new from barna

Barna has released a new study titled What Teenagers Look for in a Church. You shouldn't even be reading this because you should have demolished the left key on your mouse trying to get to get to that study. But since you are still reading I'll oblige.

Encouragement:
"The (second) most common activity (among teenagers) is attending a worship service at a church. ... Compared to American adults, teenagers are more likely to report engagement in corporate forms of worship and spiritual expression."

Kick in the pants:
"However, the research raises caution that teenagers' prodigious appetites for spiritual activity may be waning."

Wake-up call:
"One out of every four teenagers (26%) had learned something about their faith or spirituality online in the last six months. ... Furthermore, one-sixth of teenagers (16%) and one-quarter of born again teens (25%) said they had 'a spiritual experience' online where they worshipped or connected with God." (Emphasis mine.)

Direction for designing youth space:
"The most common elements sought by young people were 'to worship or make a connection with God' (45% described this as very important) and 'to better understand what I believe' (42%)."

We know that for unchurched teenagers and young adults, the most important part of your facility is third place space. It's not lost on those teenagers who regularly attend worship services, either; the new Barna report goes on to reveal that about one-third of them say they want to spend time with close friends at church.

For those teenagers who are coming regularly, your student ministry space needs to be a place they can connect with God and learn about their faith. Sharing worship space with a traditional adult congregation won't inspire them, and sharing classroom or teaching space with the children's ministry will not keep them focused.