THEPARENT ·  · 2013-03-09The Simple Truth Bible (Simply Youth Ministry) offers 366 daily...

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THEPARENTLINK March 2013 FOR PARENTS OF TEENS TIPS >>> PONDER THIS WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? Since emerging about 40 years ago, the field of youth ministry has touched many lives. Yet as the wider church slowly fades into the cultural background, youth ministry’s future is at risk. What does that mean for you and your kids? Participants at Group Publishing’s first-ever Future of the Church Summit explored this question. Neil Howe, author of several generational biographies, emphasized that the millennial generation is looking for environments that: Emphasize a sense of authentic community. Offer a variety of ministry growth experiences. Give people opportunities to do good deeds together. Use a student-centered rather than a teacher-focused learning approach. When summit participants crafted a vision for the church’s next decade, five transformative themes emerged: 1. An emphasis on relationships. 2. A return to Jesusas opposed to attendance, buildings, and cash. 3. A focus on community and the needs of the community. 4. An atmosphere infused with conversation. 5. More reliance on lay leadership, or “the priesthood of all believers.” Today’s young people are dynamically shaping this church of the future. THE VIEW Four out of five Americans say they’re sure there’s a God, and they identify with a faith group. But only half (or less) of them actually attend a church. Although 40% of Americans say they attend church every week, the actual number is more like 20%. In just the last five years, the percentage of teenagers attending church every week has dropped from 20% to 15%. About 4,000 churches shut down every year. Hartford Institute What changes do you predict for the future of the church and youth ministry? How do you think they’ll affect you and your family? What do you look for in a church, and how does that differ from what your kids look for? What are some ways you can help your kids take ownership of their role in the church? Group magazine editor Rick Lawrence, who participated in the Future of the Church Summit, offers this take on what’s ahead: The rise in “unaffiliated” Christians. If nothing cataclysmic happens to reverse the trend, more and more young people will abandon traditional church structures in favor of organizations and gatherings that offer “ownership” roles and experiential relationships with others. The need to do good deeds. Kids want opportunities to live out their faith by doing, not by pondering, great truths. Their faith language is action, not contemplation. A focus on Jesus. Ned Erickson shares “The Progession,” which perfectly captures the consuming focus of effective ministries in the future: “Get to know Jesus well, because the more you know him, the more you’ll love him, and the more you love him, the more you’ll want to follow him, and the more you follow him, the more you’ll become like him, and the more you become like him, the more you become yourself.” The need for conversation. Our families and churches should promote two-way conversation instead of one-way lecturing. Create an expectation every time you get together that conversation will be a big part of what you’re doing.

Transcript of THEPARENT ·  · 2013-03-09The Simple Truth Bible (Simply Youth Ministry) offers 366 daily...

THEPARENTLINK

March 2013 FOR PARENTS OF TEENS

TIPS >>> PONDER THIS

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

Since emerging about 40 years ago, the field of youth ministry has touched many

lives. Yet as the wider church slowly fades into the cultural background, youth

ministry’s future is at risk. What does that mean for you and your kids?

Participants at Group Publishing’s first-ever Future of the Church Summit

explored this question. Neil Howe, author of several generational biographies,

emphasized that the millennial generation is looking for environments that:

Emphasize a sense of authentic community.

Offer a variety of ministry growth experiences.

Give people opportunities to do good deeds together.

Use a student-centered rather than a teacher-focused learning approach.

When summit participants crafted a vision for the church’s next decade, five

transformative themes emerged:

1. An emphasis on relationships.

2. A return to Jesus—as opposed to attendance, buildings, and cash.

3. A focus on community and the needs of the community.

4. An atmosphere infused with conversation.

5. More reliance on lay leadership, or “the priesthood of all believers.”

Today’s young people are dynamically shaping this church of the future.

THE VIEW Four out of five Americans

say they’re sure there’s a God,

and they identify with a faith

group. But only half (or less)

of them actually attend a

church.

Although 40% of Americans

say they attend church every

week, the actual number is

more like 20%.

In just the last five years, the

percentage of teenagers

attending church every week

has dropped from 20% to

15%.

About 4,000 churches shut

down every year.

—Hartford Institute

What changes do you predict for

the future of the church and

youth ministry? How do you

think they’ll affect you and your

family?

What do you look for in a

church, and how does that differ

from what your kids look for?

What are some ways you can

help your kids take ownership of

their role in the church?

Group magazine editor Rick

Lawrence, who participated in the

Future of the Church Summit,

offers this take on what’s ahead:

The rise in “unaffiliated”

Christians. If nothing

cataclysmic happens to reverse

the trend, more and more young

people will abandon traditional

church structures in favor of

organizations and gatherings that

offer “ownership” roles and

experiential relationships with

others.

The need to do good deeds. Kids

want opportunities to live out their

faith by doing, not by pondering,

great truths. Their faith language

is action, not contemplation.

A focus on Jesus. Ned Erickson

shares “The Progession,” which

perfectly captures the consuming

focus of effective ministries in the

future: “Get to know Jesus well,

because the more you know him, the

more you’ll love him, and the more

you love him, the more you’ll want

to follow him, and the more you

follow him, the more you’ll become

like him, and the more you become

like him, the more you become

yourself.”

The need for conversation. Our

families and churches should

promote two-way conversation

instead of one-way lecturing. Create

an expectation every time you get

together that conversation will be a

big part of what you’re doing.

The Simple Truth Bible (Simply Youth Ministry) offers 366 daily devotionals so young people can become rooted in God’s Word. They’ll find perspective on how each day’s passage fits into the big picture of the Bible—and their lives.

BIBLE FOCUS You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. … And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Ephesians 2:19-20, 22

A Peek Into the Future Expert Insights for Parents of Teenagers

By Josh Griffin

RESOURCE

Although we can’t predict the

future, here are some thoughts to

ponder about what we know will

happen to the whole church in a

few years:

Kids currently in youth ministry

will be the parents at church in 10

years. So teach them well. Seek role

models if you’re in a single-parent

home. Nudge kids to show honor and

love, knowing that they’ll be in the

parent role in the not-so-distant

future. And help kids stay pure in the

meantime so parenthood doesn’t

happen earlier than it should.

Kids currently in youth ministry will

be the missionaries of the world in 12

years.

Young people will be taking the

gospel to the last people groups who

haven’t heard it and will be

translating the Bible into the final,

most obscure languages. So

encourage kids to experience

missions opportunities. Seek

scholarship money, if necessary, so

they can go on trips. And faithfully

model servanthood.

Kids currently in youth ministry

will run the church in 15 years.

Teenagers will eventually be the

pastors, elders, and deacons of the

church. They’ll be making game-

changing decisions about the

standards of the church and the

interpretation of the Bible. Kids

will be hit with a myriad of huge

decisions—including including ones

that our generation wrestles with but

leaves largely to them. So make sure

your kids are grounded in the Word.

Entrust them with leadership

responsibilities. And partner with your

church and youth ministry to make sure

kids are discipled well.

As evangelist Greg Stier points out,

“The more spiritually mature adults who

are willing to mentor their teens and

other teens, the better!” By integrating

the power of parents with the power of

church and youth ministry, we ensure a

bright future for our teenagers—and for

the entire church.

—SimplyYouthMinistry.com

MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

MAINSTREAM MUSIC

SKRILLEX

Background: This 25-year-old

electronic musician and DJ got his

start in the rock band From First

to Last, under his real name,

Sonny Moore. He left in 2007 and

went solo, playing electronic

music under the name Skrillex.

He’s released numerous EPs and

is also in demand as a producer.

Skrillex has won three Grammy

Awards and an MTV Video

Music Award. Unfortunately, his

songs often include cursing.

Albums: Leaving (2013),

Bangarang (2011), Scary

Monsters and Nice Sprites (2010)

What Skrillex Says: When

talking about his newfound fame,

he says, “Well, I don’t want to

sound overly humble because

that’s almost egotistical in its own

right, but I feel like I’m not trying

to do anything. I’m just existing

and making the music I want to

make.”

Explore: Skrillex has entire

albums available on YouTube and

Spotify.

CHRISTIAN MUSIC

PLUMB

Background: Plumb is the

stage name of Tiffany Lee,

whose first album came out

15 years ago. Her sound

varies from alt-rock to

contemporary to pop, with

some dance and electronic

remixes. Plumb was about to

retire in 2000 when she

received a grateful fan letter

regarding “Damaged,” her

song about a girl coping with

abuse. Realizing the effect her

music had on real people, she

decided to keep singing.

Albums: Need You Now

(2013), Blink (2007),

Candycoatedwaterdrops (1999)

What Plumb Says: About

her new single “Need You

Now,” she says, “It took me a

long time to realize that

putting all of my faith and

hope and trust in God and not

myself is where I find true

peace.”

Explore: Check out Plumb on

Spotify or other music

services.

MOVIES

Movie: The Host

Genre: Suspense, Thriller

Rating: PG-13 (for some

sensuality and violence)

Synopsis: In this new

franchise from Twilight creator

Stephenie Meyer, an unseen

enemy threatens mankind by

taking over bodies and erasing

memories. A young woman

must risk her life to save loved

ones.

Our Take: Like Twilight, this

is a love story, so expect teen

girls to flock to it. But if it has

the same kind of unhealthy

viewpoints about love that

Twilight did, be sure to

debrief.

Movie: The Incredible

Burt Wonderstone

Genre: Comedy

Rating: Not yet rated

Synopsis: A successful Vegas

magic duo (Steve Carell and

Steve Buscemi) secretly

despise each other. But they

must learn to reconcile if

they’re going to hold off an up

-and-coming street magician

(Jim Carrey).

Our Take: The three stars

have serious comedy chops, so

we hope this movie gets a

PG-13 rating.

VIDEO GAMES

Tomb Raider—EA is rebooting the wildly popular adventures of Lara Croft, this time returning to her

early days of adventuring. If the trailers are any indication, there will be a lot more people-killing and a lot

less tomb-raiding than past editions—which is a shame, because the tomb-raiding was a lot of fun. (Rated

M; Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

Gears of War: Judgment—This is a prequel for the incredibly successful “Gears” franchise. In this third-

person shooter, players fight against the alien onslaught, so expect plenty of alien gore. (Rated M; Xbox

360 exclusive)