Conspire Day 2, session C

Cultural Trends that Affect Children's Ministry, Larry Shallenberger

Why pay attention to culture? It's what you do when you love someone. You get into the culture of someone you love.

Trend 1--Outsiders view Christianity as the disease and not the cure
-It's socially acceptable and profitable to attack God. Organized religion is thought to create the problem.

Themes from Unchristian
-Too Hypocritical
-Too focused on getting converts
-Perceived as anti homosexual
-Too sheltered
-Too political
-Seen as being judgmental

These people had tried church but it didn't work out.

They doubt that we really love people the way we say we do.

Don't teach kids isolation, teach them love.

We've been given a theology of engagement--go into the world, love people.

Teach kids to bring their friends because they love them.

Try to create new heroes for the kids.

Emphasize servant hood.

Let the kids know there is a right and wrong.

2. Changing Face of the available Volunteer
The church once depended on moms because that was who was available. But who's available now?
-Retiring Boomers
*Want to make a difference not a contribution
*Not afraid to make a commitment when they see there is a payoff (what's in it for me?)
*They want flexibility

-Millennials
*Impatient
*Don't go the library, they google info for it
*As apt to shop online as go the store
*Video game expectations
*Multi Taskers
*Media Multitaskers
*Think digitally
*Tolerant
*Looking for Causes
*Team players but want to make a unique impression
*Want to be mentored by adults they trust.

Trend 3: The falling Price of Video Technology
We cannot use video to replace volunteers
"Electronic Flannel Graph"
Kids are becoming passive learners
Technology expands one thing, amputates others.
-People only remember 10% of what we hear and see in a month, 40% of what we discuss, 70-80% of what we do and 90% of what we teach someone else.

God made human beings to grow in community.
Use video, but evaluate on its ability to launch a conversation, he personally never uses clips longer than 5-7 minutes.