What will youth ministry look like in 2020?
There are more studies of young people and their faith today than at any time in human history. Despite this wealth of information, our methods have not significantly changed since contemporary youth ministry was birthed in the 1950s and 60s. That will change in the coming years.
Here is my best shot at how youth ministry will morph by 2020:
1. “Missional Communities” will change youth ministry relationships
A movement is emerging in churches large and small across the U.S. It started in the U.K. decades ago as the church was forced to learn new strategies in an increasingly post-Christian culture. “Extended-family” type groups of 20-70 people are emerging in churches that have a very clear outward mission. Kids are a part of this movement – a future blog post will talk more about how Missional Communities may change youth ministry more than any other movement in the coming decades.
2. Intergenerational education programs for Senior Pastors will emerge
Future senior pastors will increasingly be expected to understand the dynamics of today’s intergenerational movement in churches. Seminaries and other entities will begin to offer opportunities for senior pastors to be immersed in its complexities.
Jim Candy is a pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church.
3. Sunday morning programs will become history
Congregations will become increasingly dissatisfied with the separation between adults and its young people at their weekend services. Worship services will change to accommodate younger people and those congre
gations that do not, will continue to disappear.
4. Same sex conversations will reach a fever pitch
Homosexuality, and the church’s view on that topic, will be a lightning rod for middle and high school kids in considering faith in Jesus. Youth ministries will increasingly need to lovingly converse with kids and the broader culture about its viewpoint – whatever it may be.
5. Professional youth ministry positions will become more rare
Churches will increasingly alter structures so that entire congregations and caring for young people and will rely less on paid staff than in previous decades. This will also be financially driven as more congregations will be forced to have a leaner staff.
6. Youth workers will be older
The stereotype of the youth worker as someone in their early 20s who views youth work as a stepping stone to another pastoral position will continue to fade away.
7. Youth workers will learn differently than previous decades
Conferences, books and seminars have been the major way youth workers have learned over the previous decades. The next decade will mark a continued emergence of youth workers learning together in smaller “cohorts” of up to 30 people.
8. Children’s ministry will emerge as the most strategic opportunity in the church
Youth workers will begin to realize that putting multiple, Jesus-loving adults in kids’ lives means to affect the way the entire family system thinks about their relationships. The best opportunity to influence those family relationships is when children are young and family relational patterns have not yet been established. Savvy youth ministries will seek to influence children’s ministry to encourage parents to create extended family relationships.
Chap Clark is Vice Provost at Fuller Theological Seminary.
9. Youth ministries will leverage technology to help kids process Jesus
Young people, elementary school age and up, will increasingly own smart phones and other technologies. Youth workers and ministries will learn how to leverage technology to help kids integrate Jesus into the different segments of their complex lives.
10. Leading churches will learn new ways to help kids serve
The days where churches create “service projects” for kids to participate in will decrease. In its place will emerge more thought-out ways that churches come alongside young people who demonstrate a passion for particular causes or issues. Leading churches will ask teenagers to dream, pray and then support young peoples’ passions rather than create service projects and ask them to participate.
One thing that will never change: adults who love young people without agenda in the name of Jesus will always be a precious commodity and used by God to help transform their lives. – Jim Candy
