As ministry leaders, we’re eager to mentor the next generation. We have so much insight and wisdom to pass on after all. But investing in teenagers and young adults isn’t about dropping some knowledge and walking away. It’s about engaging them in conversations, practicing empathy, and providing them with ways they can be actively involved in the church right now.
Chap Clark kicks us off by talking about how increasing social capital in our churches can better connect us with what many see as the disconnected generation. Then Brad Griffin and Jake Mulder join us to unpack key insights from Growing Young, the book they co-authored with Kara Powell.
Welcome to Episode 40 of the Think Orange Podcast.
Topic Timeline:
Kevin and Dave talk about their OC17 highlights (4:24)
Chap Clark talks about how to connect with a disconnected generation (6:42)
Two sides of the same kid (7:40)
When we only interact with kids and students within the church, we only see them through the lens of what they look like at church (11:04)
A kid can’t become an adult without social capital—people in their lives who are invested in them without expecting anything in return (13:06)
Tightrope illustration of adolescent attachment development (13:58)
Skills necessary for adulthood have increased, while adult support (social capital) has decreased (16:55)
Interview with Brad Griffin and Jake Mulder (20:40)
Explanation of the book Growing Young (22:20)
The Growing Young study focused on churches thriving with 15–29 year olds (23:35)
Many churches are both shrinking and aging (25:30)
The shifting tides of today’s young adults and teenagers (25:55)
Church leaders have the opportunity to address these shifts with empathy (27:40)
Showing empathy by using the phrase “tell me more” (29:02)
The importance of a church’s context in the pursuit of growing young (30:20)
Explanation of how 15 is the new 25 and how adults can help (33:56)
As leaders, we have a responsibility to invite adolescents to face-to-face interactions (39:20)
The Growing Young research process (40:58)
Implications for preschool and children’s ministry from the Growing Young research (44:32)
Common myths of what it takes to grow young (47:35)
Priorities of Growing Young churches (50:11)
Advocating for keychain leadership (53:02)
Sometimes as kid’s or student leaders, we like to hide out in our own spaces (57:48)
Using the Growing Young Assessment as a tool for talking with senior leaders about the realities in your church (1:01:50)
Dave and Kevin’s final thoughts (1:03:15)
