CBS News reports that 1 in 33 teens ages 12-17 have tried meth. On average, they were 12 years old when they first tried it. The report also states:
1 in 4 teens say it would be “very” or “somewhat” easy for them to get meth
1 in 6 say they have a friend or family member who has used meth or been treated for meth use
1 in 10 say that they have been offered meth before
If you are the youth minister of 30 students, three of your students have probably been offered meth before and one student may have actually tried it. And if the average teenager who has tried meth did so by age 12, then it is not just an issue affecting youth groups but children’s ministries as well.
In youth ministry, drug use isn’t a new problem to address. It has been a hot topic for years. But in children’s ministry, there are kids who are also facing youth ministry-sized issues. Few children’s ministers address these tough issues, which is understandable since the maturity gap among kids is often far wider than it is among teenagers. But reality is that kids face tough issues like drugs too, and they also need ministered to about tough issues.
iMedia Connection has a list of 3 steps to reach millennials with interactive marketing. Here is are some highlights that I have tweaked for readability:
Get their attention.
They like to think, talk and work on things that are centered around themselves and their interests. So to get their attention, your campaign needs to be relevant to whatever content they are interacting with.
They want to interact with you on their terms.
Millennials don’t mind advertising but it is important to find a way to advertise with them, not to them.
Make sure that your ads enhance the user experience rather than interrupt.
Get them interested.
Introduce yourself and your brand. Let them know who you are.
Let them talk back.
You have to be just as hip and with the times as they are.
They are going to research your ministry whether you are speaking about it or not. The best way to get them educated about your ministry is to blog about it.
Take the lead.
Keep them engaged, informed and coming back for more.
Offer as much content as possible but also diversify your approach.
Stay on top of what they are saying about your brand and respond to them.
Make sure you speak to them as the informed and mature individuals they believe themselves to be.
By no means is this a comprehensive list, but it is a great starting point if your ministry is looking to reach young adults.
This past April at Q, David Kinnaman of The Barna Group shared new research about how young non-Christians view Christianity. He and co-author Gabe Lyons of The Fermi Project are further exploring Christianity’s slipping image in their new book, unChristian.
ZIPskinny is a free online resource that allows you to research a zip code’s demographics as well as compare it with up to 19 other zip codes. It is a great resource for learning more about your church’s community. Data includes:
People think they know you. Even before they know your name, they think they have figured you out. Why?
Strangers make assumptions about you based on your appearance.
The scary part is that their assumptions about you are solely derived from their past assumptions and experiences as well a variety of cultural and psychological reasons. It takes a relationship or an outside opinion to change those assumptions.
PERCEPTIONS
From the two photos below, which do you perceive to be Bob and which is Tim?
Photo Credit: Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
Most perceive the man on the left to be Tim and the man on the right to be Bob. Miami University Researchers are trying to figure out why. One possibility is that the sound of a name crosses over to a visual representation. (source)
These types of effects of category labels on lower-level perception are becoming a concern for researchers in cognitive and social psychology because their existence suggest that we may not ever be able to see what’s actually there but will always be influenced by what we expect to be there.
- Robin Thomas :: Associate Professor of Psychology :: Miami University
In other words, perceptions are influenced by expectations. [More]
As I promised to those attending the Friday morning session I taught about ”Communicating Without Words” at The Internet Ministry Conference 2007, here are some rough notes and links to sources:
Actions speak louder than words.
St. Francis of Assisi is credited with the quote: ”Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.”
For history’s sake, he actually told friars to “Let all the brothers… preach by their deeds,” but the quote has evolved over the centuries. (source)
Every point of contact that your ministry with an individual is communicating something.
Three ways that we can communicate without words are:
Art
Environment
Behavior
Church consultant Lyle Schaller says, “People can hear in 15 seconds what it takes us 2 minutes to say. So if we want to effectively communicate to or audience, our preaching and teaching needs to always use multiple channels of communication.” (source) [More]
As I promised to those attending the Thursday afternoon session I taught about ”Creating a Relevant Ministry” at The Internet Ministry Conference 2007, here are some rough notes and links to sources:
WHAT IS RELEVANCE?
By Merriam-Webster’s definition, it is something that is practical and especially socially applicable. In other words, it is about being practical to a community’s culture.
Creating a relevant ministry requires that you understand the what, the who, and the how of your situation.
What are you trying to do or say? (What is your calling?)
