STEMMING THE TIDE WITHIN

BEHIND THE WALL TACTICS FOR ALL OF US

3US ALL

A TALE OF TWO TABLES

INFL

UEN

CES

YOUNG ADULTS

: DROPO

UT?

TECH

CHURCH

PASTORS

CONVERSION

PARENTS

YM

CULTURE

BRAIN

What can

we do?

1

Our Conversion Story As Strategy

2IN

FLU

ENCE

S Moralistic

Therapeutic

Deism

REVIEW2

Our Conversion Story, when we rightly understand it,

and rightly communicate it, becomes the strategy God wants to use

to extend His kingdom.

Acts 1:8!

MAIN QUESTION3

Does your church have a plan for making disciples of its members?

Does it have a well-designed, well-communicated, intently pursued plan

for making disciples?

DISSUADED FROM DROPOUT?

3(1) If you had a proven plan for your spiritual growth to take place this next year? (2) If the Bible was explained to you and taught behind the pulpit and in your small group? (3) If the people in your church were all deeply and seriously committed to your church body and to you? (4) If there was a vision matched by well thought out plans for reaching out to the community for the sake of Jesus Christ?

ESSENTIAL MODEL3

Simplify—develop a clear structure and process for making disciples, Deepen—provide strong, biblical teaching and preaching, Expectation—have an attitude that communicates to its members that they must be committed to the local congregation, and Multiply—have an outward focus and be driven to reach people for Christ (start new churches!)

GOD’S WILL FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

3Deuteronomy 6 7 Impress them on your children... Talk when you sit…walk …lie down …get up.

Judges 1…another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel

Psalm 78:1-8We will not hide the praiseworthy

deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done …so the next

generation would know them…

I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST

3(1) The dropout problem is a naturally inherited problem from our spiritual grandparents.(2) The dropout problem is not just a youth problem, but an entire church problem.  (3) Young adults might be leaving for good reasons.

Be missionaries to our youth in their culture!

INTRO SUMMARY3

There isn’t ONE factor when we research the dropout problem or faith defection.

Problem: Young adults, after graduating High School, are (1) not interested in keeping up the habit of attending church, (2) have much their spiritual energy fade, and (3) lack a faith that is consequential.

 

NOTE3

The greatest influences in young adult lives are

those of adults, most specifically,

the parents.

YOUNG ADULTS: DROPO

UT?

TECHNOLOGY

IDOLS CHURCH WARS:

TRAD VS. EMERG

WEAK PASTORIN

G

INCOMPLETE

CONVERSIONS“FAKE”

CHRISTIAN

PARENTS

POOR YM EXPERIEN

CE

FAST-PACED

CULTURE

LATE BRAIN

DEVELOP’T

3IN

FLU

ENCE

S

A FRAMEWORK FOR MINISTRY TO FAMILIES

31. Shared Wisdom

2. The Intergenerational Golden Rule

3. Parental Discipleship4. Plan, Pray, Repeat

5. The Earlier the Better6. Faith Talk Regularly (Back

Seat Theology)

A FRAMEWORK FOR MINISTRY TO FAMILIES

37. Adult Support (5:1)

8. Enemy Awareness and Cultural Engagement

9. Do Your Part, Let God Do His10. Biblical Teaching

11. Identity Formation12. Their Choice

YOUNG ADULTS: DROPO

UT?

LACK INTIMACY

CHURCH ILLUSION

QUESTION AUTHORIT

Y

INCOMPLETE

HALF ALIVE

STILLBORN

FUN-BASED

CULTURE CAUGHT

LATE BRAIN

DEVELOP’T

3IN

FLU

ENCE

S

PARENT DISCIPLESHIP

GOLDEN RULE

BIBLICAL TEACHING

IDENTITY FORMATION

THEIR CHOICE

EARLYFAITH TALK

AWARE & ENGAGE

Simplify—the Church develops a clear structure and process for making disciples

(1) Parental discipleship and training in sharing their faith;

Deepen—the Church provides strong biblical teaching and preaching

(2) Providing intentional guided space and time for young people to claim the Name of Jesus Christ for themselves;

Expect—the church has an attitude that communicates to its members that they must be committed to the local congregation

(3) Structuring the entire local church’s vision of having “Eternal Life” as a “Family of God” identity and experience; the expectation is for you to be a disciple of Jesus!

Multiply—the church has an outward focus, driven to reach people for Christ and starting new churches --(Rainer and Rainer 2008, 21)

(4) Providing tools and training in spiritual warfare as “behind the wall” tactic for infiltration in our culture and being on the offensive for the Kingdom of God.

IN SUMMARY 3

RITES OF PASSAGE

FOR EVERY GRADE

KINDERGARTEN: THE LORD'S PRAYERThe kids learn the Lord’s prayer and explore what it means. At the end of the lessons, kids recite the prayer by memory.

FIRST GRADE: JOHN 3:16During Sunday School students start to learn the basic idea of the gospel.

Families work with their kids to understand this concept over dinner conversations designed by our Children’s Ministry team.

SECOND GRADE: FIRST BIBLEIntroduce a milestone that helps train parents and kids about the importance of reading the Word of God. At the beginning of the year, parents attend a class on the importance of teaching and reading the Bible to their kids and helping their kids start to read their own Bibles.

Then during the following Sunday service, families are brought forward and the parents are given Bibles by the pastors.

The parents then hand the Bible to their own kids and make a promise in front of the church to teach them and read them the Word of God.

Then throughout the school year, kids are encouraged to bring their Bibles to Sunday School so that they can learn how to read and learn from them.

THIRD GRADE: FIRST COMMUNIONParents and kids attend a special class that teaches kids the meaning of communion.

Then at a special ceremony during worship, parents serve their kids communion for the first time.

SEDER MEAL?

FOURTH GRADE: THE 10 COMMANDMENTSKids learn the meaning of the “law” and what the 10 Commandments are in the context of a Sunday School class.

At the end of the year, they recite the 10 commandments by memory.

FIFTH GRADE: THE APOSTLE'S CREEDEach family receives Luther’s Small Catechism as kids start to learn the meaning of their faith and what the Apostle’s Creed means with their families.

FATHER/SON RETREAT

SIXTH GRADE: CHURCH HISTORYBeing raised in a Lutheran church, during this time kids start to learn why Martin Luther was important to our faith tradition through special classes on Martin Luther.

SEVENTH GRADE: YOUTH BIBLE & CONFIRMATIONEach student receives a new Bible as they enter Confirmation/Middle School ministry

EIGHTH GRADE: CONFIRMATIONAfter the student has gone through the 2 years of our Confirmation that trains them through scripture and theological discussion, they can be confirmed as members of the congregation.

On the Saturday before Confirmation [Easter?] Sunday, families are invited to celebrate their teen’s faith milestone at a special banquet (Seder?) dinner.

As a part of the banquet dinner, each teen is affirmed by their parent(s) in a public affirmation.

Then on Sunday, the confirmands are confirmed in front of their church community and prayed over by pastors, family, friends, and the community. BAR BARAKAH

PASSPORT TO PURITY

NINTH GRADE: DISCIPLESHIPPlacing each new high school teen into a discipleship group that would last for the rest of high school.

TENTH GRADE: GIFTINGSOffering a spiritual gifts class that would help teens discern his or her S.H.A.P.E., how their spiritual gifts, heart, natural abilities, personality, and experience work together as God’s calling to serve.

We then work to place each student in roles in our church serving alongside other adults in our community.

ELEVENTH GRADE: RETREATSBuilding two spiritual retreats into the year that encourage students to recharge during their craziest year of high school, as well as

help train them in deeper spiritual disciplines and prepare for their senior year and beyond. VBS VOLUNTEERS

TWELFTH GRADE: COMMISSIONINGCreating a monthly class for seniors to help them think through their spiritual life after high school.

At the end of the year, students are asked to invite friends and family to a barbeque celebration honoring all seniors.

During this time, seniors thank friends and family for helping them develop as a Christian, and seniors are invited to share the testimonies of their spiritual journeys.

On the following Sunday, the church community commissions students into the next phase of their spiritual life in a special ceremony.

RITES OF PASSAGE

FOR EVERY GRADE

See also "Milestones" by Brian Haynes, http://www.onemag.org/milestones.htm

RITES OF PASSAGE

FOR EVERY GRADE

1 Transition Prayers; 2 Milestones of Faith; Teaching 4th graders to Risk; Rite of Passage Rituals (here you go); 3 Anxiety in the In-Between Stages of Our Lives; 4

Sixth and Ninth-Grade Blessing Ceremonies; 5 What You Need to Know About Faith in College; 6 How Do I See Myself After Graduation?;

7 Vision Plans; 8 Grad Gift Bibles with a Twist; 9 The Jacket; 10 Emergency Response Plans; 11 How Can My Struggles Help My Faith Stick?; 12

Sticky Faith Story about Confirmation +this post about Confirmation, + this one with more ideas! 13 What You Need to Know about Life After Youth Group;

14 Sticky Faith Deployed; 15 Grad Summer Ideas; +senior retreat +church visit field trips; 16 How Can I Find a New Church?; 17 How Can I Manage My Life After High School? 18

Out of the Nest; 19 College Transition Packages; 20 Don’t Send Them Off Without Leads!

- See more at: http://fulleryouthinstitute.org/articles/fyi-playlist-20-free-resources-for-transition-season#sthash.NAZLKFoc.dpuf

DISSUADED FROM DROPOUT?

3(1) If you had A PROVEN PLAN for your spiritual growth to take place this next year? (2) If the BIBLE was EXPLAINED TO YOU and taught behind the pulpit and in your small group? (3) If the people in your church were all DEEPLY and SERIOUSLY committed to your church body AND TO YOU? (4) If there was a vision matched by well thought out plans for REACHING OUT to the community for the sake of Jesus Christ?

IDEAS TO END ON

1. The ALPHA Course (Intentional Jesus-Hospitality)2. Tweaked BIBLE QUIZZING Program3. OHIO CU Missions Trips4. Expected Discipleship Training Program in every

church

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IDEAS TO END ON

1. The ALPHA Course (Intentional Jesus-Hospitality)2. Tweaked BIBLE QUIZZING Program3. All State Missions Trips4. Expected Discipleship Training Program in every

church5. Rolling Youth Church Camp6. All Church Rites of Passage (as seen)7. Youth Mentor 5:1 Catechism/Bar Barakah/PTP8. Bible Story: Paint My Kitchen Ministry

http://7weekgospel10.weebly.com

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