Recognize: Step 1 on a Pathway to NextGen Ministry
The C4SO NextGen Leadership Team has identified a 3-step pathway for churches to begin NextGen ministry in their context. In this series, we have dedicated a blog post to each of the 3 steps. This post explores the first step on the pathway.
by Abby Buckles, C4SO NextGen Leadership Team
“All Are Welcome.” How many times have you seen this phrase cheerfully broadcast from a church billboard, or included in the announcement of an outreach event? Many times these words seem more welcoming to those saying them than to those who read them. This is not because the words are insincere, but because we are quick to exclude ourselves from that “all” who would actually be given a warm welcome.
This is especially true of the Next Generation, who are growing up in an increasingly isolated world where it is no longer easy to trust the sincerity of an “all are welcome” attitude. I find myself wondering how many young people have been told that they would not only be welcome, but appreciated as leaders in their congregations. If you want to see higher engagement and participation from the Next Generation, begin by recognizing — and helping them recognize — their potential for spiritual growth and leadership.
Recognition reorients your perspective from passive waiting to active pursuit. The Rev. Aaron Buttery, our NextGen Leader, often describes recognition as “smelling” the Holy Spirit on someone. While there are certainly students out there who are proactive in their pursuit of service and spiritual growth, I imagine there are plenty more waiting for encouragement or guidance to begin. Whether a small whiff or a mighty fragrance, we have to train our spiritual noses to sniff out—to recognize—the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of our young people.
Recognition naturally leads to the active discipleship we see Christ modeling throughout His ministry, notably with Simon Peter and Andrew (Matthew 4) and the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). In both scenarios we see Jesus take the first step, extending the option to believe and follow Him to truth and life. It is fundamentally Christlike to identify, encourage, and nurture the spark of the Holy Spirit in others, and this has particular value to our young people who rarely hear a message of specific, intentional calling in their lives.
For me, this is not a hypothetical process. In January 2019, our rector invited church members to consider if they were called to serve on our Vestry. My husband and I mutually felt a stirring in our hearts when we heard the announcement, but ended up dismissing ourselves as too young, and too new to the church—one of those “all are welcome” scenarios that I assumed we were excluded from. No more than a week or two later, our rector asked us directly to consider if one of us might be called to the Vestry, forcing us to confront our own timidity and self-disqualification. I ended up stepping forward as a Vestry candidate. I couldn’t have known at the time how that step would become the first of many steps taken this year that brought me deeper into relationship with Christ, and more commitments to the life of the Church.
I have seen Recognition have powerful effects in our small church, particularly in the way it has engaged college students. Through individual encounters in church-wide small group ministries, liturgy trainings, and service opportunities, our college students have been able to see their own important contributions to the church as meaningful and appreciated. These individual encounters garner increased growth and commitment from a population often typecast as noncommittal and uninvolved. At its core, Recognition reinforces the reality that we are one Body, with all members serving vital roles in the health of the Church.
The most beautiful thing about a “Recognize” mindset is that it requires no resources, existing ministries, or staff investment. You can start recognizing young leaders from wherever you are, with whatever facilities God has provided. The first step of Recognizing is an internal shift toward imagining potential and seeking to empower others. This is followed by an individual engagement with those who “smell” of the Spirit, inviting them forward into active service, growth, and development through a shared life.
I hope that we continue to have “all are welcome” attitudes in church, but perhaps we can also reorient ourselves toward the calledness of Christian life, and the power that being called has had in each of our own lives. If we are willing to become Recognizers, we can not only welcome NextGen leaders into our churches, but invite them to their own recognitions about the life made possible through God, so perfectly described in the words of C.S. Lewis’ The Last Battle: “This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now…Come further up, come further in!”
Read Develop: Step 2 on a Pathway to NextGen Ministry.
Read Send: Step 3 on a Pathway to NextGen Ministry.
Read an overview of this topic in a guest post for the Telos Collective.
Learn more about effective NextGen Ministry at the Virtual Anglican Youth Ministers Gathering. A team of student ministry leaders from around the province have organized this virtual gathering, just in time for back to school. Join with fellow youth ministry leaders to:
-Connect with your fellow Anglican youth ministers around the province.
-Be led by Bishop Todd Hunter in a Soul Care practicum.
-Listen to quick talks and discussion about hybrid ministry, a super-practical experience to use right away, and more.
-Receive encouragement and blessing from Archbishop Foley Beach.
Do you have questions or ideas about raising up the Next Generation of leaders in your community? Contact the Rev. Aaron Buttery, C4SO NextGen Leader.
Abby Buckles is a member of the Vestry at Church of the Vine, a congregation of about 100, rooted in Newberg, Oregon. Their church community spans all phases of life, from young families to college students and adults of all ages. Church of the Vine is starting their second year of NextGen ministry. Abby is excited to collaborate with the C4SO NextGen Leadership Team to build a cohesive ethos for youth ministry that centers on leadership and empowerment.