A few days ago the Pew Forum Research Center released some new statistics on faith in America. And what it revealed was not good.
19.6% of Americans claim no religious affiliation. This includes those claiming to be both agnostic and atheist.
And this number has gone up nearly 5% in just the past 5 years.
Even worse, 33% of Americans under the age of 30 claim no religious affiliation.
In a post last week I talked about students who are struggling this time of year because, as social scenes are beginning to solidify, they are finding themselves unexpectedly on the outside looking in.
I suggested that, as ministers and ministries, we have a unique and important opportunity here. We need to create a hospitable place where these students — ALL students, really — can belong and be known.
But this kind of culture doesn’t just magically happen within our ministry contexts. It takes intention. It takes work.
So here are four ways I think we can help to create a culture of inclusivity within our ministries:
Next week I’ll be pushing my introverted self to my outer limits, as I once again brave the crowd for the 2012 Catalyst Conference.
I consider it a good exercise in putting aside my own desires (to only be in rooms containing a small number of people — ideally, people I know to some degree), in order to hear from some of the leading thinkers and practioners in Christian ministry, as well as to connect with friends — many of whom I’ve only ever connected with online.
So if you’re going, I’d love to find a time and place to connect.
And if you’re a blogger, or dabble in blogging, or are thinking about starting a blog some day, you may want to consider joining a much smaller crowd on Wednesday evening (Oct. 3rd) at the Atlanta Bloggers Meetup.
Preparation for the next Blogathon are now underway!
The Art of Self Leadership Blogathon will be a chance for us to talk together about our need to lead self — while faithfully living out our call to lead others. As leaders, we often put our own needs aside in order to focus on those around us. But in order for us to be the effective, healthy, and durable leaders we desire to be, we need to be wise, intentional, and strategic with regard to how we manage our time, establish and protect different boundaries, approach our work, and faithfully live out our call to serve others.
This time will be a chance to explore new ideas and best practices as it relates to our service as faithful leaders, as well as to engage in online conversation about some of the challenges or struggles we face in this area of Self Leadership.
Happy Labor Day!
For most of us — a new academic year is now well underway.
For some of us — it’s just about to begin.
Either way — I hope that this extended weekend serves as a great chance for you to refuel and recharge as we prepare to push on into a fall of ministry with college students.
Below are the Top 10 most viewed posts from the month of August!
How do you deal with your own limitations?
How do you struggle with the notion that you are called to be “all things, to all people?”
How do you live in the tension of wanting to be measured, peaceful, and sane — when expectations (both internal and external) seem to dictate that you do more, be more, and give more?
I think one of the challenges of being a good leader in our noisy culture is the ability to sense what we are called to do and be — and then focus primarily (if not solely) on those things.
You may have caught my post last week, reflecting on 15 Things I’ve Learned from 15 Years of College Ministry. If not, you should check it out!
Those 15 years have unfolded on four different campuses — but the last seven have been in the same place. And truth be told, I’m surprised that I’ve made it this long.
It’s not that I’m a bad employee — often at risk of getting fired. Nor is it that I dislike the place I work (or that I’ve previously worked) — all have been great! It has more to do with me — and my propensity for change.
In the past, I’ve enjoyed starting on a new campus, making new relationships, assessing what’s working — and what’s not, and then discerning how God wanted to use me in that place.
It’s one of the biggest messages are student leaders need to hear this year:
Failure is NOT fatal; Perfection NOT a requirement.
Because the truth is that — for fear of failure — many of our students will struggle to really give themselves fully to their leadership roles this year.
Of course, this sounds counter-intuitive at first — but when we give less than our best, less than 100%, we’ve then got an excuse for when things don’t go well.
Yesterday was our day of campus-wide leadership training.
It’s a time when we bring together all of the students leaders of varying student groups across campus for some shared training and team building.
For the day, we set aside the planning and preparation for our specific areas to recognize that we — as leaders — are not alone on campus. There are others who aspire to similar heights, and face many of the same challenges that we do.
From year to year it’s never quite the same — and I think this year might have been one of our best efforts!
Personally, I had the chance to co-present to our student leadership population of 350+ about the lies many leaders believe. Many of these lies were identified by different student leaders who have seen them — in some shape or fashion — played on within the student leadership culture on our campus.
Strong ministry leadership is foundational to success.
Informed, well-trained, and intentionally supported student leadership is essential to magnifying the power of, and exponentially expanding the reach of, your ministry on campus.
Student leadership isn’t just important for your ministry, but it’s an incredible opportunity for students to develop their gifts, explore their passions, and serve Christ in their campus community.
But good student leaders, and good student leadership, don’t just happen.