Need younger members

[Kit Sigmon]

My church is very small and we have lost our pastor. The average age is between 65 and 70. We need to bring young people into the church. I am building a website http://www.solidrock-baptist-church.com and hope to use it to bring younger people into the church. Any ideas on how to bring people into the church would be appreciated.

What become of teens/young adults who once went to your church?
Do others in the church regularly reach out to young people?
Is your church faithful in prayer?
Discipleship?
Is it visible in the community/doing outreach?

In short, do a heart check before slapping up anything on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, Youtube, Snapchat etc.

 

[Tolworth John]

My church is very small and we have lost our pastor. The average age is between 65 and 70. We need to bring young people into the church. I am building a website http://www.solidrock-baptist-church.com and hope to use it to bring younger people into the church. Any ideas on how to bring people into the church would be appreciated.

Do a strawpoll of your members. What changes would they acept in how church is done.

Having young people in church always means change, maybe modern hymns, more pop like music, a different order of service etc
How would your members cope with change.

Is there a larger church who would take on the challenge of rebuilding your church?
How vigerous are your pray meetings for the church.

If the answer to the strawpoll is, No Change. Bail out that church is already dead.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

My church is very small and we have lost our pastor. The average age is between 65 and 70. We need to bring young people into the church. I am building a website http://www.solidrock-baptist-church.com and hope to use it to bring younger people into the church. Any ideas on how to bring people into the church would be appreciated.

Pray

 

[Albion]

Do a strawpoll of your members. What changes would they acept in how church is done.

Having young people in church always means change, maybe modern hymns, more pop like music, a different order of service etc
How would your members cope with change.

It should not be assumed that young people will attend so long as it's just like a concert or a social mixer and there's never any mention of the basics of Christianity. Yes, there are some churches that have grown under such a game plan, but they typically do not teach anything beyond "Jesus loves you." I didn't get the impression that "Andy" favors cutting off the nose of his congregation in order to spite its face.

 

[Tolworth John]

It should not be assumed that young people will attend so long as it's just like a concert or a social mixer and there's never any mention of the basics of Christianity. Yes, there are some churches that have grown under such a game plan, but they typically do not teach anything beyond "Jesus loves you." I didn't get the impression that "Andy" favors cutting off the nose of his congregation in order to spite its face.

I'm not suggesting that there should be a rock concert, I'm saying that young people will not sing only hymns, but will want modern spiritual songs with a moden tune to them.
Will this elderly congragation accept that.
What about the noise and disruption that young people cause in church services, some elderly people would rather there was a peacfully orderly stillnes, than the hustle and busle of life.
Change the order of service, but we've always done it this way, it is sacred.

If change is not welcome, then the change that is a growing living vibrant church will not, even cannot happen.

 

[woobadooba]

Any ideas on how to bring people into the church would be appreciated.

Your answer is in your own words: Appreciate them.

Children were drawn to Jesus because He loved them (see Luke 18:16).

 

[ChristopherK]

My church is very small and we have lost our pastor. The average age is between 65 and 70. We need to bring young people into the church. I am building a website http://www.solidrock-baptist-church.com and hope to use it to bring younger people into the church. Any ideas on how to bring people into the church would be appreciated.

I don't know whether your doctrines or Reformed in teaching, but I used to work for a Christian clothing company called 'Wrath and Grace'. They are Reformed in faith and have influence in God honoring, Reformed-based, Christian hip-hop. They would cater to a younger crowd.

 

[JoeP222w]

My church is very small and we have lost our pastor. The average age is between 65 and 70. We need to bring young people into the church. I am building a website http://www.solidrock-baptist-church.com and hope to use it to bring younger people into the church. Any ideas on how to bring people into the church would be appreciated.

Simple answer: Faithfully proclaim and exegetical and expositionally teach the gospel of Jesus Christ in accordance with His inerrant word of the Bible, and go out the community and proclaim the gospel. God will bring the increase as you and your church continue in obedience.

Do not, do not, do not try to entertain or entice people into your church apart from the gospel truth. What you win them with is what you keep them with.

It is not about numbers, it is about faithfulness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. God is sovereign.

 

[JoeP222w]

Definitely hiring a young pastor will be the most helpful thing you can do. Can your church afford to do this?

No biblical precedence for this at all.

 

[All4Christ]

I'm not suggesting that there should be a rock concert, I'm saying that young people will not sing only hymns, but will want modern spiritual songs with a moden tune to them.
Will this elderly congragation accept that.
What about the noise and disruption that young people cause in church services, some elderly people would rather there was a peacfully orderly stillnes, than the hustle and busle of life.
Change the order of service, but we've always done it this way, it is sacred.

If change is not welcome, then the change that is a growing living vibrant church will not, even cannot happen.

Not all young people want that type of music. There is a growing movement of young people who don't want modern music. You are assuming all young people want the same type of atmosphere, which is not correct by a lot shot.

Young people want authenticity and integrity. They want a church that lives out the Christian faith in word and action. Stylistic changes won't be enough and are not always the answer. While "modernizing" the church is a standard change in many non-denominational churches, it is not a standard course of action across all of Christianity, including churches with many young people.

 

[Albion]

I'm not suggesting that there should be a rock concert, I'm saying that young people will not sing only hymns, but will want modern spiritual songs with a moden tune to them.
Will this elderly congragation accept that.
What about the noise and disruption that young people cause in church services, some elderly people would rather there was a peacfully orderly stillnes, than the hustle and busle of life.
Change the order of service, but we've always done it this way, it is sacred.

If change is not welcome, then the change that is a growing living vibrant church will not, even cannot happen.

My own opinion is that it's a mistake to deliberately force out the people who made and supported the congregation and its property over the course of many years, if that's what it takes to attract younger people. But as has been noted by others, it's not necessary to switch to noise and disruption in the belief that that's what makes worship alive or what is needed if there are to be younger people joining the church. It takes care to keep things balanced.

 

[tampasteve]

No biblical precedence for this at all.

It is human nature to relate easier to someone closer to your age. But young is relative, of course. A pastor right out of seminary could energize the congregation....or might not have enough experience to guide it properly. Also possibly he might want to change things too fast, and thereby alienate the congregation that is still there.

 

[JoeP222w]

It is human nature to relate easier to someone closer to your age. But young is relative, of course. A pastor right out of seminary could energize the congregation....or might not have enough experience to guide it properly. Also possibly he might want to change things too fast, and thereby alienate the congregation that is still there.

That would be putting reliance on the man and pragmatism, rather than on God and His truth and His sovereignty.

Moreover, the Pastor and/or Elders are to faithfully proclaim the truth of God, not be concerned with "energizing" the congregation (that is pragmatism).

 

[tampasteve]

That would be putting reliance on the man and pragmatism, rather than on God and His truth and His sovereignty.

Moreover, the Pastor and/or Elders are to faithfully proclaim the truth of God, not be concerned with "energizing" the congregation (that is pragmatism).

Of course I cannot disagree with that. If I did, you would rightly say that the church would not be doing God's will. If I agree then I am wrong. Simply stated, I agree, we should strive to follow God's will, but we should acknowledge that it is human nature to relate to people similar to us.

 

[Tolworth John]

My own opinion is that it's a mistake to deliberately force out the people who made and supported the congregation and its property over the course of many years, if that's what it takes to attract younger people. But as has been noted by others, it's not necessary to switch to noise and disruption in the belief that that's what makes worship alive or what is needed if there are to be younger people joining the church. It takes care to keep things balanced.

Who has said anything about forcing people out or forcing people to change?

If the congragation wants younger people to attend their church, worship there regularly, become members etc etc etc.

They MUST be willing to accept change.

If they are saying we would like young people to attend our church, worship regularly, becoming members but NOTHING must change.
Then NOTHING will change, the elderly congragation will get older and die and the church will close.

I've seen far too many small churches with elderly members who want people to come and join them, but as I've already said, NOTHING is allowed to be changed, altered or amended.
Music stop changing back in the 1900's no songs are allowed if the auther is still alive. etc and because they would not alter anything nobody joined them.

 

[Tolworth John]

Not all young people want that type of music. There is a growing movement of young people who don't want modern music. You are assuming all young people want the same type of atmosphere, which is not correct by a lot shot.

Young people want authenticity and integrity. They want a church that lives out the Christian faith in word and action. Stylistic changes won't be enough and are not always the answer. While "modernizing" the church is a standard change in many non-denominational churches, it is not a standard course of action across all of Christianity, including churches with many young people.

Yes, Yes and again yes.
but equally most young people do not want to only sing from 'hymns ancient and modern' when modern means the 1900's.

The willingness to accept change shows a willingness to grow, in faith, experience and in numbers.

Unfortunetly the reason I'm stressing change is many small churches are set in reinforced concrete nothing can be touched and everything has to go on as before.
Is that a sign of aythencitiy and integrity?

 

[All4Christ]

Who has said anything about forcing people out or forcing people to change?

If the congragation wants younger people to attend their church, worship there regularly, become members etc etc etc.

They MUST be willing to accept change.

If they are saying we would like young people to attend our church, worship regularly, becoming members but NOTHING must change.
Then NOTHING will change, the elderly congragation will get older and die and the church will close.

I've seen far too many small churches with elderly members who want people to come and join them, but as I've already said, NOTHING is allowed to be changed, altered or amended.
Music stop changing back in the 1900's no songs are allowed if the auther is still alive. etc and because they would not alter anything nobody joined them.

My parish is proof that this statement is not correct.

I am an Orthodox Christian. Our music hasn't changed styles much and our liturgy hasn't changed much for 1000+ years with the exception of minor changes. We are packed full of young families, children, teenagers, and people of all generations. Probably 1/2 the church (often the younger generation) did not grow up as Orthodox Christians and joined our parish when seeking a church.

You can be relevant without changing faith. You can have Ancient worship without running people off. You can have both young and old learning from eachother if they have authentic faith.

Young people don't want a watered down faith, and many young people are looking for something that isn't always changing. They look for churches that reach out to the community, that teach truth, that love eachother, value family and fellowship, and most of all put God above everything else. Those are the key elements for reaching out to those who are young.

I'm not saying that he Op should change his music to older hymns. My point is that it doesn't have to be new songs to reach out to the younger community.


ETA: We actually do have arrangements of our hymns written by some of the youth in our parish, but they are the same general style...which is accepted and embraced by the community. We do need to reach out to those who are younger - and there are some things that do change. It doesn't however mean that you need to become more modern in worship style, change for the sake of change, etc.

 

[disciple1]

My church is very small and we have lost our pastor. The average age is between 65 and 70. We need to bring young people into the church. I am building a website http://www.solidrock-baptist-church.com and hope to use it to bring younger people into the church. Any ideas on how to bring people into the church would be appreciated.

You need to tell them the truth like.
1 Peter chapter 4 verse 8
Love covers many sins.
If you tell them to abstain from sin, and your not, and your not, why would you expect them to stay.

 

[All4Christ]

Yes, Yes and again yes.
but equally most young people do not want to only sing from 'hymns ancient and modern' when modern means the 1900's.

The willingness to accept change shows a willingness to grow, in faith, experience and in numbers.

Unfortunetly the reason I'm stressing change is many small churches are set in reinforced concrete nothing can be touched and everything has to go on as before.
Is that a sign of aythencitiy and integrity?

My personal opinion is that this depends on what you mean by change. Do we change by creating more opportunities for youth to minister? Yes. Should we utilize things like podcasts, etc? Yes. There are ways to change and keep integrity, but they aren't necessarily changing the worship, order of service, pastors, etc.

 

[Tolworth John]

My parish is proof that this statement is not correct.

I am an Orthodox Christian. Our music hasn't changed styles much and our liturgy hasn't changed much for 1000+ years with the exception of minor changes. We are packed full of young families, children, teenagers, and people of all generations. Probably 1/2 the church (often the younger generation) did not grow up as Orthodox Christians and joined our parish when seeking a church.

You can be relevant without changing faith. You can have Ancient worship without running people off. You can have both young and old learning from eachother if they have authentic faith.

Young people don't want a watered down faith, and many young people are looking for something that isn't always changing. They look for churches that reach out to the community, that teach truth, that love eachother, value family and fellowship, and most of all put God above everything else. Those are the key elements for reaching out to those who are young.

I'm not saying that he Op should change his music to older hymns. My point is that it doesn't have to be new songs to reach out to the younger community.


ETA: We actually do have arrangements of our hymns written by some of the youth in our parish, but they are the same general style...which is accepted and embraced by the community.

That is wonderfull and I am genuienly pleased.

But read what I've said about churcjhes that will not contemplate change.
Often all that is needed is to be willing to accept it, a welcoming congragation welcomes new people, a settled and reluctant to change congragation doesn't. People won't stay where they aren't welcome.