20 – 30s need support to negotiate consumerist attitudes to church and life, Evangelical Alliance council hears

21 September 2009

We must challenge and care for Christian young people growing up in a culture of consumerism - that was the message to Christian leaders at the Evangelical Alliance council.

The Alliance revealed the results of a survey - taken of 800 young people at Soul Survivor's 'Momentum' event for students and 20-somethings - as part of an Alliance council symposium on 'The 18-30s Mission: a Missing Generation?'

According to the survey, young adults are most attracted to a church by the resources it provides to support their own personal faith. Relevant preaching was ranked as the characteristic that would most attract them to church, followed by excellent worship and with people they can relate to coming third. The least attractive characteristics were the church being mission-orientated or a safe place to invite friends.

Only one-third of the under 30s said they see themselves as leaders in their church.

Soul Survivor leader Mike Pilavachi, addressing the council, said a culture of consumerism, individualism and entitlement has "eaten into the psyche of 20-somethings."

"What that mitigates against completely is commitment to community," he said, explaining that 20-somethings are always in a futile search for perfection, are afraid of going into the real world and show a great deal of pain in ministry times.

"We've got to help them," he said. "We've got to love them, we've got to listen to them, but also we've got to find ways of gently, lovingly but definitely challenging some of the things that come from a culture of consumerism, individualism and entitlement."

Around 100 people attended the symposium, including Alliance council members and guests from young people-focused organisations or churches - Youth for Christ, Fusion, Ignite, The Message Trust, UCCF and more.

Gavin Calver of Youth for Christ and Tim Rudge of UCCF, responding to the survey, told the symposium the church has a responsibility to mentor and invest in young people through their progression from childhood to adulthood.

Jason Lane, Executive Director of Innovista, a ministry that develops young leaders for relevant mission to their generation, said: "In our experience, people from this age group feel they have to make a choice between a church that's for me and a church that's about mission. For them, it's actually a choice between surviving as a Christian or not.

"We need to give them both, where church can support you as a Christian and helping you live for Jesus, which involves and includes mission."

The symposium guests also said the Alliance has a role to play in supporting the Church in responding to the 18-30s challenge.

Steve Clifford, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, said: "The survey findings, and the personal experiences shared at the symposium, are a wake-up call to the church.

"As an Alliance, we are committed to provoking conversation and all of us, across all ages, are ready to respond to this challenge."

The Alliance will begin by preparing a report on the discussions from the symposium, with recommendations on further action.

Ends