Posts Tagged ‘church’
Young adults and the church (2)
To understand the relationship of young adults and the church, the following is some extra information about GenZ (also known as iGen) and millennials that is helpful for understanding those generations (to supplement the previous post). The following are some of the most significant shifts in our culture and experience in the last twenty years:…
Read MoreYoung adults and the church (1)
The following was mostly written before the pandemic. The pandemic has only increased the questions and uncertainty about how connected young people are (and will be) to church. Recent Pew Survey results tell us that less people are identifying as Christian, especially among millennials. This has raised a lot of questions about (young) people leaving…
Read MorePandemic reflections
This has been a strange summer. The global pandemic has forced faith communities around the world to find new ways to “be the church.” I believe that this time can transform and grow us as followers of Jesus if we accept the invitation. When the pandemic gained momentum in the United States I became curious…
Read MoreA prayer for dechurched folks
Terry J. Stokes regularly posts online short contemporary prayers (collects) on all manner of topics. A recent prayer that he posted was for dechurched folks. As we at Campus Edge especially want to be a welcoming community for those who have “been hurt or disillusioned by the church,” this prayer was one that I wanted…
Read MoreScience vs. Faith?
While most people who are religious would argue that science and faith do not conflict, it can sometimes be challenging to be both a scientist and a person of faith. Faith is not always welcome in scientific fields (or specific departments), and the curious, questioning part of ourselves that makes us good scientists is not…
Read MoreLoving the grad student in your life
Christian Courier recently published an article by Meghan Kort on how to love the grad student in your life. She begins by explaining a bit about the mental health challenges of grad school and then provides wisdom about “how churches, families, and friends can show more love when we encounter stressed-out grad students in our lives.…
Read Morethe new American dream?
In talking with young adults about the American dream, it became obvious that the faults in the American dream are more obvious to a generation that isn’t looking to pursue that same dream. The traditional American dream seems to value getting more things (prosperity) and having a better position in life (success and upward social…
Read MoreYoung Adults in the Church
This past summer I participated in a panel discussion on young adults in the church. I argued that young adults very much want to belong to Christian community. In order to feel like they belong, though, they need to be given space for honesty and difficult questions, along with having potentially different life situations, like…
Read MoreEvangelicals vs. Academics
I don’t think I can ever say enough about the challenges that Christian academics face, both in allowing their Christianity to affect their academic work as well as bringing their academic selves into the church. Alan Jacobs points out the tendency of evangelicals and academics to see each other as the enemy (i.e., the repugnant…
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