New Patterns.

Four years ago YFC published their findings from some research they carried out with young people. It was called “Gen Z : Rethinking Culture.” You can let YFC have your details and download a free copy of the survey here.

Note the name, “rethinking”. We’ve been in a season of having to re-think what youth work might look like the other-side of Covid-19. Do we try and return to what we were doing? Should there be a re-think on our priorities? In some ways I feel that the pandemic has forced us to face aspects of our practice that we should already have been addressing. Although the Gen Z report was four years ago, I’ve not seen much rethinking going on.

We might think that we need to make changes because the world has changed due to the pandemic, we cannot go back to where we were. However, some features of the lives of young people have consistently been present – and significant – for years. We just have’t acted on these features. In general, not allowed these realities to shape our practice.

The word, “paradigm” in the Latin is about a model or pattern. We don’t just need to shift our perspective, we need to consider – and implement – new patterns of practice. We need a new model of youth work that incorporates to a fuller extent things we already know.

These new patterns of practice need to incorporate the following ::

Family Engagement.

I am a stuck record on the importance of family. Engagement with the family is key for effective youth ministry, for faith formation, for growth and understanding the young people we work with. It is possibly the place of most resistance I perceive in terms of shifting youth work practice. Slowly, but slowly, family is coming in to view . . . but we need to get there quicker and make some changes!

Just a few observations on family from the Gen Z research that echo these thoughts. Young people were asked the question, “Who or what influences the way you think about faith / religion?” Family was way out front. WAY OUT FRONT. 73% said family. The next top response was teachers which tied with friends, both at 36%.

Just 11% said information or videos online. 11%. Yet, we are spending WAY MORE TIME and money investing in online engagement with young people (pre-Covid and now, even more) than we are with their families. It still feels as if family remains an afterthought in youth ministry practice.

Add in this stat from the Gen Z research, “59% of young people said that family was the number one thing that made them feel good about themselves.” This made it the most popular number one positive influence.

And, finally – as if we needed anything more on family, there is this – young people were asked, “How important are the following things to you?” And they were given a list of things to choose from. A list that included statements like, “Becoming a better person”; “Becoming successful”; “Money”; “Adventure”; “Being well known.” . . . top of the list, with 82% was “Making my family proud of me.”

Working with the family, supporting young people in their families and creating space for ministry with families in our youth ministry should be a key part of our pattern.

Prophetic Encouragement.

Young people don’t have a baby or junior version of the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit whispers, convicts, champions and challenges young people – just as He does with us as adults. Do we create space to listen?

Young people see things that are wrong with the world and want to do something about it. The overriding feature of this is their perception of injustice. I see this in my own children – they hate injustice. In the Gen Z survey, the top three things that young people were most worried about in the world were – War and Terrorism (51%) Poverty (38%) and Racism (24%).

Yes, racism. Honestly, If you had asked me four years ago what I was most concerned about, I’m not sure racism would have made the list – to my shame. It’s not just whether young people personally experience it, it’s about what they see.

In my small town of Clitheroe, a couple of weeks after George Floyd was murdered in America, an 18 year old organised a protest against racism. About 250 of us gathered on Castle field and took the knee. Maybe half of those present were teenagers.

Oh for more of their idealism and care and passion for the world we live in to shape the world we live in, to shape the church!

I just want to step sideways to another piece of research that was carried out a few years ago, this time by the Church of England – it is called, “Rooted in the Church” and you can read it here. It is also well worth watching their summary video too, which I’ve shared below ::

The key findings from this report could be distilled to some values that need to be in place if our work with young people are to flourish. I want to argue here that these values connect in particular with listening to and responding to the prophetic voice of young people. They are : Inclusion, Equality, Safe Space, Authentic Leadership.

The young people we engage with have a voice and they flourish when they have a safe space to use it, they inform our decision making as a church / worshipping community when they can join in. Many young people are involved in leadership and service in others spaces – through school, community activities and clubs – how are we making space, giving permission and opportunity for them to lead us in the church?

We need to listen and act on the prophetic voice of young people.