do your friends feel about church and Christianity? What are they saying about it? How is it for you trying to live like a Christian in everyday life? Among your closest friends? In school? In community? What would help you do that better?

How does your church need to change to better help it’s own young people to grow spiritually? Community “Are churches really doing something to make the world better for people in need? Where is it falling short and what else should it be doing? What could it be doing to better help young people in your community? How does it need to change it’s approach so that community such that youth see it as more than just a building?

Pastors & Leaders How Will You Respond To Youth Voice?