Understanding the Nones
What accounts for the rapid increase in the percentage of Americans who claim no religious preference? Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff shares key…
Browsing: Reaching Younger People
Articles
Understanding Generation Z and Connecting with Their Passions
What are the unique characteristics of young people coming of age today? Rock Jones, president of Ohio Wesleyan University, describes a generation of digital natives…
Episode 75: “Understanding Generation Z and Connecting with Their Passions” featuring Rock Jones
What are the unique characteristics of young people coming of age today? Rock Jones, president of Ohio Wesleyan University, describes a generation of digital natives who are highly connected but also lonely and anxious. Dr. Jones describes Gen Zers’ life questions, the perspectives they bring to spiritual engagement, and ways church leaders can meet them where they are.
Helping People Connect with God through Nature
The natural world is our first way of knowing God, says Beth Norcross, an expert in spirituality and nature. Finding God in nature can reconnect…
What’s Keeping Younger People from Ordained Ministry in the United Methodist Church?
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff shares the results of an informal survey among younger adults who have sensed a call to ministry in…
Addressing the Root Causes of the Crisis of Younger Clergy
Few doubt that struggles over the United Methodist Church’s stance on homosexuality and uncertainty about the future of the denomination are factors in the recent,…
Connecting with Young Adults through Online Ministry
Chris Wilterdink writes that a critical strategy for engaging young adults is to create discipleship opportunities and build relationships in the existing online communities where…
A Call to Overinvest in the Young
Bishop Janice Huie calls for a new approach to engaging younger people in the church. She argues for overinvesting in young people who don’t sit…
Episode 65: “The End of Youth Ministry” featuring Andy Root
How can youth ministry be more than fun and games? In this episode we speak with Andy Root about how youth can find identity and deep joy in shared narratives and intergenerational connections.
Young Elder Numbers Return to Near Historic Low in UMC
Lovett H. Weems Jr. reports that the number of young elders in the United Methodist Church has dropped precipitously in the past two years. The…
