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Research Trip

BROAD CONTEXT

U.S. Context

  • very ‘christianised’ nation

  • a lot of acceptance for the gospel - this works for them and against them:

  • in many ways it is easier to grow large ministries, but it can be harder to get them away from ‘complacent christianity’ (ie. easier to grow large meetings, harder to grow lots of cells)

- many large (400+) and very large churches (3000+)

  • most ministries organised around very distinct schooling divisions:

- Grade 7-8 (12-13yrs) Junior High

- Grade 9-12 (14-18yrs) Teenage/Highschool

- College (18-c.26yrs) College

  • a lot of youth tend to “fall through the cracks” between the ministry divisions as there is often no cohesive vision holding them together. Several of the ministries we visited were currently addressing this problem (eg. by allowing transition periods between the divisions ie. Grade 8 attend Teenage Church for 4 months before starting Grade 9)

  • Summer Break (July-Aug) is the major yearly holiday period and the division between successive school years

  • this extended time off encourages the emphasis on short-term mission trips that most youth ministries run. It also provides time for retreats and camps.

  • cell groups usually have a 9 month expiry date beginning and ending around the summer break (ie. all cell groups close down during this break and new allocations of youth and leaders are made when school resumes). This can decrease the problem of leader burnout, and group ‘staleness’, but can weaken the depth of relationships built and commitment.

  • generally tend to have a fairly conservative approach to ministry with respect to style, format and appearance - high exterior ‘holiness’ standards expected in christian circles (i.e. smoking / drinking / language use / appropriate ‘dress’ etc)

  • creates conflict with unchurched youth who don’t fit the conservative ‘middle America’ stereotype’ (ie. they don’t relate to mainstream church)

  • (Note: 2 ministries we visited, in Pheonix and in Chicago, have consciously addressed this issue and adopted a more ‘on edge’ style/approach).

  • established ‘intern’ systems common - volunteer/training/paid staff support in the larger ministries

  • College students usually leave area to attend college of choice - creating difficulties maintaining momentum through this age (high incidence of youth ‘falling away’ during this time). This, plus the distinction between age groups means that Teenage ministry does not benefit from experience and maturity of college age youth.

U.K. Context

  • spiritually very cynical nation (similar to Australia)

  • this means it is often harder to grow large ministries, but easier to get saved youth passionate (distinction between ‘lifestyle christianity’ and ‘born again christianity’ much clearer)

  • radical ‘external’ holiness standards viewed with suspicion (seen as ‘cultish’ or just ‘not being real’) - has led to a focus on creating youth cultures relatable to the unsaved (eg. ‘emerging generation’ concept) - generally very creative expression of youth church

  • transient University culture (as with College age in the U.S.) - ie. uni age usually leave local area to attend university of choice, leading to similar problems as in the U.S. in this regard

  • Summer Break system (as in the U.S.) creating a similar opportunity for focus on short-term mission trips as discipling and outreach focus (this combined with the strength of the Pound making virtually anywhere around the globe reasonably inexpensive to access!)

  • leads to similar approach to the U.S. also with respect to ‘life spans of cell groups’ (ie. they tend to shut down over summer and start with new allocations in August)

Australian Context

  • technically a ‘christian’ nation with 70% calling themselves christian, however only 4% actually attend church

  • generally a very cynical attitude toward the church

  • ie. general spiritual awareness, but few profess a relationship with God

  • our spiritual climate is thus closer to that of the U.K., whereby, apart from church youth, only those youth who are actually open to the gospel at some level will tend to attend church or youth gatherings - ie. as opposed to the U.S. whereby the majority of middle class youth attend church/youth as it is the cultural norm

  • the result is thus similar to the U.K. in that, while it is difficult to grow large ministries it is easier to discern between ‘born-again’ & ‘lifestyle’ christianity - ie. passion is easier to generate once the kids get saved

- most churches are small (<100) with very few in the very large (3000+) category.

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