Article #10 in our series is from Tony Kummer.
Read the intro to the series here. And be sure to check out how you can be part of the discussion on Kidology.org and possibly be part of the published ebook we will be creating (see details at the end of the article)!
There are many ways to make sure you are notified when each article is published:
Join us on Facebook (you can just click “like” in the FB box on the right side of this page)
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS or Email
Sign up for our monthly eNewsletter
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The Future of Children’s Ministry – Tony Kummer
Kidmin Minus Evangelism Isn’t Really Ministry
My prediction: In the future, kidmin will be less effective at reaching children outside the church. Going forward, I am deeply concerned about un-churched kids in America. I see at least five trends converging to kill the evangelistic impact of our ministry to children.
Before I begin, I need to make two disclaimers. First, my imagination often says more about me than it does the real world. These futuristic predictions likely expose my personal failings as much as they reveal what may happen in the future. Second, my outlook is conditioned by my narrow experience of children’s ministry. I have only served within a declining segment of the American Evangelical church. There is much hope for children in the wider Kingdom of God. My full confidence is that the reign of Jesus will continue to advance, especially outside the United States.
Here are the five trends working against our efforts to tell kids about Jesus…
#1 The Lost Generation In America, each successive generation is less Christian than the one before. Dr. Thom Rainer (President of LifeWay) estimates that 85% of the Millennial generation is lost. This is America’s largest generation to date, comprised of those born from 1980 to 1991. Right now, these are young adults age 19-30, the parents in your ministry. That means very few kids right now are growing up in Jesus-following homes and are less likely to attend your church. If this trend continues, our kids ministry will have less opportunity to reach the coming generation of children.
#2 Singular Focus on Family Ministry The current interest in family ministry is likely to overshadow the greater task of the church to reach all people with the Gospel. Equipping parents to pass on the faith is an essential task, but it’s not only task of the church. We can’t forget that Jesus loves our weird next-door neighbors just as much as he loves our own kids. If our focus is only on reaching kids within the church, then we are strategically ignoring the largest segment that needs the Gospel. If this trend continues, we will be less aware of the vast majority of kids growing up in un-churched families.
#3 Church Consolidation Many congregations are not effective in reaching outsiders and making disciples of Jesus. Those churches are declining and dying off while more dynamic churches consolidate the Christian population into fewer congregations. The end results will be fewer congregations that are spread farther apart and reaching less people than before. If this trend continues, unchurched kids will have less access to neighborhood churches.
#4 Weak-kneed Evangelism The evangelistic zeal of Billy Graham is now a relic of the 20th century. Hard-sell evangelism and alter-calls are losing favor with even the most conservative churches. Some argue this is a good thing because it means less religious manipulation. I’m concerned we are now becoming too careful and even timid when we invite people to follow Christ. Children often hear about God’s Love, but never realize they must respond with a decision. If this trend continues fewer kids will hear that Jesus requires them to make a choice. The occasional church visitors may never be challenged to repent and believe.
#5 Fuzzy-wuzzy Gospel Popular Bible teaching in American is like eating at McDonald’s. Almost everyone can tolerate the food, but it’s not very good and usually not that healthy. Do you ever wonder why so many churches are sick? The robust than the Biblical message of salvation has been lost. The wrath of God is ignored, sin is redefined, and Jesus only wants to give you a hug. Dr. Albert Mohler (President of Southern Seminary) has warned of “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism” replacing the Gospel. What we teach to kids at church is at least partly to blame. The Bible is much more than a book of morality. Jesus Christ is much more than your best friend. If this trend continues, children will have less comprehension of the real message of God’s astounding love for sinners.
I’d love to hear some disagreement with these ides. In fact, it would make my day to learn than I’m totally wrong. Despite all that’s positive in the future of kids ministry, if no kids come to Jesus we just can’t call it ministry.
Notes:
- Thom Rainer, “Lost” http://www.thomrainer.com/2010/04/lost.php
- Albert Mohler, “The Spiritual State of the Emerging Generation” http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/09/07/the-spiritual-state-of-the-emerging-generation-a-conversation-with-christian-smith/
About Tony Kummer
Tony Kummer is a Kids Pastor from Indiana. He writes for Ministry-To-Children.com. In Nov/Dec 2010, he was named among the “20 To Watch” list of emerging kidmin leaders by Children’s Ministry Magazine.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
We’ve closed comments on the site here because we are having a larger discussion on the article over at Kidology. Head over to Kidology.org and join in that discussion today! If you’re not already a member, you can join for FREE! Your comments may be included in the ebook to be published at the end of the series which will contain all 18 articles!
Use the links below to share this article with your friends, and be sure to include the hashtag #FutureOfCM on Twitter so we can find your Tweets!
All articles in this series reflect the opinion of the author and may or may not reflect the opinion of Greg Baird and KidMin360.
[...] a series of articles being written about the “Future of Children’s Mnistry” (you can read it here). His article spurred some thoughts in me, and I wanted to share them here. Item # 3 in his article [...]