Into Thy Word -  

GenXcellent Involvement!

by A. Allan Martin

Here are some ideas of how to minister to young adults and invite their involvement with your church:

(1) Let them minister to each other. Unlike youth ministry where an adult is the central figure, young adults are more inclined to lead their own groups, meetings, and projects. Ownership is important to them. Give them responsibilities based on individual talents and interests, then step to the side, providing support from an advisor vantage point.

(2) Practical is their first name. Young adults are pragmatic; Look towards practical projects with local relevance. Also make sure there are tangible results that are evident to your young adults. Doing homeless feedings or shelter work, blood drives, and big "sibling" programs are examples of programs close to home that make an impact. Young adults get excited about these opportunities.

(3) Relationships are a primary concern. Beyond their peers, young adults are also looking for authentic, mutual relationships with adults. Select some empathic adults to initiate personal relationships with one or two of your young adults. Start a mentorship program in your church. Create social events that are more relationally structured and less program structured. Intentional ministry efforts to get to know young adults personally will make a substantial difference.

(4) Niche ministries. A successful way to involve young adults in your ministry is to look first at the talents of your young adults. Rather than plug them into a church job description, create "niches" where they can use their expertise or develop their interests. Videography for Sabbath School discussion starters, developing a desktop-published newsletter for the church, and initiating relations for the church with social action agencies; These are examples of simply empowering young adults to employ their abilities for the church.

(5) Focus group consult. Young adults are very diverse, and no doubt your ministry to and by them will need to be custom-tailored. An excellent way to involve them is to create a focus group or advisory council made up of young adults. Regularly meet with them to check your ideas, to get their advice, to ask for their help. Gradually, based on their comfort, enlist their leadership into the very core of church life. Taking this route will help them acclimate to the occasional "tempests" that emerge in church boards and other arenas of church leadership. But keep the focus group to hone your young adult ministry vision.

Although the world calls them Generation X, young adults can stand for something eXcellent in your ministry. With consistent efforts to pray for, nurture, and empower young adults, your church can make a positive spiritual impact in their lives.

X-FILES
dre.am VISION ministries is a para-church organization dedicated towards nurturing young adult leadership and lifestyle. Here are some excellent resources we highly recommend:

X-BOOKS

Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (1993). 13th gen: Abort, retry, ignore, fail? New York: Vintage Books.
A penetrating look at the life and times of Generation X, Neil Howe and William Strauss present a seering view of the struggles of young adults from a secular vantage point. Satirical, irreverent, and powerfully poignant, 13th Gen is must have for those interested in understanding and grappling with Buster culture.

Barna, G. (1992). The invisible generation: Baby busters . Glendale, CA: Barna Research Group, Ltd.
George Barna of the Barna Research Group, Ltd., is well respected as one of the leading marketing researchers working with Christian populations. Although not as edgy as Howe & Strauss' 13th Gen , Barna's Invisible Generation is insightful and goes a step further to analyze the relationship of young adults to the church. Provocative yet practical, Invisible Generation gives good content based on thorough demographic research on young adults.

Mahedy, W., & Bernardi, J. (1994). A generation alone: Xers making a place in the world . Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity.
Co-authored by a college chaplain and a collegiate young adult, A Generation Alone is a notable work pulling on the strengths of William Mahedy and Janet Bernardi to illustrate with their personal experiences. Although some of the psychological/sociological theorizing of Mahedy seems a bit stretched at times, the book gives some wonderful attention to the relational experience of young adults.

X-PUBLICATIONS

Regeneration Quarterly , W. Bradford Wilcox, editor, P.O. Box 3000, Denville, NJ 07834-9369, 800-783-4903, e-mail: regeneration@csgi.com
By young adults, RQ is a powerful periodical that "promotes a community of cultural engagement among Christians from the rising generation who might otherwise be separated by conviction, circumstance, or geography." It is meaty and well worth reading through from cover to cover.

Adventist Review , William G. Johnsson, editor, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, 800-456-3991, e-mail: 74617.15@CompuServe.com
Everywhere I turn, someone is telling me that the Adventist Review is taking on a new face, is going to have new columns, is going to have a new edgy feel. I'm starting to believe it.

Build Magazine , Dara Mayers & Naadu Blankson, editors, DO Something, 423 W. 55th Street, 8th floor, New York, NY 10019, PH:212-523-1175, FX:212-582-1307, Email: Daramay@aol.com
"To be published quarterly, starting in May 1996, by DO Something, BUILD is a new magazine designed for 15-25 year olds. BUILD expresses an alternative conception of young people; we believe that all young people are visionaries. We can imagine, and therefore create, change. Because of this belief, we have a whole new approach to media for and about young people. BUILD is not cynical!"

X-TRA RESOURCES

Toll free directory: hotlines and more , CompuServe's Adventists Online Forum, General Info/Facts library section, 800-260-7171.
This directory listing provides toll free hotlines, 800 helplines, infolines, ministry resources and more. Especially useful for young adult ministry, the index includes important hotlines, and a wide range of Christian ministry resources. If you are not a member of CompuServe's Adventists Online Forum, call the PlusLine, 800-SDA-PLUS, and they can help you access a hardcopy of the directory.

WILD World Web Sites! , CompuServe's Adventists Online Forum, Young Adults library section, 800-260-7171.
This selected world wide web directory contains a wide range of youth/young adult ministry resources and helpful informational sites for youth work! If you are not a member of CompuServe's Adventists Online Forum, call the PlusLine, 800-SDA-PLUS, and they can help you access a hardcopy of the directory.

Young Adult Online Conferences , CompuServe's Adventists Online Forum, Main Conference Room (rm 1), Sundays, 9:00-10:00 P.M. (Eastern), 800-260-7171.
Young adults from all over the world convene in cyberspace! Every Sunday join young adults online for intriguing discussions, fascinating guests, and hot topics! Once a month a combined conference with youth (8:00-10:00 P.M.) will feature Jose' Rojas, NAD Youth Ministries Director, and a variety of special guests! For more information contact A. Allan Martin.

X-RESOURCE PERSONS

Name: Tony Anobile
Address: SCCSDA, P.O. Box 969, Glendale, CA 91209
Phone: 818-546-8400 CompuServe: 74532,2605
Reference: A. Allan Martin, dre.am VISION ministries; dream_VISION_ministries@CompuServe.com
Tony Anobile is Southern California Conference Young Adult Ministries Director. A passionate and personable speaker, Tony's work centers exclusively on collegians and young adults, making him a exceptional resource to you.

Name: Bill Crofton
Address: FCSDA, P.O. Box 2626, Winter Park, FL 32790-2626
Phone: 407-644-5000 Fax: 407-644-7550
Reference: A. Allan Martin, dre.am VISION ministries; dream_VISION_ministries@CompuServe.com
Bill Crofton is Florida Conference Youth/Young Adult Ministries Director. His extensive experience with campus ministry and young adult ministry development make him an excellent seminar/training speaker. His humorous and narrative style help him connect with all audiences, but especially with young adults.

Youth & Young Adult Speakers Bureau , CompuServe's Adventist Online Forum, Young Adult library section, 800-260-7171.
Tony Anobile and Bill Crofton are among the many exceptional resource people listed in this bureau. The bureau is a list of professional youth and young adult speakers, musicians, and dramatists that are ready to support your local ministry. This is the place to start if you are planning worship, campmeetings, or super youth and young adult spiritual events. If you are not a member of CompuServe's Adventists Online Forum, call the PlusLine, 800-SDA-PLUS, and they can help you access a hardcopy of the bureau.

X-RESOURCE CENTERS

 

These organizations provide a wide range of young adult ministry resources and services:

Creative Ministries Resource Center: 1-800-272-4664

Center for Youth Evangelism: 1-800-YOUTH-2U

Hancock Center for Youth Ministries: 1-800-785-HCYM

Youth and Young Adult Ministry Consultants: 1-800-440-1670

Youth and Young Adult Ministry Response Line: 1-800-SDA-7738

George Barna Group: 1-800-55-BARNA

Group Kidstitute & Youth Ministry Workshop: 1-800-774-3838

National Institute of Youth Ministry: 1-800-397-9725

Search Institute: 1-800-888-7828

Sonlife Ministries: 1-800-770-4769

Youth Specialties Convention & Seminars: 1-800-776-8007