Young people are leaving the church in droves – or so the headlines tell us. Statistics released by the Pew Research Centre earlier this year found that Millennials are more likely to have a negative view of religious organisations than older generations.
Just 55 per cent of Americans born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s said they believed churches have a positive impact on the country – a drop of 18 per cent since 2010.
Pew concluded that "American adolescents in the 2010s are significantly less religiously oriented, on average, than their Boomer and Generation X predecessors were at the same age".
And yet, churches across the US and UK are packed with young people. There's so much potential in our pews, but until we treat them as full members, with gifts to offer to the rest of the body, yes – it's far more likely they'll leave, or drift away.
It's vital that we encourage younger generations to step up and lead. Here are things you could consider trying:
1. Give them a chance
First of all, give young people a chance at taking on leadership roles. Don't assume they don't want to, or because they're inexperienced they'll be no good. Train them properly, and then give them a go – we all have to start somewhere, and a great way of figuring out our gifts is by trying them out.
2. Don't limit them to 'junior' roles
Of course there's something to be said for not expecting someone to give the sermon at church without any practice, but don't limit the young people in your church to roles that you consider 'junior'. Why not train them up in how to lead the service, in worship leading, or pastoring? It's brilliant to serve in all kinds of ways, and of course 'up front' roles aren't any more important, but by proving you trust young people, you'll encourage them to take responsibility themselves.
3. Start a mentoring programme
A brilliant way to encourage young people to step up and lead is by having someone alongside them, encouraging them to give things a go. Why not ask some of the older people in church if they would consider joining a mentoring programme? By being challenged and encouraged, young people are far more likely to embrace new opportunities and both young and old will learn from one another.
4. Give them freedoom
When you let people take on new roles, you have to expect things to change. Don't expect your young people to lead things exactly as they've always been done – they'll do things differently, probably both for better and worse. Allow them freedom to shake things up a bit, and you might be surprised at what they come up with.
