The Generational Tech Divide

New data from the Barna Group reveals the breakdown of technology use between different generations. You can read all of the conclusions here. David Kinnaman comments about some the results:

Even though young people are sometimes called the “Net Generation,” every age segment is becoming dependent on the Internet. In fact, because Boomers and Busters represent about two-thirds of the adult population, they are far more numerous users of technology than are adults under the age of 25. For instance, the majority of online purchases are made by those between the age of 30 and 55. And many of the bloggers, music downloaders and users of social networking websites are from the Boomer and Buster cohorts.

Still, despite the preponderance of middle-age technology users, the nation’s youngest adults (Mosaics) are light-years ahead in their personal integration of these technologies, even blazing beyond the comfort of Busters. While Busters differ dramatically from their predecessors, Mosaics are even further down the path of integrating technologies into their lifestyles. On effect of this is that younger adults do not think of themselves as consumers of content; for better and for worse, they consider themselves to be content creators.

For church leaders, it is notable that a minority of churchgoing Mosaics and Busters are accessing their congregation’s podcasts and website. While technology keeps progressing and penetrating every aspect of life, churches have to work hard to keep pace with the way people access and use content, while also instructing churchgoers on the potency of electronic tools and techniques.

The Most Religious States in the U.S.

Gallup recently asked a straightforward question of 355,334 adults in the United States: “Is religion an important part of your daily life?”

The top ten most religious states by percentage:

The top ten least religious states by percentage:

Generally, the United States is still a religious nation. About two-thirds (65%) of all Americans claim that religion is important to them. And, as seen above, all but four states have a majority that claim religion is important. Graphically, the Bible Belt stands out.

Since the survey did not make distinctions between religion, Christianity, or spirituality, we should not draw too many conclusions about the condition of the church in the United States. The study does reveal, however, that the majority of Americans are not adverse to religion, and this general acceptance of religion abides in the vast majority of states.

HT: Beliefnet

Building for Ministry

There’s a new resource available to help church leaders in creating space, engaging people, and transforming lives. The Cornerstone Knowledge Network and Christianity Today International have partnered to form BuildingforMinistry.com.

This from their new website:

BuildingForMinistry.com draws upon the ministry expertise and passion of both organizations to help churches utilize, design and build ministry space based on an understanding of cultural trends, church identity, and ministry vision.

On average, churches spend more than 30 percent of their budget on facilities. BuildingForMinistry.com helps churches invest that wisely and for maximum kingdom effectiveness–through ground-breaking research, downloadable training packs, articles, and video clips.

Articles and multi-media will focus on these areas:

Assess the Culture
Discern Your Call
Lead Your Team
Design Your Space
Build It Right
Learn From Others

I’ve written one of their first pieces. You can check it out here.

Worldwide Middle-Class Boom

People are buying refrigerators and television sets on credit in the slums of Sao Paulo. Three million Chinese now ski in a country that didn’t offer the sport fifteen years ago. Evidence is building for a rise in the middle-class.

The Economist recently introduced a special report on the worldwide population of the middle-class. According to the report, more than half the world’s population is middle-class for the first time in history.

It’s a bold claim. And the expectations of this emerging class are lofty:
• They may help fuel a recovery from the current worldwide recession.
• They may play an important role in sustaining a stable democracy in emerging-market countries.

Who are the middle-class? The report offers the following explanation:

“Middle-class” describes an income category but also a set of attitudes. In the words of Shashi Tharoor, an Indian commentator, it is a category “more sociological than logical.” An essential characteristic is the possession of a reasonable amount of discretionary income. Middle-class people do not live from hand to mouth, job to job, season to season, as the poor do…they begin at roughly the point where people have a third of their income left for discretionary spending after providing for basic food and shelter. This allows them not just to buy things like fridges or cars but to improve their health care or plan for their children’s education.

This emerging class does not live meal to meal, but they still do not earn enough to escape a constant struggle for comfortable living. Additionally, the point at which this discretionary third kicks in is dependent upon where one lives. From a global perspective, the definition is loose. The report points to the fact that an income of $3,000 per year may be enough to be middle-class in some Chinese cities. In many other cities, however, this amount (roughly $10 per day) would not be enough to create a discretionary third.

Perhaps most intriguing in the article is distinction between two different, global middle-class groups. The first group includes people who would be middle-class by many measures (with a median income somewhere between the less affluent and more affluent developed countries). The second group of the middle-class exists in emerging markets – they typically earn between $10 and $100 per day. This group is the fastest growing and is perhaps the most influential in shaping future global societal shifts.

I struggle with the claim that three billion people across the globe are now middle-class. Poverty is still a real and powerful force in many countries – the same number, three billion, live in poverty worldwide.

Regardless of the exact number, this emerging class will change global society. Another Economist report (which sees the global recession as a great threat to this middle-class) points to the sociological effects of a booming middle-class:

As people emerge into the middle-class, they do not merely create a new market. They think and behave differently. They are more open-minded, more concerned about their children’s future, more influenced by abstract values than traditional mores… These attitudes transform countries and economies. The middle class is more likely to invest in new products and new technologies than the rich, who tend to defend their existing assets.

So I propose a big missiological question – one that probably cannot be resolved in a blog, but is worthy of discussion. With basic needs for survival being met and growing freedoms due to the proliferation of democracy, will this emerging middle-class create a general atmosphere of receptivity to the gospel? Or will the growth of materialistic pursuits within this class shut doors that were previously open?

Most importantly, how will these changes affect the way we go and tell? I would love to hear from anyone who has seen these changes firsthand in their mission field.

Religiously Mixed Valentine’s Day

According to a recent US Religious Landscape Survey, a significant amount of people enter into religiously mixed relationships. You can read the entire findings from the Pew Research Center here. As an aside, Pew reports the findings with the following catchline: “Cupid’s Arrow Often Hits People of Different Faiths.” Intentional or not, using a Roman mythological god to introduce the subject of mixed religious relationships in America is somewhat humorous, especially around Valentine’s Day, which tradition has this day of romance named after early Christian martyrs. Mixed indeed.

Pew breaks down these findings on religiously mixed couples:

More than one-in-four (27%) American adults who are married or living with a partner are in religiously mixed relationships. If people from different Protestant denominational families are included — for example, a marriage between a Methodist and a Lutheran — nearly four-in-ten (37%) couples are religiously mixed.

In general, I question the religious commitment of unmarried couples living together, but the research did not provide a breakdown between those that were married and those that were not. Regardless, the research points to a trend – one that I did not realize was so large. Many people are in a relationship with someone of a different faith background.

First, let me differentiate between “religiously mixed” and “denominationally mixed.” Clearly, I would not recommend that a believer marry or romantically pursue anyone outside of the Christian faith. However, I have no problem with two believers getting married, regardless of denominational background. But as seen in the pie chart below, some of the more common combinations are those that cross denominational lines.

In my personal ministry experience, I’ve known numerous families that have dealt well with being “denominationally mixed.” As a pastor I’ve known families to go to Catholic mass on Saturday and then to worship at a Baptist church on Sunday morning, every weekend. It worked for them. In my research, however, I’ve found that these mixed signals can weigh on children, particularly if mom goes to one church and dad another. Children from these mixed families have much higher dropout rates.

What are your thoughts? How should the church work with families of different denominational backgrounds? How do we engage the culture that is becoming religiously mixed?

Join me at NOC09!

Check out the quick video promo I did for the National Outreach Convention. It’s in San Diego on November 4th-6th. You can register online here. I’ll be there giving a workshop on why young adults leave the church and how to reclaim this generation for Christ. I hope you’ll join me and many other church leaders at NOC09!

Reaching People Who Want to Make a Difference

A recent LifeWay Research newsletter published some encouraging excerpts from the new book, Lost and Found (by Ed Stetzer, Richie Stanley, and Jason Hayes). The research in this book reveals exciting news for the church. Your impact in the community not only reaches people, it has a quality that attracts other people who want to make a difference. This snippet from their research stood out:

66 percent of churched young adults rated the opportunity to meet the needs of others (locally and globally) as extremely important in their lives, and 47 percent of unchurched young adults said the same.

Many people (and specifically young adults) are aware that there is something bigger than their personal world. They desire to take part in something that makes a difference. One quote from an interviewee struck me:

“Wow me, befriend me, and let’s make a difference.”

The church is more than a group of friends impacting a community, but that’s how many are seeking to connect. In order to reach a generation wanting to make a difference, the church must be blazing the trail of social responsibility and community impact.

In general, church impact has been waning the past few decades. Declines in most denominations are widely discussed. But an opportunity exists to regain lost ground, reclaim dropouts, and re-energize dwindling churches. The declines of the 20th century could be wiped away by the exponential growth potential of working with emerging generations on making difference.

If the church is doing what is real, valuable, and making a difference in the world, young adults will give of themselves and their resources to support it. However, if the Church is disconnected from the issues that plague our society, then younger adults and future generations will consider the church hypocritical, insignificant, and irrelevant.

It’s counter to the way many churches think – people connect first, then serve later (begrudgingly and out of a sense of duty). This research reveals the converse: an invitation to serve may be the best way to invite people to church. Serve first, connect after the church lives the mission.

Rather than initially inviting the unchurched to a traditional church program, perhaps we should ask them to help serve at a rescue mission or to attend a benefit dinner for a local charity. People are willing to respond this way. Meanwhile, the body of Christ is getting to know these people and earning the right to share about their faith. Plus, this new level of relational equity increases the chances of the unchurched attending a small group Bible study or a worship service in the future.

This is a big shift in both evangelism strategy and service efforts from previous generations. In years past a church served those they wanted to reach. This is still an important and valid facet of ministry in the current cultural climate. However, one key difference surfaces with regard to emerging generations. Now the church has the opportunity of reaching people for Christ by allowing those people to serve with them.

The potential quandary arises with where to draw the line – those who serve in Christ’s name must be part of the body of which He is the head. Some service should be reserved only for those professing Christ and connected to His Church. And as noble as it may be, social responsibility alone is not the answer. As this research suggests, this service must lead to a telling of why the church serves. All potential messiness aside, the church should capitalize on this recent social phenomenon. Your thoughts?