In January, Elder Barbara Knoops and I spent 2 days at the RCA offices in Grand Rapids steeped in understanding more deeply the experiences of being a youth and young adult in today’s culture. The Growing Young Cohort is a fantastic resource the RCA is providing to help churches become more intergenerational and Barb and I walked away from the first summit feeling energized and filled with ideas. Hope Church has committed to becoming a “Growing Young Church”, which means over the next 2 years we will commit to identifying and addressing our strengths and weaknesses in our discipleship of youth and emerging adults and prioritize their needs, alongside the needs of the rest of our adults. Many of you have heard me talk about this exciting cohort and we are thrilled to have finally begun! Rather than being another programmatic element for all of us to add to our schedules and tasks, the Growing Young Cohort is a cultural shift, prioritizing listening to the needs of young people and older adults alike and encouraging our church body to discover ways we can draw all people together. There are 6 core commitments in becoming a Growing Young Church; that is these are the 6 hallmarks of churches that have a vibrant and age-diverse community.
- Unlock Key Chain Leadership – Instead of centralizing authority to just a few people, empower others in the church to lead, especially young people.
- Empathy Today- Instead of judging or criticizing young people, step into the shoes of this generation and wonder what life is like for them in today’s culture.
- Jesus’s Message- Instead of asserting formulaic gospel claims, empower young people to live in Christ, both within our church walls, but especially in our world.
- Warm Relationships – Instead of focusing only on worship or programs for discipleship, aim for warm peer and intergenerational friendships.
- Prioritize Everywhere- Don’t just tell young people they matter, look for creative ways to tangibly support, resource, and involve them in all facets of our congregational life.
- Be the Best Neighbors – Enable young people to neighbor well locally and globally. Demonstrate that life in Christ means loving God and our neighbors as ourselves.
You might recognize that some of these commitments we are already doing well and a few that are opportunities for more growth. You will be hearing more about this in the coming months, including participating in a church wide survey that gauges the experiences and commitment of younger and older adults. If any of this sounds intriguing to you, consider joining our core leadership team! Barbara and I are looking for folks to assist with listening to the needs of church members and imagining what a Growing Young church could look like for our congregation. This is a low time commitment activity and if you are interested in helping, please contact Pastor Beth.
~Beth Carroll, Assistant Pastor of Discipleship