January 23 – Devotional
Scripture Reading: Matthew 19:13-15
Key Verses: Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” – Matthew 19:14, NRSV
In Future-Focused Church, the authors name and discuss “3 Checkpoints;” they write that these Checkpoints are “intentional points on your journey that you need to pass through on the way to your future THERE.” The Checkpoints are grounded in Scripture and reflect recent research and the dynamics of U.S. churches and our world today. The first Checkpoint is Prioritizing and Empathizing with Young People. Statistics show that people age 65 and older make up 33% of today’s churchgoers, but only 17% of the general population. People in the 35-64 age group represent another 33% of current church goers. If the church does not find a way to bring young adults and their families into the church, what will the church look like in 10-25 years?
Pray:
• What challenges do children, youth, and young adults face today? How can God work through the church to bring the help and the hope needed to overcome these challenges in a manner that is healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually?
• What are some steps our church could take to prioritize and empathize with children, youth, and young adults in the coming months?
Listen: With open eyes, ears, and heart, listen for God to speak to you now and throughout the day.
Share: You can share your thoughts where you feel best. You can share your thoughts in your printed devotional booklet, you can share below in the comments, you can share a comment on our Facebook page, or you can share a comment on the First Houston United Methodist Church App by following the Daily Devotionals Channel.
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Bringing young adults back to the church appears to be a of all current churches and there is no simple answer. How do you bridge the active teen years with the young adults about 25 after they have survived university, job applications, rejections, and romance? Perhaps congregations have to develop drop in centres with everything from music, sports, refreshments, and counselling to attract students in the community at large who are attending school in Houston. Remember that we are called to serve the individual when they need us. If enough people are helped then a synergy develops which spreads over the entire church community. Church statistics are only one measure of success. For example, my sons’ youth group resulted in one ordained pastor, one PhD in theology, and one who majored in religious studies. None of the three live near the church but we have to count them as our contribution not as a failure to retain. They don’t appear in our congregation’s current annual statistics. What has to be done is the welcoming of their replacements while they are studying and hope that a long term association develops as they and their families grow.
I think that everyone seeks spiritual guidance and providing the place for the young adults to find it and feel comfortable is the challenge and the goal of the church today.