The DNA of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
This week I attended a Faith Leadership Seminar in which our presenter made a simple, factual statement about the church. He said,
“Faith communities, as relationship systems, are generative by nature. They ‘reproduce’ by ensuring transmission to the next generation of its identity, values, culture, beliefs, traditions, etc.”
“This is why,” he went on to say, “churches are so concerned with attracting young families with children.” Young families have been the way in which churches have ensured their survival into the future. And yet, this method of generating a future does not align as well with our current social context. Why, you ask? One reason may be that, according to recent statistics, approximately half of young adults in the U.S. are single. This was not the case 20, 30, or 60 years ago. I won’t get into all the theories about why this is happening, but regardless of why, it is one of the many factors that are affecting church attendance.
That isn’t to say there aren’t churches where young families congregate, but the pool is much smaller. And families with children are attracted to churches with children. This tendency favors large churches that already have large children’s ministries. Small, neighborhood churches like St. Andrew’s do not have the same advantages in attracting young families.
But I want to go back to the speaker’s statement that churches “‘reproduce’ by ensuring transmission to the next generation of its identity, values, culture, beliefs, traditions, etc.” The next generation is not exclusively defined as children. It can be new neighbors; single, older adults looking for community; young adults who do not have families; as well as traditional and non-traditional families with young children.
We do not know who the next generation will include. Frankly, I’m not sure we should preoccupy ourselves with that question. I think the more important question is this: what is the “identity, values, culture, beliefs, and traditions,” that we are transmitting? If we know the answer to that question, the people who are drawn to us will be the ones who are invested in those qualities and who will want to ensure their continuance.
This is why the Vision, Mission and Values statements are so important to our future. They are the articulation of the church’s DNA that has been passed down from generation to generation. These statements are not a newfangled effort to redefine ourselves. These statements are intended to define St. Andrew’s as it has been and will continue to be. God planted this church to serve a specific purpose. Let us work toward being faithful to that purpose to the best of our ability.
Blessings,
Pastor Jen
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