Big Challenges and Bigger Opportunities for Strengthening Local Church Culture
l By Timothy Floyd
Leadership guru Max De Pree once said, “the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.”1 We have to know what we are up against before we can make plans for action. In an attempt to define our present reality in the church, let’s talk honestly for a few lines.
Photos Courtesy Timothy Floyd
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the younger generations are leaving in startling numbers, and we have invested a lot In 1965, the Seventh-day of resources understanding Adventist Church began the reasons why they have studying the issue of why left. We have mountains of people leave the church. research on this single issue Since that study began, there have been over 37 mil- within Adventism, and yet we have seen no change in lion Seventh-day Adventist the problem. members worldwide. This is the reality we face. However, over 15 million of The question is, what are we them have left the church in 2 going to do about it? Will we that time. continue business as usual, or When asked why they invest in changing the culture left the church, the majorthat causes these losses? ity of the responses did not necessarily indicate a lack of Growing Young belief or specific theological Beginning in 2016, a small disagreement; rather their group of Adventist pastors, reasons pointed toward a teachers, conference and relationship breakdown eviunion leaders began studying dent in a variety of behaviors, the book Growing Young by actions or perceptions. Kara Powell in an effort to Additionally, over 63 find a solution for our own percent of those who have challenges.3 Kara’s team had left the church were young adults when they left. That been looking at the same issue means that in every generaas the Adventist Church’s tion (at least since we started Nurture and Retention study, studying this in 1965), there except within Christianity as has been a mass exodus due a whole. They decided to stop to a relational breakdown in focusing on the problem, and the late teen and young adult start looking at what they call age. As a church, we have not “Bright Spots” in ministry. been supporting our younger These are congregations that generations well enough, so are effectively loving and servthey leave. ing young people already. This is unacceptable. We These congregations are now have over 55 years’ engaging young people worth of data indicating that ages 15-29, and are growing Defining Reality
