I posted back in November about Fuzz Kitto’s first session at Youthwork The Conference. From his unique global perspective, he was able to unpack a great deal about youth culture – and how it directly relates to the church and the role of youth workers – into a very short space of time. It gave me much to think about!

Below are Fuzz’s notes from the second session, published with permission, and augmented with my own comments. I’ve also added links to the various quotes and media where I can. Hopefully, the key points will make sense to anyone who did not attend the session.

Church Meet Youth

What is a Church?
I [describe it as] a group of people who know they need each other to bring in the Kingdom of God.

To phrase ‘Kingdom’ in contemporary language we might use Brian McClaren’s metaphor of The Sacred Eco-System of God (from ‘Everything Must Change‘).

Rethink Everything Video:

“In the Last Days,” God says, “I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters; Your young men will see visions, your old men dream dreams.
[youversion]Acts 2:17[/youversion] CEV

We’re asking the wrong question if we ask “how do we get young people into church?” Young people should be seen AS the church! They don’t need to be absorbed into it!

5 Reasons Why Young People’s Dreams & Visions Don’t Become Reality:

1. They Have Been Discouraged from Dreaming by Others
2. They Are Hindered by Past Disappointments and Hurts
3. They Fall into the Habit of Settling for Average
4. They Lack the Confidence Needed to Pursue their Dreams
5. They Lack the Imagination to Dream

5 Ways to Help Dreams & Visions Become Reality:

1. Encourage young people to dream
2. Pastor and counsel well – this will help to heal memories
3. Never let young people settle for anything less than the potential God has for them
4. Build confidence capacity and resilience into them
5. Give them space to grow the imagination of the Sacred Ecosystem

Most young people work out their values between the ages of 14-16. Their lifestyle choices (based on those values) are usually developed between 16-18.

The Early Church was called to be Inclusive

• Female
• sons and daughters will prophesy – [youversion]Acts 2:17[/youversion]
• no longer male and female – [youversion]Ephesians 2[/youversion]
• church must be inclusive of all the gifts God gives us
• Young People – church was started by YP
• Don’t let other look down on you – [youversion]Timothy[/youversion]

Red Balloon Video:

In more recent Church history we have processed our practical theology like this:

But traditionally when the church has been on mission it has operated in this process:

Sometimes young people find the transition into adult faith difficult because the church operates under a closed centre set – sometimes young people don’t want to enter into adult faith because of what they see in a closed centre set church which may look something like this:

If a church chooses to operate in an open centre set it is easier for young people to transition into the church as a whole and it lends itself to being a church that connects with the reality of peoples lives and a pluralistic, multicultural reality / society. Something like this:

The centre set is the connection point – Love God , love others as yourself – and all the other dimensions of their life and living (the sacred eco-system of God) are dealt with by the centre set of the most important thing – love of God and others.

Further Info:
This is where the session ended, but in his notes Fuzz has included a whole load of information that we didn’t get to in the session:

How do childhood and teen engagement connect to adult spirituality?
A recent study conducted by the Barna Group examined four elements of adult religious commitment:

1. attending church
2. having an active faith (defined as reading the Bible, praying, and attending church in the last week)
3. switching from childhood faith
4. being unchurched

When it comes to church engagement, those who attended Sunday school or other religious programmes as children or as teens were much more likely than those without such experiences to attend church and to have an active faith as adults.

The same study measured adult disassociation from church:

• being unchurched and changing from childhood faith – were also correlated with activity before age 18.
• The highest proportion of unchurched adults was found among those who had never attended as children or teenagers.
• Weekly activity as a child, and weekly or monthly activity as a teen, were connected with the lowest levels of disconnection from church attendance.

We can conclude that the odds of one sticking with faith over a lifetime are enhanced in a positive direction by spiritual activity under the age of 18. And it raises the intriguing possibility that being involved at least a few times a month is correlated with nearly the same sticking power as weekly involvement – especially among teenagers.

Why are young people growing up slowly today?

our urge to protect teenagers from real life – because we don’t think they’re ready yet – has tragically backfired. By insulating them from adult-like work, adult social relationships, and adult consequences, we have only delayed their development. We have made it harder for them to grow up. Maybe even made it impossible to grow up on time.
Drs. Joe & Claudia Allen, Escaping the Endless Adolescence: How We Can Help Our Teenagers Grow Up Before They Grow Old

Summary
All this is so that together – young people and children, adults and aged, male and female – we are an inclusive community bringing in the Sacred Eco-System (Kingdom of God) so that as Jesus taught us to pray OUR Father sacred be your name YOUR Kingdom come YOUR will be done on EARTH as it is in heaven.
We can have separate worship styles but come together in the mission in a community of people that know we need each other to continue Christ’s Mission in the world so that we bring heaven to earth!