new from Barna

Pause on the CKN Conference notes for the latest release from Barna: A New Generation Expresses its Skepticism and Frustration with Christianity. The generals are nothing most of us didn't already know: teenagers and young adults don't like Christians. Some of the actual numbers, though, are worse than I thought.

(These are 16 to 29 year-olds)
- 16% have a "good impression" of Christianity.
- 3% express favorable views of evangelicals.
- 87% believe present-day Christianity is judgmental.
- 85% believe present-day Christianity is hypocritical.
- Half of young church-goers agree with the previous two.

The most frequent, unprompted impressions of Christianity reflected the themes, "Christianity is changed from what it used to be," and "Christianity in today's society no longer looks like Jesus." That's from Christian and non-Christian young people.

Researcher David Kinnaman commented,

Going into this three-year project, I assumed that people's perceptions were generally soft, based on misinformation, and would gradually morph into more traditional views. But then, as we probed why young people had come to such conclusions, I was surprised how much their perceptions were rooted in specific stories and personal interactions with Christians and in churches.

Of course, your ministry needs to teach Biblical truth, no matter how much it conflicts with a young person's worldview. Teaching, though, requires communication, and in the digital age communication is at least two-way. In the emerging worldview, there is no such thing as the "gospel truth," accepted without question. Relationship is more important than position, and authenticity speaks louder than a white collar or robe. You will preach a better post-modern sermon with one to three young people around a café table than you will from the front of your worship space.

Wait, does your building have a café table?

Evan McBroom at Cornerstone

Evan McBroom gave a great presentation on communication during the building process at the CKN Conference yesterday. My notes:

Five key concepts:
1. Communication is not an event, it's a process.
2. Branding does matter, and it's foundational to all communication.
3. make the need obvious to move and inspire people.
4. Creating "buzz" is essential. Cut through the clutter.
5. Make proven approaches your own. This is not the time for cookie-cutter material.

"Branding:" Clear communication of your promise; paints a picture; creates expectations; refine experiences to match brand.

Brand Equation: Identity + Communication = Offering + Experience

Bonus Advice: Stop doing some things.

When he got onto branding being "foundational," I cringed and he lost credibility points. After his definition, though, I realized his idea of branding is not congruent with my idea of branding and most of his points were reinstated.

And a fun video about communication. Evan didn't use this one, I think Ed Bahler and Bill Couchenour did during the opening session, but it applies and I like it:

conference updates

Don's having fun.

what good is a ball pit?

We're hanging out at the Cornerstone (CKN) Conference in Bolingbrook today. I got a picture of Lynn - mua ha ha - and our mugs rule.

Notes will be posted over the next few days, but first: story time.

As Rose, Rashmi and I gave ourselves a tour of Living Water, we paused to consider breaking into the play place (McDonald's has nothing on this church). A man who volunteers at the church told us a story about a two-and-a-half year old boy that came a few months ago with his parents as new visitors. The pastor was greeting people and showed the parents their children's wing. The parents cited several recent church visits, and insisted the boy would not leave their side. One look at that play place, though, and he was gone. They've been attending Living Water for a few months and have never had a problem leaving their son in class. Cool.

new wineskins

Mark 2:22//And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.

That's New King James. In today's vernacular it goes, "Just be real." No one understands this principal better than the emerging generation.

Don pulled up the vague empty chair next to me yesterday and asked why, despite all the cool spaces designed for post-moderns, he always sees them hanging out at Taco Bell and White Castle.

"Because it's cheaper than Panera," I answered, "and all of their friends are already there."

Teenagers and young adults appreciate well-designed spaces, probably more than you think. We notice the colors you choose for the walls, and how the layout of the room affects traffic flow. Decor is discussed, just in terms you may not understand. At the end of the day, though, the principals of third place rule.

Chapter two of Oldenburg's The Great Good Place is called "The Character of Third Place Spaces." He discusses eight principals. Below are the ones that especially hit home with teenagers and young adults, as demonstrated by a little pizza place in my home town:

1. The Leveling effect. Everyone's a teenager who likes getting a huge slice of pizza and as much pop as they can drink for $3. Social strata fade into the background because the place is cool. Walking in the door earns you cool-points.

2. Conversation is the main activity. The $3 also buys you a table for as long as you want it.

3. Accessibility and accommodation. This is especially key for teenagers who can't drive yet. It needs to be within walking/biking distance or it needs to have enough entertainment value to justify being dropped off for most of the day.

4. Regulars. When this pizzeria opened, they first earned the favor of a few. Most of their staff now is high school kids, they cultivate a culture of fierce loyalty (easier because they're right next door to a Pizza Hut), and they let delivery drivers sit at tables to smoke or play arcade games between runs. Anyone knows they can go in any time and meet someone they know, or wait a few minutes until he gets back from a delivery.

5. A low profile. This is going to mess with you, but the building is pretty drab. People know they can put their feet up on the seat across from them, sit on the table, or stand on a chair to change the channel on the wall-mounted TV if they don't want to watch sports. It's comfortable.

6. Playful mood. I already mentioned the arcade games (the owner has the high score on Street Fighter), the TVs, and the conversation ...

7. Home away from home. Those who frequent this pizza place know that it belongs to them. When the owner found out one of his regulars had become vegan, and would no longer be eating pizza, he hauled out his food catalog to find alternatives and ordered things just for her that never even made it to the menu. (And can I also say, if you've never had a pickle breaded and deep-fried, you haven't lived.)

Everyone needs a third place space, but if you're planning one for your student/young adult ministry it needs to be different. They are new wine, and they will tear asunder an old wineskin. It needs to be real.

reason #117

Guest blogger Abbi Zeliff had a nice talk with his grandfather that he wants to tell you all about over at the Swerve blog. It's a good reminder, and yet another compelling reason to get on the Third Place bandwagon. People need some place they can go, why not your place?

He goes on to talk about how the burden is "compounded" for those in ministry, "because there are lives at stake." He encourages you to slow down too. So once you have your third place space, either staff it during regular business hours or learn to use the espresso machine.

Pastor Brian Zahnd of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri is one guy I really like to listen to, and I think he would agree. (He's even more fun to watch, because he's very animated - the audio podcasts don't really do him justice.) Their third place space is called Solomon's Porch, and he mentioned once in passing that, "In my church I am never more than 160 steps from a cappuccino. It's great."

a visitor's perspective

Guest blogger David Zimmerman is doing a series on church from the visitor's point of view over at Church Marketing Sucks. Number three, yesterday, was titled "The Welcoming Paradox."

He talks about the delicate balance between not embarrassing new visitors (which was the subject of installment #2), and not leaving them to fend for themselves. The part that I nervously laughed at yesterday was when he and his wife, "eventually found a table in the lobby with a sign declaring it to be the 'Welcome Table,' but no one ever showed up."

He goes on to talk about empowering your congregation to be nice to people, but I couldn't get past the welcome center. Can visitors to your church get past the welcome center? Is it visible? Obvious, even? Are there people there on Sunday mornings? If not, is there a floor plan on display? Signage? Directions? Anything that is at all helpful?

branding and teen ministry 3 (of 3)

One more thing I want to point out about Brandweek's article on some summer research:

>> Music most defines them, according to 44% of teens, followed by family (39%) and moral values (38%).

How's the sound system in your youth ministry space? Is it the left-over, or old equipment from the main church facility; or is it new, designed specifically for your space? What about the lighting and visual equipment that enhance the worship experience? What about their fellowship/social space? Do you have a CD player in the corner, or a central sound system?

These are numbers that a youth ministry can embrace, rather than fight. If music most defines teenagers, music should perhaps most define the space you create for them.

branding and teen ministry 2 (of 3)

Another interesting observation from the research highlighted by Brandweek earlier this summer:

>> Despite being wired 24/7 with mobile devices and online communities, they feel the word "chill" best describes them (according to 40% of those surveyed).

Reporter Kenneth Hein reveals his age as he alludes to an interesting note about teenage/young adult culture. Hein begins with "despite" as though being wired and being relaxed were contradictory ideas, but teenagers don't seem to think so.

(Pause for a moment for those of you who may be scratching your heads at "chill." Adj. "cool, calm, relaxed, etc." V. "hang out, relax, slow down, etc.")

So what about your youth ministry space?

First of all, you need a place where students can "chill" before or after your worship service. Again, this should be a place set aside for them. Props if your church facility already has a third place space, but your youth ministry needs one of its own. See the three insights from yesterday.

Secondly, it needs to be chill according to their standards, not yours. They can be innundated with electronics and noise and still be chill, but they probably don't want you to organize mandatory group games for them. Go ahead and play loud music with the TVs on and the video game/internet station running all at the same time. You might feel over-stimulated, but they're used to it - more than that: they're comfortable in it.

branding and teen ministry 1 (of 3)

Open Mind Research and OTX joined forces to survey 1000 teenagers this summer on branding. Not something a youth ministry may be interested in initially, but when Brandweek highlighted the study, they titled their article, "How to Reach Teens? It's All About the Brand." What youth ministry isn't always looking for better ways to "reach teens?"

Some interesting observations:

>> Of the 47 brands tested, the iPod came out on top as the brand "absolutely essential to teens."

Why? Irma Zandl, principal of The Zandl Group, mused, "They respond to brands that reflect their lifestyle and offer innovation, creativity and a high degree of style." Similarly, the study found that,

>> Nineteen percent will swap brands due to boredom.

The implications herein for youth ministry are endless, and one facet of those implications speaks to youth ministry space.

First of all, this should drive home the idea (if you're not already convinced) that a youth ministry needs a unique space. It's not enough to take over your church's main worship space when the adults are not around.

Zandl's insight is ... insightful. That the iPod is "absolutely essential" tells us three things about what is important to teenagers:

1. Reflect their culture

Youth ministry space should look, feel, and sound (maybe not "smell") like their favorite hang-out. Where do teenagers and young adults in your community hang out? Starbucks? Build out a third place space. Skatepark? Get some ramps, helmets and permission slips. Bedrooms? Make it comfortable, malleable, and accessible.

2. Be innovative/creative

Keep the space simple. There was a time when youth ministry spaces were themed, but it may be time to leave that for the children's ministry. Your space should be flexible: from hang out to open mic night to movie screening to Summer Kick-Off party.

3. Be stylish

Your space can be simple and stylish at the same time. Look at the iPod commericals that have catapulted their product to "absolutely essential:" simple and stylish. All it takes is good color, clever lighting, and some hip furniture.

innovative?

Okay, so this doesn't have a lot to do with building a church facility (unless you're considering an escalator, in which case the message is: beware!), but it has a lot to do with the difference between using innovation and being innovative.