generation x in net'98
generation x in net'98
Here is an eclectic collection of resources and essays regarding reaching pre-believing young adults as part of the Net'98 satellite evangelism effort. Questions are highlighted in green. Cyberlinks are in blue. Selected bibliographic resources are listed in red.
Even before getting involved with inviting young adults to Net'98, I am realizing there are very few young adults attending or involved with my church. How can I encourage young adult involvement? What resources might help me get started?
GenXcellent Involvement! by A. Allan Martin
Involve Me and I Will Understand by A. Allan Martin
Check out DVM Resources and Reaching Generation X for Jesus for resource leads.
Where can I find out more information about Generation X?
Our church is looking into participating in NET '98. We realize that most of us don't have a clue about how to reach GenXers, yet we don't want to totally turn them off. Another concern is that our current worship services and programs are not appealing to GenXers. What resources are available to help us make necessary adjustments? Some changes need to take place, and they need to start happening now so we can slowly adjust to them by the time NET '98 comes around. But we don't know where to start.
It's admirable that your congregation wants to prepare to reach pre-believing young adults (a.k.a.: Generation X, GenXers, Xers). Dwight Nelson's presentations for NET '98 will be exceptional, but you're right to start now; because far more than previous generations, outreach to Xers relies heavily on relationships of depth and integrity. In addition to contacting your local conference NET '98 coordinator, here are my suggestions to help you and your church gear up to reach GenXers:
Pray. Not only for the Xers, but for yourself; that God will grant you and your congregation special portions of grace, acceptance, and patience. Pray that God will help you de-mystify "Generation X" and realize that they--like you--seek the spiritual peace that Christ alone provides. Pray that God will help you empathize with them, look beyond their cynicism, and be with them in the midst of their lostness. Pray that God will bring you and your church to Xers, that He will put you in their midst. Pray that God's love will simply ooze from your pores and shine from your eyes as you are in touch with Xers. Pray that God will transform you and your church from the inside out.
Renew. Renewal of the heart is primary. I'm not of the opinion that worship style is as crucial as a change of focus to calling yourself and your congregation to a renewal from within. Xers are not drawn to programs or events as much as they're drawn to people with passion. If you want to make changes in your worship service or program, it's fine to make them. But make them to renew your drive to love God consummately, and love each other with reverent abandon. Revive the sense of community and connectedness in your church. Start personally, and encourage your fellow believers to join you. As you're being transformed, listen closely to God's prompting. Be willing to change for Him.
Research. Read what you can regarding Generation X (I would be happy to send you a bibliography and book recommendations). Spend time with young adults in your church gleaning from them insights about their own spiritual struggles and the life realities of their pre-believing peers.
Call the Hancock Center For Youth and Family Ministry (800-785-HCYM), the Center for Creative Ministries (800-272-4664), the Center for Youth Evangelism (800-YOUTH-2-U), the National Black Youth Resource Center (205-726-8426), and the PlusLine (800-SDA-PLUS) to request materials, training, and resources to help you and your church foster the renewal and outreach orientation you desire.
As you and your congregation read up and peruse resources, remember that these tools are not one-size-fits-all solutions that will magically make your church Xer-friendly. The research simply prepares you further to be God's means to accomplish His purposes.
Relate realness. As you interact with pre-believing Xers, build relationships of integrity with them. Being a part of their lives is the primary objective--with or without NET '98. If you're simply thinking about putting on a chameleon "get-to-know-you" face for the sake of luring them to Net '98 for purposes of proselytizing, you're missing the boat. Being real with an Xer is a far more powerful witness to God's holiness. Your candor and authenticity in your relationship with Xers is key.
And here is where God's patience needs to come in. Conversion is a process, so be ready for God to move the Xer you are in relationship with at His pace. Plan to be in the relationship for the long haul--with or without a signed decision card.
So pray--for the Xer and yourself--pray and revel in the journey God will unfold before you . . . together.
{lifted from Deirdre & Allan's monthly column X-Change in the Adventist Review, February 1998}
Take a look.
I want to get involved personally in ministering to young adults. How might I get started?
The ABCs of Ministry to Generations X, Y, & Z by A. Allan Martin
The Gift Hour by A. Allan Martin
Are there some resources that you could recommend to me right off?
Is there anything being specifically developed to help Net'98 participant churches involve young adults in this upcoming evangelistic event?
"A task
force on Reaching Gen-Xers, made up primarily of young adults, has interacted
with the leaders of NET '98. The Center
of Youth Evangelism under the direction of Ron
Whitehead has taken on the challenge of preparing materials to assist
churches in reaching this vital segment of the age spectrum. Those materials
are in the preparation process and will be available Summer 1998. For churches
having a majority of their young people away at boarding academies or colleges,
this will be just in time to help them to get organized and effective through
the summer to make the largest impact on the preparation process. For our
K-12 church-operated schools, colleges and universities, the materials will
be introduced on campus just before the young people, go home so they can
take them with them to the local church. Youth Directors in the local conference
and the team of young people, who have been active in the development of
materials, will share with their peers so that the grass roots creative
process and implementation stages can all be open to the initiative and
creativity of the young people who desire to be involved." {excerpted
from the Net'98 manual, part 2}
Also there are several training events that have occurred and will occur that have significant relevance to congregations and ministry leaders interested in reaching out to pre-believing Xers.
On Sabbath, August 8, 1998, all Seventh-day Adventist churches across the nation were encouraged to invite someone under the age of 35 to give the sermon from the pulpit in church. Our young adult generation wants to help our church in its mission to share the word of God. Five hundred attendees from our conference will be sent in teams to share with all the churches in Southern California the movement that God is starting in Generation X.
eXcite98 was
held this August 6-9, 1998 in Riverside, California. The 3 day conference
was initiated, planned, organized and presented by young adults, for young
adults! It's time for generation X to come together, uniting themselves
for God and for Seventh-day Adventist Church. They devoted time to redefining
the stereotype of Generation X so to be be known for being a generation
for Christ.
The purpose of eXcite98 was to invite, excite and ignite our generation to strengthen our relationships with one another, God and our community. Powerful worships, small group discussions and prayer groups, specialized workshops, concerts, young key-note speakers, social events and service encouraged young adults to invite God into their lives, their marriages, their families and their communities.
Young adults , with all their differences, were encouraged to come together to share a focus on Christ. Everyone was invited from those who have left the church or attend only out of habit or guilt to those who are young pastors committed to the ministry. For more information on this event and what is next visit http://www.excite98.net, call (909) 785-2344 , or write P.O. Box 8411, Riverside, CA 92505-8411. For interviews, additional materials or feature articles, please contact Shasta Emery.
The Generation X Symposium (GXS) held last fall was a synergic success bringing together over 125 delegates from around the world to develop locally relevant strategies to reach Xers. The GXS notebook contains significant resources for those interested in young adult ministry and outreach. Contact Elvina Wolcott, GXS registrar, to order this valuable tool.
Also held last fall with over 200 participants from across the Lake Union, Giraffe University (GU) has a specialized track regarding Generation X Ministry. Several more GUs are slated to be held across the nation in 1998. For more information, contact GU coordinator, William Hurtado.
FACE IT is an organization created and led by Seventh-day Adventist young adults (generally ages 22 - 35) who seek to motivate and encourage others in their generation to take responsibility for their own spiritual experience and that of their peers. For more information on the next FACE IT conference contact Kristin Jarnes.
Held at Southern Adventist University, the Adventist Theological Society meeting, March 13 & 14, featured Dr. Bruce Norman presenting on the topic, "The NeXt Generation: Bridging the Gap." For more information on this event contact Monica Davis.
Who are the members of the Net'98 Task Group on Reaching Gen-Xers?
Alex Bryan, pastor of New Community, a newly planted young adult church in Atlanta, Georgia.
Shasta Emery, president of Adventist Intercollegiate Association.
David Gemmel, senior pastor of the Mountain View Church in Las Vegas.
Roger Hernandez, theology seminarian at Andrews University.
Julie Hill, chaplain at Auburn Academy.
A. Allan Martin, co-founder of dre.am VISION ministries.
Andy Nash, assistant editor at the Adventist Review.
Dan Smith, senior pastor at La Sierra University Church.
Heidi Towar, student at Andrews University.
Cindy Tutsch, youth director for the Washington Conference.
Ron Whitehead, director of the Center for Youth Evangelism.
Allan Williamson, president of Association of Adventist Youth Ministry Professionals.
Attendees representing Net'98 include, Glenn Aufderhar, Betty Cooney, Dwight Nelson, and Cyril Miller.
Thanks for the fine information but I still have some pressing questions regarding Generation X and Net '98. Who should I contact?
For questions more specific to Net '98, contact Betty Cooney, associate coordinator of Net '98.
For questions more specific to Youth/Young Adult Resources for Net'98, contact Richie Brower, project coordinator, or Ron Whitehead, task group co-chair and director of the Center of Youth Evangelism.
For questions more specific to Generation X Ministry, contact A. Allan Martin, task group co-chair and co-founder of dre.am VISION ministries.
Who made this information available? 
