shift happens: (trans)forming peacemaking sons (and daughters) of god in the 21st century”

Shift Happens: Shift Happens:

(Trans)Forming Peacemaking Sons (and (Trans)Forming Peacemaking Sons (and

Daughters) of God in the 21st Century”Daughters) of God in the 21st Century”

Thursday, June 2Thursday, June 2

9:00 a.m.9:00 a.m.

Shift HappensShift Happens

Shift Happens:Shift Happens:Religious Preferences of Entering Religious Preferences of Entering College Students: January 1989College Students: January 1989

Roman Catholic: 36.2%Roman Catholic: 36.2% Baptist: 13.4%Baptist: 13.4% Methodist: 8.7%Methodist: 8.7% Lutheran: 6.2%Lutheran: 6.2% Presbyterian: 4.5%Presbyterian: 4.5% Other Protestant: 4.8%Other Protestant: 4.8%


Other: 5.5%Other: 5.5% Jewish: 3.2%Jewish: 3.2% Buddhist: 0.4%Buddhist: 0.4% Muslim: 0.3%Muslim: 0.3% Hindu: NAHindu: NA None: 11.6%None: 11.6%


Roman Catholic: 26.6%Roman Catholic: 26.6% Baptist: 10.1%Baptist: 10.1% Methodist: 4.1%Methodist: 4.1% Lutheran: 3.3%Lutheran: 3.3% Presbyterian: 2.9%Presbyterian: 2.9% Other Christian: 12.6%Other Christian: 12.6%


Other: 2.9%Other: 2.9% Jewish: 2.9%Jewish: 2.9% Buddhist: 1.2%Buddhist: 1.2% Muslim: 1.0%Muslim: 1.0% Hindu: 0.8%Hindu: 0.8% None: 23.0%None: 23.0%

Shift Happens: Shift Happens: A Young Adult’s LamentA Young Adult’s Lament

““I really thought long and hard about I really thought long and hard about becoming a member of the church becoming a member of the church and prayed for God to guide me. I and prayed for God to guide me. I took the step seriously and when I took the step seriously and when I finally decided to make my finally decided to make my commitment to Christ and his ways, commitment to Christ and his ways, all I got was…all I got was…

A Question Worth Pondering Posed by A Question Worth Pondering Posed by a Jewish Parenta Jewish Parent

““My son’s school guidance counselor My son’s school guidance counselor met with me to talk about his met with me to talk about his intellectual and social development. intellectual and social development. With a gracious smile she said, ‘It’s With a gracious smile she said, ‘It’s so important for children to fit in and so important for children to fit in and feel like they are a part of the larger feel like they are a part of the larger culture.’ And I said to her…culture.’ And I said to her…


‘‘Why on earth would I want that?’ Why on earth would I want that?’


Since I want him to grow up Jewish and Since I want him to grow up Jewish and know himself to be Jewish first and know himself to be Jewish first and foremost and therefore different from the foremost and therefore different from the larger culture, that’s the last thing I larger culture, that’s the last thing I want!”want!”

Think About It…Think About It…

How many practicing Jews do you How many practicing Jews do you know who play for any of the big know who play for any of the big

universities or the NFL?universities or the NFL?


““It’s 1973 and I’m in my small-town It’s 1973 and I’m in my small-town high-school history class. My teacher high-school history class. My teacher

asks, “How many of you are asks, “How many of you are Protestant?” About a third of the Protestant?” About a third of the

students raise their hands, and the students raise their hands, and the teacher exclaims, “Wow, that many teacher exclaims, “Wow, that many

of you are Catholic!”of you are Catholic!”

Jump ahead thirty-six years.”Jump ahead thirty-six years.”

Shift HappensShift Happens““I’m having a conversation with a friend I’m having a conversation with a friend about her commitment to raising children about her commitment to raising children

outsideoutside the church. She explains, the church. She explains, ‘‘What intelligent person would possibly What intelligent person would possibly look to the church as a moral compass look to the church as a moral compass

these days?’these days?’Times have changed.” Times have changed.”

- Cassandra D. Carkuff Williams, - Cassandra D. Carkuff Williams, Learning Learning the Way: Reclaiming Wisdom from the the Way: Reclaiming Wisdom from the

Earliest Christian CommunitiesEarliest Christian Communities


Whether we like it or not, most 18-29 year Whether we like it or not, most 18-29 year olds describe us asolds describe us as

Anti-Homosexual Anti-Homosexual JudgmentalJudgmental HypocriticalHypocritical Old-fashionedOld-fashioned


Too involved in (conservative) politicsToo involved in (conservative) politics Out of Touch with RealityOut of Touch with Reality InsensitiveInsensitive BoringBoring

Kinnaman and Lyons, Kinnaman and Lyons, unChristian: What a unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks About New Generation Really Thinks About Christianity…And Why It MattersChristianity…And Why It Matters (2007) (2007)

A Question to PonderA Question to Ponder

““Why do I as a teenager have to go through Why do I as a teenager have to go through Confirmation class but a 30 something Confirmation class but a 30 something

who wants to join the church only has to who wants to join the church only has to tell the preacher and the next week she is tell the preacher and the next week she is baptized and joins the church? It doesn’t baptized and joins the church? It doesn’t seem fair, especially if she’s never been a seem fair, especially if she’s never been a

part of the church.”part of the church.”

Shift Happens: Ways to RespondShift Happens: Ways to Respond


Discern the proper age for each Discern the proper age for each candidate (9candidate (9thth grade+) grade+)

Ask questions: What are you Ask questions: What are you seeking? Why do you want to seeking? Why do you want to become a Christ follower? What’s become a Christ follower? What’s been your journey so far? What been your journey so far? What needs to die in you so Christ can live needs to die in you so Christ can live in you? What aspects of the in you? What aspects of the Christian Way are not easy for you? Christian Way are not easy for you?


Incorporate the church in the Incorporate the church in the formation of disciples through prayer formation of disciples through prayer and liturgyand liturgy

Use Accountability GroupsUse Accountability Groups Provide Mentors in the FaithProvide Mentors in the Faith Form the habit of worshipForm the habit of worship Claim the power of the Eucharist to Claim the power of the Eucharist to

Feed, Form and TransformFeed, Form and Transform


Do Transformational-Reflective Bible Study Do Transformational-Reflective Bible Study (e.g., Lectio Divina)(e.g., Lectio Divina)

Teach PrayerTeach Prayer Practice Spiritual Disciplines (e.g. retreat, Practice Spiritual Disciplines (e.g. retreat,

silence, fasting, journaling)silence, fasting, journaling) Discern Spiritual GiftsDiscern Spiritual Gifts Serve the PoorServe the Poor Don’t Be in a RushDon’t Be in a Rush

Shift Happens: Additional ResourcesShift Happens: Additional Resources David Platt. David Platt. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith Radical: Taking Back Your Faith

from the American Dream from the American Dream (Multnomah, 2010)(Multnomah, 2010) Companions in ChristCompanions in Christ Resources Resources

www.companionsinchrist.orgwww.companionsinchrist.org Richard Foster. Richard Foster. Celebration of DisciplineCelebration of Discipline (3 (3rdrd

ed., Harper, 1988)ed., Harper, 1988) North American Association for the North American Association for the

Catechumenate, Catechumenate, www.catechumenate.or Shift Happens Video: Shift Happens Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Qg363A2Qg

shift happens: (trans)forming peacemaking sons (and daughters) of god in the 21st century”

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