Cameron, I’m not a pastor, and I’m a lot older (72), but I’ve spoken with enough folks to know that while Gen Z experience the problems that you’ve listed, many former church members of various ages are no longer attending traditional churches anymore, because there was no sense of real community. Forming a true faith community where everyone truly feels connected is going to require a much greater level of intentionality than is now commonly available. This is why I believe that one of the greatest priorities for the now officially convened GMC, is re-establishing the normalization of the Methodist bands and classes. And these should be multi-generational.
Bob, i heartily agree that this need for a deeper, richer community is multi-generational. I do think, however, that the rising generation has grown up in a dramatically different world, a world essentially absent of real community, that pastors and churches should be sensitive to. And I think really the challenge for any attempt at class and band meetings, which I am in support of, is getting buy-in from people, many of whom don't really want to risk that level of vulnerability with others. But yes, I think that seems to me the way forward for our churches to experience real growth, not only in numbers of people but in the depth of our faith.
Cameron, I’m not a pastor, and I’m a lot older (72), but I’ve spoken with enough folks to know that while Gen Z experience the problems that you’ve listed, many former church members of various ages are no longer attending traditional churches anymore, because there was no sense of real community. Forming a true faith community where everyone truly feels connected is going to require a much greater level of intentionality than is now commonly available. This is why I believe that one of the greatest priorities for the now officially convened GMC, is re-establishing the normalization of the Methodist bands and classes. And these should be multi-generational.
Bob, i heartily agree that this need for a deeper, richer community is multi-generational. I do think, however, that the rising generation has grown up in a dramatically different world, a world essentially absent of real community, that pastors and churches should be sensitive to. And I think really the challenge for any attempt at class and band meetings, which I am in support of, is getting buy-in from people, many of whom don't really want to risk that level of vulnerability with others. But yes, I think that seems to me the way forward for our churches to experience real growth, not only in numbers of people but in the depth of our faith.
We’re together on this, May God make it so, and may God create the opportunities for folks under your leadership to buy-in.