Shift Happens: (Trans)Forming Peacemaking Sons (and Daughters) of God in the 21st Century” Thursday, June 2 9:00 a.m.

Shift Happens

Shift Happens: Religious Preferences of Entering College Students: January 1989 Roman Catholic: 36.2% Roman Catholic: 36.2% Baptist: 13.4% Baptist: 13.4% Methodist: 8.7% Methodist: 8.7% Lutheran: 6.2% Lutheran: 6.2% Presbyterian: 4.5% Presbyterian: 4.5% Other Protestant: 4.8% Other Protestant: 4.8%

Shift Happens: Religious Preferences of Entering College Students: January 1989 Other: 5.5% Other: 5.5% Jewish: 3.2% Jewish: 3.2% Buddhist: 0.4% Buddhist: 0.4% Muslim: 0.3% Muslim: 0.3% Hindu: NA Hindu: NA None: 11.6% None: 11.6%

Shift Happens: Religious Preferences of Entering College Students: January 2011 Roman Catholic: 26.6% Roman Catholic: 26.6% Baptist: 10.1% Baptist: 10.1% Methodist: 4.1% Methodist: 4.1% Lutheran: 3.3% Lutheran: 3.3% Presbyterian: 2.9% Presbyterian: 2.9% Other Christian: 12.6% Other Christian: 12.6%

Shift Happens: Religious Preferences of Entering College Students: January 2011 Other: 2.9% Other: 2.9% Jewish: 2.9% Jewish: 2.9% Buddhist: 1.2% Buddhist: 1.2% Muslim: 1.0% Muslim: 1.0% Hindu: 0.8% Hindu: 0.8% None: 23.0% None: 23.0%

Shift Happens: A Young Adult’s Lament “I really thought long and hard about becoming a member of the church and prayed for God to guide me. I took the step seriously and when I finally decided to make my commitment to Christ and his ways, all I got was…

A Question Worth Pondering Posed by a Jewish Parent “My son’s school guidance counselor met with me to talk about his intellectual and social development. With a gracious smile she said, ‘It’s so important for children to fit in and feel like they are a part of the larger culture.’ And I said to her…

A Question Worth Pondering Posed by a Jewish Parent ‘Why on earth would I want that?’

A Question Worth Pondering Posed by a Jewish Parent Since I want him to grow up Jewish and know himself to be Jewish first and foremost and therefore different from the larger culture, that’s the last thing I want!”

Think About It… How many practicing Jews do you know who play for any of the big universities or the NFL?

Shift Happens “It’s 1973 and I’m in my small-town high-school history class. My teacher asks, “How many of you are Protestant?” About a third of the students raise their hands, and the teacher exclaims, “Wow, that many of you are Catholic!” Jump ahead thirty-six years.”

Shift Happens “I’m having a conversation with a friend about her commitment to raising children outside the church. She explains, ‘What intelligent person would possibly look to the church as a moral compass these days?’ Times have changed.” - Cassandra D. Carkuff Williams, Learning the Way: Reclaiming Wisdom from the Earliest Christian Communities

Shift Happens Whether we like it or not, most year olds describe us as Anti-Homosexual Anti-Homosexual Judgmental Judgmental Hypocritical Hypocritical Old-fashioned Old-fashioned

Shift Happens Too involved in (conservative) politics Too involved in (conservative) politics Out of Touch with Reality Out of Touch with Reality Insensitive Insensitive Boring Boring Kinnaman and Lyons, unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity…And Why It Matters (2007)

A Question to Ponder “Why do I as a teenager have to go through Confirmation class but a 30 something who wants to join the church only has to tell the preacher and the next week she is baptized and joins the church? It doesn’t seem fair, especially if she’s never been a part of the church.”

Shift Happens: Ways to Respond

Shift Happens Discern the proper age for each candidate (9 th grade+) Discern the proper age for each candidate (9 th grade+) Ask questions: What are you seeking? Why do you want to become a Christ follower? What’s been your journey so far? What needs to die in you so Christ can live in you? What aspects of the Christian Way are not easy for you? Ask questions: What are you seeking? Why do you want to become a Christ follower? What’s been your journey so far? What needs to die in you so Christ can live in you? What aspects of the Christian Way are not easy for you?

Shift Happens: Ways to Respond Incorporate the church in the formation of disciples through prayer and liturgy Incorporate the church in the formation of disciples through prayer and liturgy Use Accountability Groups Use Accountability Groups Provide Mentors in the Faith Provide Mentors in the Faith Form the habit of worship Form the habit of worship Claim the power of the Eucharist to Feed, Form and Transform Claim the power of the Eucharist to Feed, Form and Transform

Shift Happens: Ways to Respond Do Transformational-Reflective Bible Study (e.g., Lectio Divina) Do Transformational-Reflective Bible Study (e.g., Lectio Divina) Teach Prayer Teach Prayer Practice Spiritual Disciplines (e.g. retreat, silence, fasting, journaling) Practice Spiritual Disciplines (e.g. retreat, silence, fasting, journaling) Discern Spiritual Gifts Discern Spiritual Gifts Serve the Poor Serve the Poor Don’t Be in a Rush Don’t Be in a Rush

Shift Happens: Additional Resources David Platt. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream (Multnomah, 2010) David Platt. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream (Multnomah, 2010) Companions in Christ Resources Companions in Christ Resources Richard Foster. Celebration of Discipline (3 rd ed., Harper, 1988) Richard Foster. Celebration of Discipline (3 rd ed., Harper, 1988) North American Association for the Catechumenate, North American Association for the Catechumenate, Shift Happens Video: 363A2Qg Shift Happens Video: 363A2Qg