Category Archives: For Churches

Financing College – Taking Time to Laugh

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Financing college can be difficult and stressful.  If you are in the midst of putting together a plan to finance an education, take some time to laugh.  Here is a great clip from the Middle, a show that is a must-watch for parents of emerging adults.

Check out this clip from the Middle.

Here are some additional articles that talk about finances.

Dr. G. David Boyd is the Managing Director of EA Resources, and the Founder of the EA Network.  If he can help your community understand and minister to emerging adults, please contact him at gdavid@earesources.org.

“Adulting” Seminars – for emerging adults in your community

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“Adulting” Schools have been active for a couple of years now.  If they are news to you, here is an article that can introduce you to the topic.  These events and schools are more about folding a sheet, but also build confidence and community for emerging adults.

I believe that churches and camps could offer “Adulting” Schools or Seminars for emerging adults – not in a demeaning way, but in a way to clarify and confirm their adulthood.

At EA Resources, we teach there is a biblical framework for what it means to be an adult.  The developmental markers of adulthood are to:  Discover Vocation, Establish Autonomy, and Develop Community.

Besides these main seminars, your church could offer breakout sessions on finances, career connections, cooking, or house-cleaning.

Here is a possible schedule:

             8:30   Registration – Welcome
              9:00-10:00 Directions to Adulthood:  Discover Vocation
             10:15-11:00 Seminar Sessions
              11:15- 12:15 Directions to Adulthood:  Establish Autonomy
              12:30-1:30 Lunch
               1:30 – 2:15   Seminar Sessions
                2:30 – 3:30   Directions to Adulthood:  Develop Community
               3:45 – 4:30   Seminar Sessions

If you are interested in discussing, how your community could host an Adulting Seminar, please contact Dr. Boyd at gdavid@earesources.org.

Dr. G. David Boyd is the Managing Director of EA Resources, and the Founder of the EA Network.  If he can help your community understand and minister to emerging adults, please contact him at gdavid@earesources.org.

“Adulting” Schools – for Emerging Adults

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“Adulting” almost became the international word of the years.  Some schools have popped over the country in order to teach emerging adults how to be an adult.  I believe churches could also offer “adulting” seminars and conferences.  If your community is interested, you can contact me at gdavid@earesources.org.

It’s not that hard to figure out how to fold a fitted sheet.
Google it and you’ll get more than 2 million results. There are more than 35,000 results on YouTube, with the top video clocking more than 15 million views.
But it is one of those basic life skills that, along with cooking dinner, figuring out health insurance or changing a flat tire, falls within the world of “adulting” — a self-deprecating term to describe the vast universe of things millennials should know how to do but probably don’t. The Adulting School says it’s not their fault, and wants to help them figure it out.

Here is the rest of the article. 

Does a church’s views on sexuality alienate emerging adults?

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Some research was released this week from the Pew Research Group regarding whether or not Americans believe that churches alienate young adults because of their beliefs on sexuality.

Here is the Link.  (You will have to scroll down to Section IV.)

When asked whether or not faith groups are driving away younger Americans because of intolerant views of gay and lesbian people, 50% of Americans said no.  When asked this same question in 2013, 58% of Americans said no.

The drop in this statistic could reveal the number of religious communities that are now more inclusive of the LGBT community.  The drop could also reflect how churches have become more nuanced, and aware of how to discuss these issues in the public square without causing offense.

Source: http://www.prri.org/research/lgbt-transgender-bathroom-discrimination-religious-liberty/

When the same question was asked to emerging adults (18-29 year olds), 60% of Millennials stated that churches are driving away younger Americans due to intolerance.  This number reflects a drop of 13% when compared to when this same question was asked in 2013.

 

Points for Consideration:

  • Emerging adults themselves are the best group to discuss this question, and I feel that their age group most accurately reflects the views of their generation.
  • Emerging adults who grow up within a community, and continues to share those same beliefs are less likely to feel these beliefs repel people their age (because those beliefs did not repel them).
  • These statistics do not show that changing your beliefs will cause more emerging adults to come racing to your church.  But they do reflect that these views, may become obstacles to new emerging adults joining your community.
  • Beliefs do matter.  The stance that your community takes (or refuses to take) on various issues does affect who will or will not walk through the doors of your building.
  • As emerging adults have become less tied to institutions, emerging adults may attend a church regardless of whether or not they agree with the church on a particular issue.  Emerging adults are not afraid to establish their own beliefs separate from the church. 

Although 60% is still extremely high, in regards to relating to and ministering to emerging adults, the positive news is that no group shifted in their perspective more positively than emerging adults.

Dr. G. David Boyd is the Managing Director of EA Resources.  He is also the Founder of the EA Network, a group of individuals driven to minister to the needs of emerging adults.  If he can help your church minister to the needs of emerging adults, please contact him at gdavid@earesources.org.

 

 

 

Processing Pain in Emerging Adulthood

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Copyright 2016 EA Resources. Please contact for permission to use.

Throughout my life and ministry, I have observed people in various life stages (childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, adulthood) experience deep pain.  It is especially wrenching to see little children go through pain.  While some say that children are resilient to pain, could the limited reaction of children (their resilience) to pain be due to their ability to fully process it?  

Pain and suffering affect any individual’s development, regardless of their age; however, feelings aren’t always processed immediately when the tragedy occurs.  Painful events and trauma often circle back into our lives, especially while transitioning to new stages of development.  

As children grow and mature, we must understand that traumatic incidents will be processed at differing stages.  Let’s imagine that a young boy named Billy was a victim of physical abuse which happened when he was five years old.  A child might process this event at different ages based upon his cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual development; For example: (Please note: listed ages are relative.)  

At 4 – Dad hit me.  It hurt.  

At 8 – Dad hit me.  It hurt.  Dad was angry.  I am scared.  (The child has developed the ability to identify emotions within themselves and others.) 

At 12 – Dad hit me.  It hurt.  Dad was angry.  Dad doesn’t love me.  I am scared of Dad.  I am angry.  (The child developed the ability to recognize cause and effect, and abstract concepts.)

At 15 – Dad hit me.  It hurt.  Dad was angry.  Dad doesn’t love me.  I am scared of Dad.  I am angry.  I feel confused about my emotions and reactions towards my dad and mom.  My dad had other options.  My mother had other options.  God had other options.  I am angry at dad, at mom, and God.  (The adolescent developed the ability to connect experiences with spiritual beliefs, to use complex rationality, and to contemplate social relationships).

At 21 – Dad hit me.  How am I affected by my past?  How has my experienced shaped what I believe about myself and the world?  How will my past affect my current and future relationships with him and others?  (The emerging adults developed the ability to reflect on their past while developing their autonomy, and  establishing a social community.) 

During the transition to adulthood, pain can resurface.  Adolescents once trapped by family systems who either forced the child to avoid pain, or were the source of pain – are now freely able to process their childhood experiences.   

As the individual transitions towards adulthood, emerging adults seeking to establish their autonomy will begin the process of separating who they were in the past (or what had happened to them) into who they want to be as they make their own decisions.  As they process their past pain, emerging adults reflect how their experiences has shaped them, and how it will affect who they become.   

As emerging adults develop community, they make decisions as to how their past will affect their current and future relationships.  The ability to choose their social network allows them to make decisions concerning with whom they will continue relationships (even among family members).

As emerging adults discover vocation, pain can lead their vocational decisions as they seek healing from past trauma, or seek to heal others from the pain that they once experienced.  

Pain plays often a vital role in each fundamental task of adulthood shaping each individual according to God’s plan.  As those who minister to emerging adults, we must learn to ask good questions that will lead emerging adults to reflect on their past.

Dr. G. David Boyd is the Managing Director of EA Resources, and the Founder of the EA Network.  If Dr. Boyd can help you and your community minister to the needs of emerging adults, you can contact him at gdavid@earesources.org.      

 

 

 

Fostering virtual faith: Building an online community

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As the internet has become more apart of our lives, discussions have been around for years about the possibility of a virtual church.  Here is an article that speaks about a truly virtual church, and how it desires to reach out to Millennials.

The Rev. Sion Gough Hughes, pastor of a Protestant church in Melbourne, Australia, was surfing the web a couple years ago when he happened on a Facebook page that challenged his understanding of his calling. 

Continue reading →

Running from Adulthood? Powerful Music Video by Ruth B

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J. M. Barrie first used Peter Pan, the character who never wanted to grow up first appeared in The Little White Bird (1902) written by J.M. Barrie.  The character was based on J.M. Barrie’s older brother who died in a ice-skating accident.  The family considered him to be the boy who always remain the same age. 

As the series progressed, a division developed with Peter Pan running from Captain Hook and the pirates in Neverland.  The pirates of Neverland are the only adults, and represent growing older.  The Lost Boys are his tribe of friends who run from the pirates.

In this video from Ruth B., she describes the how she had one true friend as a child – Peter Pan.

Here is the link – please listen closely to the words. 

As a society, we must ask ourselves and emerging adults the following questions.

  • As adults, do we welcome them into adult communities?
  • How do older adults show care for emerging adults?
  • How do we portray adulthood?
  • Is adulthood something that emerging adults want to achieve?  Do they know how to achieve it?
  • How do adults describe the challenges and behavior of emerging adulthood?
  • How do adults show empathy and support for emerging adults?

These are great questions for any church or community that is seeking to become intergenerational.

Dr. G. David Boyd is the Managing Director of EA Resources, and the Founder of the EA Network.  If he can help your community understand and minister to emerging adults, please contact him at gdavid@earesources.org.

 

The Millennial Exodus in Scotland

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The steady decline of Church of Scotland membership to some 360,000 persons is well documented. It is therefore no surprise that linkages, closures and reduction in number from the prevailing 46 presbyteries are envisaged. However, the main challenge is the alarming lack of young adults attending church. In many congregations perhaps 70 per cent will be 60 years of age and more. It is no longer one generation missing, but two. This is the emergency which must be addressed even before the present structure of presbyteries is considered. Continue reading →

The Millennial Exodus and the Historic black church

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I read an interesting article over the weekend, and I wanted to share with you.

Here is the Link.

Members of Jubilee Baptist worship during a recent

Photo: CINDY HOSEA/Staff

 

While the article is not based on solid research, it does have some interesting points.  Some that I do not agree with, and some that I do:

  1.  “Parents have a responsibility to tell their children, to make sure that church is not an elective. It is a must.”
  2. “They’re important to the life of the ministry; they’re the next generation.”
  3. “they don’t see the church as relevant and so as a result, there’s been a falling away.”
  4. “Leaders have to let youth know the church is still relevant.”
  5. “I think my generation’s parenting has not given that demand of youth going to church.”
  6. “Churches spend too much time trying to be all things to all people and trying to become wealthy megachurches.”

What comments from the list do you disagree with?

Dr. G. David Boyd is the Founder and Managing Director of EA Resources, a non-profit designed to equip church and parents to meet the needs of emerging adults.