CBOQ SUNDAY 2018
BEING THE CHURCH the gathered ones
SHARING LIFE how will you share yours? PREPARATION FOR PRAISE staying connected to christ
GROWING UP
pouring “new wine” into your ministry
LEAD WITH LOVE CBOQ ASSEMBLY 2018
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Dear fellow Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec, Gathered on the pages that follow are stories that will give testimony about the wonderful ways God is blessing the next generation in Canada through the faithful work of Canadian Baptists—thoughtful, meaningful, Christ-centred initiatives that are blessing young people from Quebec City to Kenora. Praise be to God for all he is doing in our family of churches! Lives are being transformed because of our churches and the people who comprise them, who produce an abundance of the fruit of the Spirit. Like any family, we are made up of many generations, from centenarians to newborns and everything in between. Figuring out how to minister to the many different needs they represent can be challenging, but they also present us with an opportunity to learn from one another, develop life-giving and life-long relationships and keep us from getting stuck. We hope you receive inspiration and encouragement from these articles, and that if your church family has yet to flourish in intergenerational ministry, that this will be your catalytic moment to begin.
It is a great privilege to walk together, holding one another up in prayer and spurring one another toward love and good deeds. Thank you for the part you play in advancing the Gospel through the mission and vision of this family of churches as we are transformed by Christ, revealing God’s Kingdom. Until we are together, I pray that “the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” – Colossians 3:15-17
Tim McCoy Executive Minister, CBOQ Tim McCoy has served as the Executive Minister of CBOQ since 2010. In his work and ministry, Tim is faithfully committed to CBOQ’s four strategic priorities which include: CBOQ Identity, Church Planting, Clergy Care, and Next Generation (this year’s theme).
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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6 9 10 13 14 16 18 20
Being the Church
25 26
The Post-literate Generation: A Glossary
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Stumbling onto Intergenerational (Youth) Ministry
32 35
Growing Up
The Extended Family Sharing Life Psalm 133 How “out of touch” are you? Involving Youth Taking on Taboos In Preparation for Praise: Staying in Church and Connected to Christ
Intergenerational Worship...Why Bother?
Giving to CBOQ
WE BELIEVE THAT YOUR CHURCH CAN
flourish in Canada MORE THAN EVER Make sure that your church is a member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities (CCCC). More than 3,400 charities in Canada are! Why? > CCCC provides resources, information, and advice on leadership, governance, HR, finance, operations, and other areas to help church staff excel and take their church to new heights of mission accomplishment. > We work for religious freedom in Canada so that Christian organizations can continue advancing.
INVITE YOUR PASTOR OR BOARD TO JOIN. Send them to cccc.org/join for more info. We’d love to support your church in revealing God’s Kingdom! 5
BEING THE CHURCH Chap Clark
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“I am a Christian, but I don’t like church. They seem to care more about what they do than who they are.”
This is who we are in Christ—children who have been born anew by the will of God to become members of his household with other “set free” children.
– comment from a 17-year-old on why he doesn’t attend church
We are the gathered household of God, and we are siblings.
One of the odder expressions we have allowed to seep into our verbiage is the idea of “going to church.” It is as if church is a place or an event that we choose to attend, like going to the movies or the grocery store. Over the last few centuries we have made the place and the event something outside of ourselves that we optionally decide whether or not we are up for attending. We treat it as if it is no different than going to a wedding or a workday, which is odd, because the scriptures do not allow for this perspective when it comes to the word “church” itself. Church means “the gathered ones.”
What if we acted more like we actually believed this?
Church is not where we go or what we do. It is who we are. In John 1, that great Christological passage on the Word becoming flesh and taking on human DNA, we so often focus on the majesty and mystery of the event—rightly so—and yet, tucked into this text is the profoundly important primary blessing and gift of the Incarnation. John 1:12, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Not child, but “children.” We often sing, “I am a child of God,” and this is good and right and biblical. Yet this phrase is also somewhat lacking the fullness of what the Scriptures proclaim. In Christ, when we come to him, we move from being lost to being found, from isolation to welcome, from being an orphan to the gift of a new family, the household of God.
What would happen if the body of Christ functioned as if we were not “surrogate” grandparents or aunts/ uncles of the young, but actual siblings, united in Christ through faith and gathered together as a family under God’s familial love? What if we actually believed that the people who call on Christ and have surrendered to him are intimately related to each other? How would that change us? After all, the Apostle Paul uses the phrase “adopted to sonship” five times to describe this very reality. Yet somehow we have lost the power of what this means. To be siblings in the body of Christ, we must identify two things. First, we must recognize that in every church community there are those who are dominant and those who are on the outside looking in. These include seniors, singles, empty nesters, children, the disabled, the different and emerging generations. If we’re honest, we have to admit we don’t look much like a family. Maybe it’s time we start to drop the walls that divide us, to create structures based on roles and gifts and not hierarchy and power. Then, and only then, will we be able to open our arms and our lives to those who feel like they don’t belong.
“…He gave the right to become children of God…”
Chap Clark, Ph.D, is Lead Pastor at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, CA and President of ParenTeen, Inc. For 21 years Chap was professor of Youth, Family, and Culture at Fuller Seminary and has authored/co-authored 25 books, including the award-winning books Hurt 2.0: Inside the World of Today’s Teenagers, Sticky Faith, and Adoptive Youth Ministry: Integrating Emerging Generations into the Family of Faith, and the forthcoming Adoptive Church (Baker Academic, 2018). Chap and Dee live in Newport Beach, California and have three grown children and two granddaughters.
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8
THE
EXTENDED FAMILY DOES FAITH WORK FOR ME? “ DO I BELONG IN THE CHURCH?
”
The answer to these two questions is a resounding “Yes!” However, this wasn’t always true. I was blessed to grow up in a local church that stepped into my life when things were tough, and that helped me to understand that Christ still loved me. Primarily, my church became my family when my own family fell apart. When my mom struggled with postpartum depression after the birth of my brother, and I was later hospitalized for illness, members of my church stepped in. They loved us unconditionally and were practical examples of Christ’s love. My mom’s friends taught me the power of prayer, and I learned to trust God’s unknown plan. Later in life, I saw parallels between this time and the community in Acts. This was a formational time in my understanding of faith and Christian community.
Additionally, my church recognized my gifts, and gave me opportunities to grow in these areas. This prompting led to me studying music and becoming involved in First Nations ministry. My church also listened to me when I expressed uncertainty, doubt, or questioning, which actually strengthened my faith. Finally, I was surrounded by adults who lived out what they said they believed. When much of my age group was wrestling with faith, I saw a consistent example of how to live in faith from the adults and mentors in my life. They were appropriately honest about their patterns of spiritual discipline, and their struggles and sins. Essentially, the church of my childhood – Uxbridge Baptist Church – stepped up to the plate. They took seriously the fact that I was God’s child, not just my parents’, and that the local church was to be part of my development, too. Brittany Clarke Part of the Uxbridge Baptist Church Family
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SHARING
1
Alvin Lau Youth Ministries Associate, CBOQ
THE ADULT INTENTIONALLY AND CONSISTENTLY CONNECTS WITH THAT ONE YOUTH, EVEN FOR A SHORT CONVERSATION
“i’m too old for that.” “i don’t get them.” “i don’t have time.” sound familiar? Those are some of the reasons people give me when explaining their lack of involvement with the next generation. Yet, research like Hemorrhaging Faith and Sticky Faith, shows that these spiritual friendships between youth and adults (including seniors) have a profound, positive impact on the upcoming generation. Despite what we know, the reasons for not engaging with the next generation usually comes down to two areas: fear and busyness.
The world around us keeps changing at a faster pace than our learning, said Dr. Gary Nelson at the gathering which birthed Imaginative Hope. Even those who want to connect with 2 the next generation may hesitate because they just don’t know how to approach them. Add to this that people seem to be getting busier all the time, especially those in the “sandwich” DEPENDING ON THE EVOLUTION AND generation (i.e. those with parents and AVAILABILITY OF THAT kids as dependents) and time feels like a FRIENDSHIP, START disappearing commodity. DEEPENING THOSE CONVERSATIONS
In the last few years, CBOQ Youth developed a template called “Sharing Life,” based on the work of this year’s Assembly speaker, Dr. Chap Clark, the former Chair of Youth, Family, and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. Dr. Clark suggests that there should be five adults significantly investing into one youth. This doesn’t mean that you need a one-to-five ratio in the same room on youth night. Rather, one marker is to ask a youth to identify five adults (outside of their immediate family) who they would say love them, care for them, support them, walk with them and are people they can turn to. Sharing Life is one good way to invest into the upcoming generation and consistently connecting with youth through six degrees of connection. You can read a more thorough explanation at cboqyouth.ca/sharinglife
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FIND WAYS TO CONNECT TO THEIR WORLD
The key is connecting even if that youth isn’t there that week. It’s following up with a text, a phone call or another way to say “We missed you last week. Hope everything is ok. How can I continue to pray for you?” The fact is, everyone wants to feel they have a place to belong. But if no one notices they’re missing, they’ll assume no one cares and they don’t have a place. Ensuring that consistent connection, especially when they’re not around, is crucial. Notice this first step doesn’t require a significant time commitment.
Find these resources and more at: hemorrhagingfaith.com fulleryouthinstitute.org/stickyfaith
DEVELOP AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIVE DEEP IN A MORE ESTABLISHED MENTORING RELATIONSHIP
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5 DISCOVER SHARED MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES
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INVITE THEM INTO YOURS
Sharing Life and sharing the truths of God as he guides us (Psalm 78:1-4) is vital in the faith formation in the upcoming generation. Who will you share with today?
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–– LIVING PSALM 133 –– How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
T
of Jewish pilgrims as they travelled up towards the holy city, “How beautiful it is when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity!” Along the way, they would encounter Jews from different tribes and nations, but they would still live together in a common bond of priestly anointing and heavenly grace. Young and old, children and families, different languages, all would gather together in a supernatural moment of giving and receiving. What makes this unity wonderful and beautiful is that it is supernatural, dependent upon the heavenly food and the salvific effects of the priest. his is the song
A healthy church is not dependent on one person but on the whole community to be the vehicles of God’s grace for one another. I learned this when I got sick and was unable to pastor my church for three years. During my absence, I knew the church would need to learn how to be “pastors for each other.”
To make this easier, we made some changes. We removed our fellowship structure where a planning committee would develop programs that catered to the different ages. Getting rid of the structure was important because it was enforcing a spectator culture in which people were not transformed because they were not participating in the supernatural giving and receiving of heavenly food. If spiritual transformation is supernatural and if all of us are the common priesthood, should not our meetings be more beautiful where truth and grace is experienced by all people? We became convinced that the only way towards maturity was to take seriously our role to be priests for each other. Our meetings are now simple, geared toward revealing the work of God in our lives. We know this does not happen because of our education or life experiences, but it is dependent on the Holy Spirit’s activity when we share our life around the reading of scripture and using that to speak into each other’s lives. This means teenagers, college and career, young couples, parents, and grandparents can all come together to share how they are responding to God’s leading—and all of us can pray for each other and be the voice and body of Christ’s grace for each other.
Tony Wong Associate Pastor, Toronto Swatow Baptist Church
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? U O Y E R A ’’ H C U O T F O T U O '' W O H new-fangled thing
You think Facebook is a
e phone calls Your phone can only mak at lives under a bridge
A “troll” is a monster th
an one season
more th You buy clothes to last You watch
t videos on a television se
xes or fewer… If you checked three bo ung jive, my man/lady! If yo Wow. You are hip to the ting you. Maybe you’re coun are so it, o int are le op pe nt tch. Maybe you even we your steps with your wa ur. wasn’t on its “reunion” to to see a band play that long gage from social media Just make sure you disen e you’re rsation IRL. And becaus nve co a ve ha to gh ou en . know what that means lly ta to u yo h, uc to of t not ou
ect with someone, you
When you want to conn
phone them
“Drake” is a male duck elf
mething other than yours
You take pictures of so You have a CD player
in your wallet You regularly have cash
If you checked
six boxes or few er… Sounds like you m ight be Gen X, or one cool boomer You have a reason . able knowledge of so ci al m edia, pay attention to the news and probab ly ha ve a phone that doesn’t flip open . You remember th e go od old days when you didn’t have to text bef or e yo u called, but you’re making an effort (a small on e, but hey—bette than nothing) to r stay in the loop.
If you checked seven or more boxes… Yikes. You’re out of touch. You find technology frightening… and might even be clinging on to a rotary phone. The thing is, even if you’re this out of touch, there’s no reason you can’t connect with young people. Because all these things? They’re not important in the long run. What is important is making the young people in your church feel loved, remembered and relevant.
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THE TAKEAWAY? How “in touch” you are with youth culture isn’t all that relevant. You don’t need a smart phone to strike up a conversation with a young person at your church. You don’t need to know all the words to a teenager’s favourite song to ask them how they’re doing, or offer to drive some kids to a youth event. If you need to, you can learn all those things by asking the young people in your church family about them. Maybe use it as a conversation starter. But in the end, what’s most important is that you demonstrate your care for them as people. Steel yourself for some eyerolls, but know this: kids today need to know that the adults around them value them, respect them and love them. Some things never change.
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INVOLVING
YOUTH
A
of youth ministry is that youth ministry is “for youth, with youth and by youth.” For me, the first two are enjoyable and easy — who wouldn’t want to be a part of a “Nerf Night”? — but the third, intentionally developing youth leadership through involvement, is critical, difficult and rewarding. Paul encouraged Timothy to “throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me…to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others.” (2 Timothy 2:1-2). basic philosophy
Involving youth in leadership has become a necessity for our ministry at Harmony Road Baptist Church. The ongoing challenge of having committed youth leaders has been problematic for us for years and has motivated us to involve youth in leadership in meaningful ways, including youth events, catalyst opportunities like Avalanche and Blizzard, Compassion Experiences to the Domincan Republic (D.R.) and outreach opportunities like Centre Court and community service. Seeing youth inspiring the next generation of youth is amazing, but their impact is far greater than that.
Recently, I met with our Young Adult Compassion Team to the D.R. for May 2018. We were excited to share about our ongoing relationship with “Impact D.R.” The impact of this relationship over the years has shaped our understanding of what the church really is and how we are to be “The Church.” Involving youth in “meaningful ways” means not just looking to youth to deliver flyers in the neighbourhood, but involving them in ways that help shape current and future church ministry. Currently, our youth are involved in regularly leading our church in Sunday worship, leading our church children (Childcare/Junior Church), leading through community outreach (VBS, fall community fair, youth service projects and our sports camp), and leading in boards and committees (eight different young adults serve on seven boards and committees). God is using their spiritual maturity, giftedness and willingness to serve his church to direct our present and future ministry. A few weeks ago, I had a discussion with some young adults who said it was time for our church to update our current church vision. As we talked, I was thrilled to hear how passionate they were in terms of the future of the church and how they wanted to have a part in shaping it. This “passing on” that Paul spoke to Timothy requires that the church sees youth as meaningful and creates an atmosphere that risks involving them in leadership in meaningful ways.
Dave Stewart Pastor, Harmony Road Baptist Church, Oshawa
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TAKING ON TABOOS
We all have topics that make us squirm, don’t we? Whether it’s politics, personal finances or failings, there are just some things we don’t like talking about. Every culture has its taboos; ours is no exception. While the standard response leans toward providing stock answers followed by a quick change of topic, it doesn’t make for meaningful ministry. Perhaps the most glaringly obvious example of taboo topics when working with young people is sexuality. We live in a post-Christian society, where clashing ideas about morality, identity and normalcy can leave the emerging generation unsure of where they fit. Rather than avoid contentious topics, Peter Brejcha, of Stanley Park Baptist Church in Kitchener, decided to deal with them head on.
“
About two years ago, we had somebody come in from the KW Pregnancy Centre... many of their employees are Christians. She discussed the new curriculum that was being rolled out, which involved teaching kids about sexuality at an earlier age. She did a good job of informing the parents and letting them know what was happening. With that connection established, I reached out to the Centre last year and contacted another spokesperson who visits high schools in the area and talks to students about sexuality, online risks, and so on. She can’t bring her faith into such topics in the public school setting, but at church she can, and so she reshaped the talks for a youth group setting. She came three times and covered different topics, with a particular emphasis on our identity in Christ. She talked about the dangers of posting online, sexting, pornography, and sexually open relationships. She closed with a Gospel-centred message about Christ and building relationships. She was able to compare our relationship with God and with others – both romantic and platonic. You could tell she was comfortable talking about it, and the kids opened up.
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Having someone who deeply understands an uncomfortable topic, and who can engage young people with a fearless, thoughtful, Christian perspective can make all the difference for a questioning mind. This is particularly true because about half of their youth group comes from the community – from unchurched or nominally Christian homes. For many of them, youth group may be their only exposure to faith in Christ, so meeting them where they are is all the more important.
We were talking about something that was very relevant to their lives. Kids who were normally quiet were asking questions. [The speaker] gained their trust very quickly, and this helped to bridge growing relationships between each other and with Christ. I didn’t see that at first, but I was surprised to see how addressing the themes and topics of sexuality that kids are talking about in society and school opened them up to discussing deeper spiritual concepts and what it means to be in a relationship with God through Christ.
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It isn’t easy to take on untouchable subjects; there are reasons we choose not to, but doing so creates new opportunities to share Jesus with people who need him. And that, in the end, is what we are all about.
An interview with Peter Brejcha Youth Pastor at Stanley Park Baptist Church, Kitchener by Jacqueline Solomon, Communications Associate, CBOQ 19
IN PREPARATION FOR PRAISE — STAYING IN CHURCH AND CONNECTED TO CHRIST Kathy McIntosh Community Pastor, Uxbridge Baptist Church
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to be a part of an intergenerational congregation of which the leadership asks themselves this question on a regular basis: t is a true blessing
“what can we do to make sure the next generation remains engaged in our church and in close relationship with Jesus?” Millennials who are still attending church today are looking for authentic relationships where they are not only seen, but heard and included. They have a desire to serve alongside real people who live out their own faith with genuine hearts and true acts of service. These young people, between the ages of 18 and 34, truly desire to be included and serve with purpose, to be mentored, challenged, encouraged and even rebuked. After many discussions with Millennials regarding the church building itself, most responded by saying “we like things like a good sound system, a fresh coat of paint, and lighting that adds to the overall experience, a building that says welcome, like you’re coming home.” They also believe that your faith should be lived out not just in a building we call “the church.” Small groups work in homes and coffee shops. This age group likes the old buildings and history they hold, however they are also interested in some change that would make the “old seem new again.” Allow me to quote one of the Millennials I spoke with: “Whether the meeting happens in a warehouse, an old church building with stained glass or in a school, all I want is to experience is Christ, and meet with genuine people.” “the warmth of true community comes from people living out their faith without judgement of others, being seen as true disciples of Jesus.”
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nteresting, isn’t it? The younger generation care more about the community of believers themselves who are passionate and genuine about their faith and ready to answer difficult questions about all aspects of life. They want all to be included, no matter what colour their hair is, how many tattoos they have or whether or not they are wearing their hat in service. The next generation commented by saying “the warmth of true community comes from people living out their faith without judgement of others, being seen as true disciples of Jesus.”
“our young people in the church today desire to be engaged.”
They want to be known as individuals, not only by association to their family and its history. They desire to have their own identity in Christ. They appreciate tradition and respect the previous generations, especially the wisdom they have gleaned from them, but they crave opportunities to speak into the styles of service that may better suit all who are in attendance. The next generation desires to have a faith that is their own: an authentic experiential relationship with Jesus. They choose to belong to something they believe in, that they have invested in. They will share with their friends about church and Christ when they are confident it is real. They desire to be included, where they feel they are invested, needed and can serve with passion and purpose. “we need to show up and be a part of their lives, demonstrating the true love of Jesus Christ.” How can we as Canadian Baptists understand and help our next generation stay connected to the church and Jesus? We need to show interest, invest in their lives, invite them for a coffee and hear their hearts’ desires. We need to show up and be a part of their lives demonstrating the true love of Jesus Christ. It is the reality of deep honest relationship that emulates Christ and keeps the next generation on a journey with Jesus and in our churches. 22
SO WHAT CAN WE DO? • keep your foundation of faith, the true word of God, Scripture, and genuine relationship with Jesus. • avoid hypocrisy. It is a hazard to all who are watching. • be open to change, listen to the young who are staying or leaving and ask why. Perhaps they don’t want to hear announcements when they have just finished scrolling on a screen. Have bulletins become redundant? Could they be available on social media as well as a few in print?
• review your structure. Some desire deep teaching and others prefer not to hear a 45-minute lecture; make sure you include a practical application that can be taken home. The age old problem of “you can’t please everyone” is still true, but a simple change in service structure may make the world of difference. Add a video, a drama or invite those in your congregation to give testimony to what Christ is doing! • engage the next generation by involving them in ministry opportunities, multi-media experiences, serving on sound, lighting, worship teams, programs that make a difference and local and foreign missions, ask them if they would like to be a part of the planning, and place them on boards.
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THE POST- LIT! ERATE GENERATION: A GLOSSARY Perhaps you’ve heard the next generation referred to as “post-literate.” If you’ve read their social media posts, you’ve probably been mortified by their spelling and grammar. They can’t read your cursive writing, but can you figure out what they’re saying? *Next generation types, if you’re reading this… sorry… we know it’s a generalization, but whilst you may be a literary genius, lots of your peers can’t tell the difference between “your” and “you’re,” or “there,” “their” and “they’re.” How good are you at deciphering next generation code? Take a look and see if you can guess what’s going on... but keep in mind… this is far from an exhaustive list.
1. IRL a. I Really Love b. In Real Life c. I’m Really Livid
6. TBH a. The Big House b. Tiny Baby Hands c. To Be Honest
2. LOL a. Lots Of Love b. Little Old Lady c. Laughing Out Loud
7. TTYL a. Talk To You Later b. Totally Too Yappy, Love c. Talking Trash You Loony
3. BRB a. Be Right Back b. But Really Bad c. Be Ready By
8. TY a. Take Yours b. Thank You c. Total Yawn
4. IDK a. It’s “Darn” Karma b. In the Dark, Knock c. I Don’t Know
9. PTL a. Party Too Long b. Pardon The Language c. Praise the Lord
5. YOLO a. Yawn Once Laugh Often b. You’re One Lazy One c. You Only Live Once
10. FTW a. Forge The Way b. For The Win c. Fold The Washing
ANSWER KEY Don’t feel too bad if you got some of these wrong. By the time you’re reading this, these abbreviations might be completely obsolete anyway.
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1. B
2. C
3. A
4. C
5. C
6. C
7. A
8. B
9. C
10. B
INTERGENERATIONAL
WORSHIP
…WHY BOTHER?
it is difficult to do well,
it takes a lot of work in planning and preparing for it, it is a challenge to engage all ages, people might find it distracting and disruptive to have children in worship and parents might decide to just stay home because it is too difficult to ‘control’ their kids and ‘get’ anything out of the worship. Is it really worth it? Several years ago, a four-year-old girl at my church picked up a gold flag that we had at the front for anyone to make use of during our worship service. A woman was waving a green flag and the little girl began to wave her flag over the woman’s flag. Later, when we were in Sunday school, I asked her about it. She told me the green flag was the Earth and the gold flag was God and she was waving God’s glory over the Earth! Another parent shared with me how her threeyear-old daughter would close her eyes and wave her hands in the air when particular worship songs she recognized played in the car—because that is what she saw the worship leader doing at church!
people of any age can worship. People of any age can worship. It might not look the same way or be understood at the same cognitive level as others, but they still worship. Children and youth participate their way into faith. Their identity as Christians forms through the worship in which they participate, beginning with impression and awareness. Experience comes before rational understanding, so in worship children are learning a lot even if they are not able to verbalize what it is they are learning.
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Tanya Yuen Children and Family Ministries Associate, CBOQ
“worship forms character that lasts.” A pastor reflected, upon moving to planning intergenerational worship, “The question shifted from ‘What do I like for worship style and music?’ to ‘How can we design music, tell Bible stories, and do prayers to engage all ages within the framework of our church’s tradition?’” Worship forms character that lasts. Christian educator Carolyn C. Brown writes, “Worship is the heart of the congregation. Everyone has different interests, such as pastoral care or missions, but in worship you build community. Children need to see themselves as part of a community of all ages who share commitments.” Intergenerational worship is difficult to do well. It is not children’s worship, where adults prepare things for kids or where adults sit in. It is not just having kids stay in the worship service. Intergenerational worship requires intentional planning, critical reflection and humility on the part of everyone. So I ask again, is it really worth it? If your desire is to nurture an environment where anyone can come, hear from God, and offer their praise and petitions, and grow in a life-long faith with others in worship, then yes, it is most definitely worth it!
further questions to reflect upon • How often do your services include elements that acknowledge or appeal to all ages, including children, teens, adults and seniors?
• Which intergenerational worship participation changes have been easy to implement yet have made a measurable difference?
• At what age do children in your church attend worship with the adults? Thinking theologically and biblically, why does your church choose to niche or mix various age groups?
• What are the best insights on how to engage all generations in worship, while remaining true to your congregational values?
• If your church includes children for part or all of the worship service, what are your expectations for their behavior? How do families learn what your church considers appropriate in worship? • What would you lose by changing who attends, designs or leads worship? What would you gain?
• When kids worship separately for years, how do they form the habit of worshipping with adults? • Which worship habits does your church do best with and at what age do worshippers start practicing them?
• What is the best way you’ve found to engage all ages in worship? Interested in learning more about developing Intergenerational Worship at your church?
Check out www.cboqkids.ca/igworship for opportunities available to you. Intergenerational Worship Webinar on Tuesday, March 20 11am.
Email Tanya (tyuen@baptist.ca) to register for this free 1-hour webinar.
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STUMBLING ONTO INTERGENERATIONAL (YOUTH) MINISTRY Nolan Lee Associate Pastor, Toronto Chinese Baptist Church
Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come. – PSALM 71:17-18
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after 10 years as a pastor. For the first 10 years, I was facilitating intergenerational ministry because it was simply expected of me. In the English language congregation (there were also Cantonese and Mandarin congregations), I would minister to all ages. This included youth (on average 15 years younger than me—then in high school), their parents (who were on average 15 years older than me) and my own peer group.
i stumbled onto this verse
What he didn’t “want to see was
If I remember it correctly, my senior pastor, Rev. Andrew Wong recommended only one youth ministry book: “Family-Based Youth Ministry” (first edition) by Mark Devries1. He wanted me to minister to the whole family. What he didn’t want to see was a youth-only pastor running a youth-only ministry.
a youth-only pastor running a youth-only ministry.
That was the first thing that made it easy for me to stumble onto intergenerational ministry — I had a senior pastor with the vision for it.
“
QUESTION 1: In your church, what is the vision of senior leadership? Do the pastors, to the best of their ability, pastor the whole church or just their particular segment of the church body? The second reason why it was easy for me to stumble onto intergenerational ministry was the tremendous people I had to work with. Both the teens and their parents (including uncles, aunts) saw themselves as part of the “priesthood of all believers.” There was a phenomenal community of single folks, couples and families. I thought to myself, “Why pick only one group to work with?” QUESTION 2: Does your church see the potential of the different generations to serve among the “priesthood of all believers”? Do the different generations know and appreciate one another?
together “We stuck though and a
generation of Christ followers and leaders has been the fruit.
Finally, in the Asian culture, the value of community is strong. I may have disagreed with the youth at times. I may have disagreed with their parents at times. I may have disagreed with both the youth and their parents at the same time (often for different reasons). We stuck together though and a generation of Christ followers and leaders has been the fruit. This may be changing. More and more, the attitude of parents is “Three strikes and we’re out!” More and more, instead of children following their parents, it’s parents following their children to “suitable” churches with an attitude of “What’s in it for us?” QUESTION 3: As it gets harder to rely on families to do the hard work of dealing with conflict and disappointment in the church, is your church going to believe and act “as if ” we will stay together? My choice is for Psalm 71:17-18. DeVries, Mark. Family-Based Youth Ministry: Reaching the Been-there, Done-that Generation. Downers Grove, Il.: InterVarsity, 1994. Print.
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“
GROWING
UP i grew up in the GTA Chinese Baptist Church world at Toronto Chinese Baptist Church and to this day I continue to serve as a pastor in the GTA Chinese Baptist Church world at Mississauga Chinese Baptist Church. I’m grateful for having teachers and mentors along the way, many of whom I watched from a distance to see them fulfill the calling of a pastor. Growing up in the church, the focus was to hand over ministry to the next generation. While that was a wonderful and noble idea, the reality also was that many of us were never ready to have ministry handed to us.
Sometimes the message was not clear. A majority of the time when ministry was handed over to you the underlying expectation was, “do things the way we have always done it,” while my expectations were, “here is the ministry, make it work in your context, and if it needs to be different, do it.” we did not always understand the ins and outs of ministry, but by the grace of
God we moved forward.
One biblical passage that has stood out to me as I reflect on all that has happened and as I look out toward the future is Mark 2:22. It is a small parable that Jesus uses, “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” 32
Kenneth Foo Associate Pastor, Mississauga Chinese Baptist Church
“you cannot put new ideas into old mind-sets. you cannot get new results with the same behaviour.” The context of this passage is that Jesus is being asked about fasting and is addressing the religious practices of the Pharisees. I’m not commenting on or criticizing our churches or their past practices but more so about what Jesus is saying about the future. In essence Jesus is saying, “You cannot put new ideas into old mind-sets. You cannot get new results with the same behaviour.” Today, we don’t use wineskins, so this illustration gets lost on us. Here is one way to understand what Jesus was talking about. When wine is new, it is in a fermentation state. It bubbles and expands as these fermentation gases are released. At this point wine was placed in a fresh, pliable wineskin which allowed for the expansion and aging process of the wine until the fermentation process is complete. To put fresh wine into an old wineskin is a fundamental problem. The old wineskin has now taken on a particular shape and is no longer flexible. The wineskin is fixed and is also brittle. When new wine is poured in an old wineskin it expands, it causes stress on the wineskin and the wine will burst through the wineskin and both the wine and wineskin are now lost.
Transfer this image now with our church. When a church started, it was new wine in a new wineskin and as it has aged, times change, culture changes, the world around us changes, and the church changes. We come to a point now that new wine needs to be poured again but it would be dangerous to pour new wine into the wineskin that once was. We need a new wineskin for the new wine. That is why you see the need for change. We appreciate all that has happened in our history and in our past. That is why we dare not pour new ideas into something that has already been. So we try create new structures and supports for new ideas. In my church context we see the unique challenges ahead. Our congregation has grown from its infancy as a replication of the Cantonese congregation. Now the English congregation is forced to deal with various cultural pulls. There is the pull of simply following the path of the Cantonese congregation, simply copying the programs and structures and just using a different language is how many English congregations were planted and operate. Now you add the dynamic that the Mandarin congregation wants their children and teens cared for. That adds another cultural layer.
“some of this new wine is the intergenerational style of ministry we need to see thrive.�
Further, you add that many of the English congregations are having their own children. That adds another cultural layer. Furthermore, you add that our city is changing and country is changing and how society views church, spirituality and religion, and then you add that cultural layer to our congregation. All of a sudden the wineskin we once had cannot handle all of this. Some of this new wine is the multicultural practices our churches need to adopt. Some of this new wine is the intergenerational style of ministry we need to see thrive.
At the heart of all this is really allowing the next generation of pastors to respectfully love the past but just as carefully carve out the future.
We need to accept new wine and new wineskins, to offer trust to our leaders and to be open to change by recognizing the message has not changed but the methods do.
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EVENTS MARCH
JUNE
SEPTEMBER
10 Raptors 905 Faith/Family Day cboqkids.ca/raptors905
2 Transition 101 transition101.ca
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16 Centre Court cboqyouth.ca/centrecourt
7-9 Assembly 2018: Lead with Love baptist.ca/assembly
APRIL
10
7 Kwasind Camp in April kwasind.com
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15 CBOQ grant application due baptist.ca/grant-funding 21 Cafechurch Envisioning Day baptist.ca/cafechurch 23-26 New Pastors Orientation baptist.ca/npo
MAY 4-6
Kwasind Work Weekend
7 Assembly registration early-bird deadline baptist.ca/assembly
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National Day of Prayer for Youth
15 Small Church Envisioning Day baptist.ca/accelerators
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OCTOBER 6 Small Church Envisioning Day baptist.ca/accelerators 9
Avalanche/Blizzard Registration Opens
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23 Reel Family Time cboqkids.ca/reelfamily
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1 Worship for the World baptist.ca/ worship-for-the-world
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Summer Camp begins
AUGUST
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Kwasind Celebration Weekend
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Kwasind Teen Week Begins
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National Day of Prayer for Kids
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