Just the Two of Us, a Silver Cross

It's been quite the stressful day at work. I feel the tension eating its way up my neck and spreading through my shoulders. I took a break to check out my newest guilty pleasure, www.foundmagazine.com. They collect and post notes, letters, postcards, pictures, etc that people find in various places. This one caught my eye today.

What DOES it mean when our average congregates are over 50? Are churches losing relevance, or are young people losing faith?

What amazes me so much about my church in New Orleans is that it shows that God is not irrelevant, and that we do not need to create fancy programs and eye-catching gimmicks to attract younger people to church. It is definitely the youngest congregation of which I've been a part, but we're not there for high-tech presentations, a crazy worship team, contemporary music, or a coffee cart (not that I'd mind a coffee cart...). In fact, it seems in some ways the opposite of what many claim young people enjoy in church, with its emphasis on liturgy and classical hymns.

So what is it about Redeemer that goes against this little note? I believe it's the mission-mindedness of the congregation. Most of the young adults that attend are recent comers to NOLA, and they're here to do their part to put the city back together. It's a tough job, so it's really no surprise that so many who come here permanently are doing it because they have a strong sense that God has called them here. I believe it is that shared mission that keeps the young people coming.

So what does it say when the average age in the church is over fifty? Maybe it's not God that's irrelevant...maybe it's the fact that the church has lost sight of its true mission. It may be expressed in many different ways or words, but if the congregation is not living out their faith in the world, maybe it's the church goers that are making the idea of church seem a little, well, pointless.

----------------
Now playing: The Refreshments - Blue Collar Suicide
via FoxyTunes