21st Century Ministry.

This post is a  flashback to an original post from 2013 when we were in the UK:

A few weeks ago, I stood at the back of the little village church in Grasmere in the Lakes District. This is surely one of the most quintessential of little English villages! The poet William Wordsworth who lived in here for fourteen years, described it as "the loveliest spot that man hath ever found."

The little stone church has been there since 642. It’s one of the oldest chapels in England. With its high wooden pews, stained glass windows, pulpits, organ, fading hymn books and other pieces of typical church paraphernalia  it looked and felt and even smelt “Churchy.” I had the sense of being whisked back in my imagination to every archetypal memory of childhood associated with being in “Church.”

Generations Y and Z

The children and youth of today, known as Generation: Z (born mid to late 90's onwards) live in what is now called the post-Christian era. Their younger siblings, 'Generation Alpha' are beginning school!

Out of the 5-10% of Aussies who do church regularly, maybe less than a third are under 25s who have any meaningful connection to God’s community. Younger Aussies do not operate from a traditional Christian worldview. When they look at the ‘Church’ they too often don’t see a vital outward-focused, Godly, engaged relational community. Ironically, just at this strategic time in history, the Western Church finds itself in crisis. It is losing ground; it is often seen as out of touch; it is often  perceived as ‘institutional’ rather than ‘communal’, it is seen as ‘institutional’ rather than ‘missional’.

It is vital that we consider how to connect with Generation Z and their parents!

Who are ‘Generation: Z?’

1. -Generation Z are those people born from 1995 to the end of 2009.    
2. -They are the next generation after Generation Y (today’s teenage and twenty-somethings).    
3. -They are mostly the children of Generation X.    
4. -They are in their childhood although at the oldest edge they are approaching their teenage years.    
5. -They are today’s children and students, and tomorrow’s employees and leaders.    
6. -They are the world’s first 21st Century generation - the digital natives, the dot-com kids, Generation 'media.'    
7. -They are today’s emerging generation who resemble children of any era past, yet they personify our future.
8. -Their siblings, Generation Alpha are now entering primary school.

Time to Move!

Hi everyone! After five and a-half years, I believe that the time has come to conclude as Executive Director of Mission and Ministry for Churches of Christ in Vic/Tas. I will wind up at the end of January 2014.

21st Century Ministers

A few weeks ago, I stood at the back of the little village church in Grasmere in the Lakes District. This is surely one of the most quintessential of little English villages! The poet William Wordsworth who lived in here for fourteen years, described it as "the loveliest spot that man hath ever found."

The little stone church has been there since 642. It’s one of the oldest chapels in England. With its high wooden pews, stained glass windows, pulpits, organ, fading hymn books and other pieces of typical church paraphernalia  it looked and felt and even smelt “Churchy.” I had the sense of being whisked back in my imagination to every archetypal memory of childhood associated with being in “Church.”