GENER ATIONS

Breaking Down Walls Nathan Want 4 Gathering or Dividing? E. Waldron Barnett 6 Ministry As A Family Geoff & Ros Cox 14 Diverse, Yet Still One Church Tim Walter 16 A Blank Page Sue Allison 18 Anchors In A Time Of Change Ann Fair 20 Care For The Spiritual Nature Of The Child Vivienne Mountain 22

AUTUMN 2017 Contributors

Nathan Want Ann Fair

Nathan ‘Dubsy’ Want is one of Australia’s emerging Ann is the Families Pastor at Door of Hope Christian voices in youth culture. For the past decade he has Church in Launceston, serving parents in the community been working with young people in primary schools, as part of the Generation Team who seek to grow hope secondary schools, and local churches, speaking into through Jesus Christ in the next generation. Previously their world and giving students and leaders skills and a primary school teacher, Ann and her husband Andrew resources to navigate life well. have four adult children and three young grandchildren.

E. Waldron Barnett Tim Walter

Beth has served in ministry with Baptist, Anglican, Tim was born in country Victoria. He was heavily Uniting church, Scripture Union, and World Vision involved in camping ministry and studied teaching. He communities and currently teaches children & families was called into ministry in his early 20s and has a track ministry and mission at Stirling Theological college, is record of building ministries from the ground up over the completing a New Testament PhD thesis on the con- past 20 years. Tim is a recognised children’s and family structs of maturity in Paul, and leads the staff team at practitioner with a focus on leadership teams. Tim’s wife the VCCE, providing intergenerational resourcing and Evette and three children now live in Ballarat where Tim professional development. She loves coffee, running, is the Associate pastor at one2one Church of Christ. and veggies.

Sue Allison Brendan Petty

Some people may say that Sue Allison is old but as Brendan Petty is the children’s minister at Doncaster she’s the one writing this she’d just say that she has Church of Christ, where he also leads worship and at lots of years of experience in working with youth and DYG (Doncaster Youth Group). He enjoys tinkering kids in small churches, big churches, and within schools with the way we do worship, reading books such as and camps. At Easter 2016 she took on the position of Allen & Ross’ Intergenerational Christian Formation, Generations Pastor at Red Church. Her heart is that the and exploring Lucy Moore’s Messy Church, which he rising generation grow a strong and resilient Christian hopes to implement at Donny later this year. faith that impacts the world in which they live.

Vivienne Mountain Geoff & Ros Cox

Vivienne is a lecturer at the University of Divinity in the Geoff and Ros have been married for 14 years and are area of children and families ministry and has a private parents to Emma (10), Sophie (7), and Claire (6). They practice in counselling and supervision. She lives with have had years of involvement in mission with children her husband and two small dogs in a Bayside suburb of and families and, as a family, have served for 7 years Melbourne, is an active member to her church, enjoys as part of the McCrae Scripture Union Family Mission theatre, music, art, and lively interaction with her large team. They belong to Bundoora Presbyterian Church. family. Vivienne has published three books, contrib- uted chapters to five others, has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, and holds numerous qualifications.

A | 1st Floor 582 Heidelberg Rd, Fairfield VIC 3078 P | 03 9488 8800 W | churchesofchrist.org.au/ Youth Vision Vic/Tas is the The Youth Vision team consists youthvision generational ministry arm of of Kat Deith, Scott Mageean, E | [email protected] Churches of Christ in Victoria and Mitchell Salmon. 2 | and Tasmania (CCVT). From theEditor —Mitchell Salmon And mayallourpracticesbeasintentional assittingthreerowsfromthefront. munity ofactivedisciples. untested things,andencountering the richnessofanintergenerational com - can go some way to stimulating thought, experimentation, trying new and cipling people of all ages together, it is ourhope that this collection of voices As wecontinue to explore how churchesandministries can dobetter at dis- search outsomethingloudandmobilefuntodowithyoungdisciples. themselves sokeenonsittingquietlyinthepewsaSundayandwould rather practitioners andscholarseducatorstroublemakerswhooften aren’t doers intheareaofgenerationalorfamily-orientedministryandmission; In thiseditionof YVQ, wewelcomeacollection ofwonderfulthinkersand an engagedpartofthelifechurch. enough tosoakachildinthehall space, butthatyoungdisciplesneedtobe tion of YVQ). A physical action reflecting a discipleship reality that it wasn’t on theadviceoftheoristsandwritersinaveinsimilartothosethisedi- happening in the service, and choseaseat to maximise that possibility (based event ofbelligerent child, butmumwantedustobeengagedwithwhatwas often sittoavoiddistracting other worshippersandforeaseofescapeinthe She couldhave sat usat the back of the hall, where many young families deliberately stuck with it the entire time my brothers andIweregrowingup. the othernight,mumsaidthatshehadchosenspotintentionally, and topic of ourthird-row-from-the-front spot in church came up in conversation the when that, reflect to wanted just I unpacking. that do to here not I’m But ship roles,whichisaconnectedstory, butanotherstory. life—spent outside the 10am service in age-aimed programs and in leader of Sundaychurchtime—Imightevenwageramajority of timeovermy realities of ourchurches,andthat doesn’t even touch on the large proportion discipleship and spiritual deeper the reflect choices and placements physical There’s probably a lot to unpack in that little anecdote as to the way our friends intheright-mostbankofpews. have themselves shiftedawayfromthird-row-from-the-fronttositwiththeir gradual my of shift outofthat age bracket. defiance And, Irealised without realising it, mum and dad staunch in seats youth the in sit still I service, ing pews (theonesnearest the band). These dayswhenIsitintheSundaymorn- spot tosittingwiththeyouthgroupinrows26ofleft-most bank of As Igotolder, Itransitioned from sitting with mum and dadinourregular Every week. third pew from the front in the centre-right bank of pews in the church hall. When Iwaslittle, I satwithmymumanddadontherighthandsideof room doyouputyourbum? Where do yousit in your Sundayservice? I mean physically, where in the - YVQ Annual2017 Address your letters to our YVQ Annual is an art journal YVQ Annualisanart journal YVQ, witharesponse from the YVQ Annual for a chance to conversation forward maybe and poetry, with a particular and poetry,withaparticular original contributor. editor and contributors to or make you want to explore emerging emerging writer or artist, you are eye on God’s imagination eye on God’s imagination Letters to Letters to [email protected]. org.au/yvqannual. the Editor year’s anthology of essays, short year’s anthologyofessays, 2017. stick with you, start you thinking, to be publishedinNovember the topicfurther? stories, poetry,andvisualart. to arepeople onthemargins, loved, the which everyone, and particularly everyone, andparticularly which Messages thatmovethe for young and emerging artists for a fairer world” through art, writing, fairer world”through art,writing, Published works will explore Published workswillexplore Something in thiseditionofYVQ 1 Submissions openSeptember 1 have your work featured inthis Imagine AFairerWorld included infuture editionsof invited to make a submission to invited tomakeasubmission information, visitchurchesofchrist. information, included, andadvocatedfor. October topic If ‑centred world in shalom‑centred world in you prompt 31 are 2017.

a “Imagine young For more and a

| 3

YVQ | Issue 15 | Autumn 2017 Breaking Down Walls Writer Nathan Want

It was November in 2009 and I was sitting a café wait- This happens because we’ve made our own ministry area ing to meet my new boss. At the time, I was the Youth that we lead more important than anything else in church Pastor at Careforce Church (now known as Discovery life, or we don’t have a relationship with key ministry Church) and while I was on annual leave I was informed leaders in kids or young adults, or we have good inten- of a restructure that had happened in our kids, youth, tions to work in collaboration with kids, youth, or young and young adult ministry. This restructure was to gen- adults but we just don’t know where to start or we don’t erate greater alignment between all these ministries and have enough time to add another thing to the list of to create a seamless discipleship pathway from zero to things we need to do. thirty years old. So in my first week it was arranged for me to meet with Peter Lusk, who had taken on the role But what if we pushed aside what we know? Let go of of Generations Pastor and talk about how this would be our own agendas? Worked together, hand in hand, shoul- outworked and expressed in the youth ministry. der to shoulder? Pushed aside differences in ministry practice and philosophy to be part of something bigger I knew Pete already—well, I knew of him. He was a and greater? member of the kids team that all worked at the other end of the building. Those familiar with Discovery know it’s I just want to take a few moments to explore how to cre- quite the journey to the other side, so you might as well ate a generationally-focussed ministry. pack a snack and tent for the trip. Once a year I would meet up with Pete to talk about the transition of year This whole idea of working in partnership with minis- 6 students into the youth ministry. This conversation tries should, in theory, be easy to do, but we are caught never really went longer than an hour. In that meeting up in deadlines, faith goals, leadership expectations, or he would pass on contact information and agree when the next best thing in church life that we miss the big- they would transition. That was the extent of our con- ger picture and the bigger story that God wants to write tact, and now I hear he is my boss and I’m waiting for across all areas of church life. him in a café thinking about what on Earth we are even going to talk about. So how did we create a generational focus?

He turned up and we had our first meeting, and on We Appointed A Leader reflection I would describe it like an awkward first date. We made surface level conversation about who we were The first move made was to make a leadership change. and what we liked, and started to explore how we could Peter Lusk stepped up from being one the kids pastors create this seamless discipleship pathway. At the end of to become the Generations Pastor to have oversight over the meeting we got up from our table, paid for our own kids, youth, and young adults. This was a game changing bills, got back into our cars, and drove five minutes down move because we then had a key person in place who the road back to the church. It’s interesting to note that was focussed on bringing the team together and creating on that day we both came from the church and didn’t and implementing a seamless discipleship process. travel together, and somehow we didn’t see how siloed we had become. We were both building good minis- We Got In The Same Room tries, but with no intention of setting the other up to win. It wasn’t malice, it was just what we knew to do. I remember Andy Stanley saying, “If you can’t get in the room, you will never get on the same page.” Which Maybe like us, you’ve found yourself in a similar situa- is so true. Early on, our Senior Pastor decided that we tion. Maybe you are or you have been part of a ministry needed to work in the same area. So the kids team moved team that’s been more caught up in doing their own thing from the other side of the building specifically to be with that they miss the bigger picture of doing something us. At the time I didn’t think this was overly significant, together for the sake of the generations. but I noticed something over time. From barely seeing each other we started to cross paths everyday. We would The truth is when I look across generational ministry pop into each other’s offices and say hello and see how (kids, youth, and young adults) the stories I often hear are people were going. From there conversation evolved to of ministries working separately and not in collaboration. what we were doing in our ministry. Pete also initiated a

4 | leading andservingintheseareas. other. were great forfamiliesandthose who was This our ministry areas didn’t clash, but complemented each ning ouryearsoutandworkedtogether tomakesurethat other’s ministry. We gotinthesameroomwhileplan- same page. We startedtochampionandprayforeach As wegotinthesame room, westartedtogetonthe ministry area and howwecould contribute to its success. ular meetings focussed onlearning about each other’s handful ofotherthingslike getting away together, reg- teach our0-18yearolds. to achieve. Italsocreated a strategy of whatwewould XP3 helpedputlanguage around whatweweretrying opment and wefoundthe Orange resources of 252, they will experience at different stages oftheir devel started to look at what students need to know, and what that wealignedourcurriculum. The thirdshiftwas We you candomoretogetherthanapart. we had to, we diditbecause we wanted to. The truth is, some oftheburdencamp. We didthisnotbecause available toeachotherdowhateverwasneededcarry Even intheleaduptocampswewouldmakeourselves High camptoserveandbuildconnectionswithstudents. the youngadultsministry, theywouldcomeonourSenior team, andconnectwithstudents. We didthesamewith calendar andcomeoncamptoservetheKidsPastor team atspecialevents.Iwouldhavethekidscampinmy students. I also made it a priority to be part of the kids example, kids camp—making connections with Year 6 istry neededtobepresentwithinthekidsministry. For activity. There werekeymomentswheretheyouthmin- The second shift was that we got involved in each other’s not justmyown. not. Iwascommitted to building teams in other areas, contribution in ourchurch?’—it may be youth but it may them inIwouldbethinking,‘Whereistheirbestplace of fit I would how thinking of instead and ministry youth I wouldsitwithpeoplethat were lookingtoserveinthe to do.But we began to shiftfrompoaching to building. the year, and tryandrecruit for whatwehadonourheart would goafter each other’s team, especially at the end of the volunteerstheyneedtomakeithappen.Forus,we building. Every ministry area will have more vision than start and poaching stop to was made we shift first The to changeinusandwithinourteams. tional pathway, thereweresomebehavioursthat needed If wewere going to be successful in creating a genera We ShiftedOurFocus - - istry wins,Iwin. When thechurchwins,Iwin. youth ministry wins, I win. When the young adults min- Because when the kids ministry wins, Iwin. When the leader committedtogenerationalsuccess. out ofalignment withtherhythmofyourchurch.Bea trying tobuildyourempire.Stopdosomething be this: be lessterritorial and build the Kingdom. Stop If there was one thought I wouldleave with you it would sake ofthisgeneration. power andimportance ofworkinginalignment for the this, andwhenIsitwithministryleaderstalkaboutthe Even todayIamequallypassionateabout the cracks. that noyoungpersonwouldfallthrough so istry areas energy anddrivetoworkclosely with all of thesemin- across kids,youth,and young adults. This became my in whatIwasdoingandwewereasateam that somethinghadtochange.Somethingchange just anumber, thiswassomeone’s life. Iknewthat night I was pretty overwhelmed with grief. This was more than 55%. of thenexttwoyears,Ionceagaingotbetween45and this happened on mywatch. When Ididthesameanalysis that horrified was I off. drop students our of 60% ticks. Iaddeditup,andinthemostrecent year wehad As I completed the first list I could see more crosses than engaged in ourchurch and cross if they weren’t around. I would put a tick next to their name if they were still the last 3 years. I started with the most recent list and hotel roomandlookatthelifegrouplistsofyear12sfor of my mind, so Idecided to pull up my computer in my But Iwasunsettled and Icouldn’t getthatthoughtout crazy statistic that captured the condition ofUSstudents. away fromtheirfaith. At thetimeIthoughtthatwasa walk will schooling their finish they when people young pens toyear12sonce they graduate. She said40-50%of ing. Shesharedaninterestinginsightaboutwhathap- and KaraPowellfromFuller Youth Institute was speak- Orange Conference in Atlanta. I wassitting in a session became important to me was all because of one night at The reasonwhythisphilosophyofgenerational ministry just ourown. were committed to building each other’s ministry, not just lipservice,weactually lived itoutinaction. We listen how great the other ministry was. It was more than The fourthshiftwasthat we toldeveryone that would ● | 5

YVQ | Issue 15 | Autumn 2017 Gathering or Dividing? Writer E. Waldron Barnett

The discourse of generations as a set of competing agen- Churches have enthusiastically embraced the notions of das and separate cultures has grown in credibility, flu- appropriate forms of communication for different age- ency, and popularity. Gen X are renowned as whingers groups, the prevalence of stage theorisation as a compre- for their cries as the sandwich generation, and point the hensive framework for human flourishing, and the nor- finger at Boomers for their economic woes; Boomers are mativity of homo-sociality which shapes so many of our accused of being narcissistic; Millennials are accused of gatherings, and plays through our explanations of why being self-obsessed and unreliable, while Gen Y throw things work or don’t work in churches. up their hands in exasperation at the property hoarding of the previous generations. We’re not sure what to call Commonly I hear of families who leave a small church the next cohort—Founders, Navigators, Regenerators, because there are not other young people the same age Bridgers; apparently an MTV survey found 544 names as their children. for the post-Millennial generation.1 While we might not agree on the specific labels and reject some of the Commonly I observe congregations who have intentionally most heavy handed stereotyping, the sociological idea configured their gathering practice, venue, and resources of defining people circumstantially and characteristically around the perceived preferences on one generation. by their age remains a recognised point of reference in social commentary. Commonly I hear the humans in our faith communities labeled and defined by their age. ‘Great to see the youth Contingent on this rubric of social definitions, with us today.’ ‘The children were really good in church.’ ‘Generational ministries’ has also arisen as a popular umbrella term in the past decade.2 It seeks to provide a I am unashamedly eager to subvert these approaches, ques- unifying framework for the collection of age segregated tion their fitness, call for a revision of our language, and ministries which evolved alongside the secular genera- propose a reconsideration of the ways in which we concep- tional designations during the twentieth century: Youth tualise and practice the community life of faith together. Ministry, Sunday School, Early Childhood Outreach, such as Playgroup ministry, Young Adult groups, and Why might that be? most recently—as the ‘Boomer’ generation have begun to reach retirement—Seniors ministry. Each of these There are three closely related reasons. so called generational streams of ministry has its own history, developing in response to particular social cata- The first is theological—because God. We are in dark lysts and political crises. The unique, anachronistic, and danger of allowing the rule of sociological labels of divi- independent circumstances of each of these streams is an sion to supplant the reconciling reign of the Risen Lord important historical reality to grasp. of the cosmos as our foundation. Below, I examine in more detail why ‘Generations’ is a problematic term for How did we let pursuing relevance lead to a class system a church that looks to Biblical foundations. of haves and have-nots? The second is anthropological—because humans. The For many Christians, despite sincere desires to shape rubric of relevance, appropriate forms of communica- and structure life around Biblical patterns and Gospel tion, fitness of transmission to various sectors of the models, the templates of separate age-based ministry sociological spectrum belong to the world of delivery, of programs seem integral and intrinsic to a healthy church provider and recipient, of producer and consumer. community life of vital and relevant worship, disciple- ship, and mission.

¹www.forbes.com/sites/theopriestley/2015/12/30/why-the-next-generation-after-millenni- als-will-be-builders-not-founders/#7ee081025ccb

²Gary L. MacIntosh, One Church, Four Generations: Understanding and Reaching All Ages In Your 6 | Church (Baker Books, 2002) stands as one of the earliest codifications of this idea. twentieth century. He stronglyresisted theappropriation ofhisworkon generationalityby positivists. forces shapingpolitical andsocialmovements,especially inlightoftheupheavalsEurope intheearly generational questions asahelpfulexplanatoryordiagnostic instrumenttohelpunravel motivatorsand not offered asaprogrammaticrecommendation, andinfactwasproblematized fromthestart.Heviewed erations’. Hisexplorationofthedynamics ofsocialhistoricalcontextsoncontemporaneouscohortswas � feature of nineteenth century colonialism and twentieth ciency and administrative rationalisation is a familiar effi- corporate of sake the for elision Cultural it. about such uniformity, Iamnotconvinced we shouldbehappy Even ifsuchamanagerialmoveweretoeasilyeffect as ‘generationspastor’ toleadit. creating one department and appointing a staff member blended harmoniously into a homogeneity simply by to thinkthecultural distinctives of theseministries are structural re-ordering, and that churches would be naïve that coherence isn’t achieved readily simplythrough ing philosophicalfoundations.Itiseasytorecognise conflict and contesting times at and contrasting, from various age-basedexpressionsofministryhaveoperated also treated withahermeneutic of suspicion. Historically coherence is both to be commended as a noble effort, but in aco-ordinatedandcohesivestrategy. This strategic tional ministry’ there is an attempt to align the strands they arenowbeingdrawntogetherunder‘genera- As pragmatically hasgreatmerit. these divisionstheologically, anthropologically, and to unifytheseage-segregationshasarisen. Addressing compromising, credibility corroding. No wonderamove est enoughtoconfesstheyareethically suspect, integrity be theologically embarrassing. We mightatleastbehon- a coretheologyofreconciliation, these divisionsshould in churchlife,foragency. Inafaithtraditiongroundedin profile air-timeand for budget, for leaders, for ministry; have becomeoperationally competing expressionsof This culture of divisionhasledtotensionsbetween what and deliveredgenerationally. and administering programs andministries conceived practically under theburdensofresourcing,connecting, and stuff. Faithcommunities and churchesarestruggling The thirdreasonispragmatic—because time and space The Gospel willnothaveit! troubled by this dis-ordering. Haves and have-nots? But surelyalready ourGospel-appraised spirits are descending stacksof‘haves’ and‘have-nots’. and ascending into humans re-order artificially that rules the will,co-optingidentities,andcreatinglimits ‘target’ demographicsanddevelopingwaysofpersuading to divide and define humans. The world is busy designating from deepseamsof Western individualistphilosophyseek All aroundus,political,economic,andsocialforcesfuelled Social theoryofGenerationsisfirst attributedtoKarlMannheim’s essayof1923,‘TheProblemGen- - materials that lie behind the labels we have adopted. the ancestry of theconceptual spirits andphilosophical together under this banner. We do well to understand content to theprocessofshapingministries drawn The language of ‘generations’ brings its own value And Content ‘Generations’—The NameShapingMinistryForm faithful totheGospelstoryweproclaim? we orderourselvesis claims, givinganaccountforhow erational practice is an expression of ourbest theological gen- our how articulate regularly and confidently we Do to thisarea,andwhatistheirbasecultureofministry? tives of each of theexpressions? Who givesleadership and preserve the ethos, culture, and theological perspec- ‘generations’ structure, what measures are taken to value important to keep in view. Ifweexercise ministry under a ery ofministryleadership thisanomalous backgroundis as aphenomenontakingshapeinthediscourseanddeliv In evaluating ‘generational ministries’ and‘generations’ expression ingenerationalministries. at how‘logical’ and‘strategic’ itappearsinthiscurrent of propheticcritique. We dowelltoraiseoureyebrows century globalismandcapitalism, and isstillthesubject of personhood—cognition, psycho-social identity, Kohlberg, andFowler, whoeachconstruedanaspect stage theoristsofthetwentieth century, Piaget,Erikson, meta-narratives found individualised expression in the organisational development. These naturaland political ical movementsasanunfoldingofstagescollective reasoning, and projections of Marx,whoconstrued polit It isalsofoundinthehistorical-political observations, (which he called evolution) over large spans ofhistory. ing adaptation innaturetoexpressaprinciple of change such asDarwin,whousedastagedapproachtochart cedents in nineteenth century philosophical protagonists thinking—a movement of sociology that has its ante metrically. This isthebreadandbutterofStage Theory human existence is investigated and evaluated chrono- of field the developmentalist theory, ageisalensthroughwhich in specifically research, science social In Social Sciences ence researchandbusinessmarketing. applied ubiquitouslyintwoseparatecontexts:socialsci- instrument for parcelling demographic sectors. It is The term ‘generations’ isessentially asociological - - - - 3

| 7

YVQ | Issue 15 | Autumn 2017 morality, and spirituality—as a process of development A Worked Example: Children, Education, And A through a set of normative stages. The categories of min- Culture Of Spiritual Need istry we see gathered under the heading of ‘generations’ mirrors this way of dividing human life—chronometri- For example, the flexible identity of children as ‘learn- cally. So pervasive is this philosophical foundation in ers’ has become institutionalised to such an extent that Western thinking that it appears a self-evidently accurate the parameters of school and grade levels and yearly pro- way of describing and categorising human life. gress reports have become synonymous with childhood. Typically in churches we group children according to However, we do well to know our own philosophical his- their grades in school. We define larger blocks of years tory and to see its marks on our minds and models of oper- and the programs and resources, curriculum, training, ating, confessing that this way of seeing is a divisive way. cohorts in terms of ‘preschool’, ‘primary’, ‘secondary’, It is a way that attributes status and redistributes signifi- and post-school designation. cance across human experience, creating asymmetries of value. In these schemes, developmental accruals of skill, No wonder we have become sensitive to the articulating facility, agency and individuality are held as the measures moments between these blocks as vulnerable to points of of health and flourishing. Failures to reach these stages departure from community, as we hear anxiety over the are construed as disruptions to nature, as anomalies and trend of ‘haemorrhaging youth’ from our faith communi- are problematised, diminishing personhood. ties,4 and so we must assess how generational structures embedded in our churches might actually signpost the Business Marketing multiple exit ramps from community.

A second way in which the sociological categories of The alignment of childhood with institutionalised edu- ‘generations’ is powerfully employed is in determining cation establishes the economic identity of the child as marketing sectors. a consumer, holding parental and societal aspirations for future transformation into a producer/contributor. In contrast to developmental schemas of personal thriv- ing, the Gospel affirms the least, the lowly, the vulnera- There are plenty of social commentators who argue ble, the young, the fragile, the deformed as participants against this model as an unhealthy social construction in the Kingdom, as prophetic revelators of the ways of for the flourishing of children, for the balance of house- Jesus, the grace of Christ, the movement of Spirit. We hold economics, for the sustainability of parenting and can appreciate sociological categories of developmental the viability of community. stages and the generational frameworks that are used to encompass these constructs as a unifying anthropologi- Those considerations have obvious import in the life of the cal narrative that expresses the philosophy of our times, church—but our first objection to the diminution of chil- but this must be held up in conscious contrast to our the- dren to ‘students’ must be theological. Where children are ological narrative. students in the faith community, they learn as consumers.

In seeking to define humans—the honourable and wor- A fair portion of current church culture is arguably thy task of the (social) sciences—we create the side still stuck in this identity. Those who have grown out effect or by product of dividing humans. of the student-consumer identity have grown out of the church, and not surprisingly, those who are left still Orthodoxy, Tradition, Habits, And Innovation behave as if their purpose in remaining in church is to continue consuming the educational product that church As we have observed, a little bit of modern history provides. Quite aside from this model being patently uncovers the shallow roots of age segregation and think- financially unsustainable, we are left to deeply lament ing in distinct ‘generations’. We must examine how the rending of the body of Christ, the failure to embody these economic, political, and philosophical currents the reconciliation at the core of our Gospel story, the find expression in construals of personhood, value, and diminished activity of all of the gifted saints of any and function, and in the configuration of relationships among every age as we are called to serve one another and a children, parents, adolescents, adults, second half of world in need together. lifers in human community generally and in faith com- munities in particular.

� This phrase taken from the research of the Haemorrhaging Faith movement in Canada. hemorrhagingfaith.com/ For some Australian engagement with and critique of this research see aejt.com.au/__data/assets/ 8 | pdf_file/0011/876728/Hemorrhaging_Faith_Cronshaw_Lewis_and_Wilson.pdf “Faith like communities notorious use terms multi-age, multi-generational, all-age, cross-generational, and multi-generational, all-age, cross-generational, ages has been displaced by expectations of age specific age of expectations by displaced been has ages twenty-first century, asthenormsofchurchagathering for all the into and century twentieth the Across mative orrepresentational. Christian theologicalwitnessrefusesthesecasesasnor and exclusions are recordable phenomena, majority tion hasitsday. Though theseinequalities,distinctions, of gender, class, and race—and so now, age and genera- history ofthechurch. The churchhasknowndivisions the equalityGospeldeclaresatalltimesacross ing categories.Notallcategorieshavebeengatheredin gather inresistanceandsuspensionofanyalldivid- for allpossiblecategoriesofhumansexpressionto events, likelecturesorpartiesworkplaces,asplaces maintained importantdistinctionsfromotherkindsof ‘Church’ carriesanessential ethosofgathering,andhas lematic departurefromthenormsofchurchpractice. will recognise this as a novel and theologically prob- with evenasmidgeonofsensibilitytochurchhistory from the assumed norm of adult orientation. Those of us terms areusedinrelationtoworshipservicesthatdepart intergenerational ingeneralist ways.Mostoftenthese multi-generational, all-age,cross-generational,and Faith communities notorious use terms like multi-age, ministry, andrequiressomedefinition. nity—has accompanied thelanguage ofgenerational as anantidote totheisolation and alienation of moder much as needed is it where fields secular in ascending The rise ofthe intergenerational movement—also one another. healthy reconsiderationthegenerationsrelateto ofhow derived fromadivisiveground,hasprompted some The broad notion of generations, although essentially content toconsider. logical dimensions of the term, there is plenty of positive In thelight of thesehistorical, philosophical, and socio- ‘Generations’—Good NewsAndManyWays sue omo adultorientation.” of assumed norm the from that depart services toworship used inrelation are intergenerational ingeneralist ways. Most often these terms intergenerational - - Christian faithfulness,itbearsreconsideration. and itssustained and sustaining life through centuries of light ofthefragmentation of community inourcontext quated and unsophisticated approach. However, bothin and becauseofitshistorical roots isconsideredananti This is often enacted for purely pragmatic purposes, a commonhymnodyandconfessedthecreedstogether. communities as onerecited the same prayers, sang from the mostcommon form ofgathering, inwhichwhole addressed asone,unitedinonesetofactivities. In fact Multi-age: ered underthebannerof‘Generations’. again to the range of terms and practices that are gath- holding fasttoawhollytransformative Gospelweturn So inthelightofourprimarytheological allegiances, the ultimateuncontestedrisenLordshipofJesus. of one as declaration restored liberated the in fulfilment sioning of a creation called to a life in Christ coming into still withholdingHeaven’sGod bread, butthecommis the huddlingofalwayshungryhoardwithhandsouttoa and arecalledtobearwitnessto.Salvation’sis not song resents the story ofGod,the very goodnewsweshare resources thattheSpiritwouldgrantus. And itmisrep- of thelife ofmission,chokingoff thesupplyoffull God in gifted service together. It constricts the vitality constrains therelease andmovement ofthepeople The shift to an economy of deficit rather than abundance set ofhumansinspiritualneed. from andservice within the corporate body, butrather presents asagraded and gifts grace in overflows which abundance in themselves, together to form a gathering gather in church come not as those bringing spiritual We notethe shift inanthropological focus: thosewho been setaside. ological and spiritual reality of ontological value, has diversely constituted group actually functions as a the- and interests,thenotionthatactofgatheringasa programs, addressinglife stage needs, capabilities, the presenceofarandomcollection of ages

- - | 9

YVQ | Issue 15 | Autumn 2017 Multi-generational: the presence of aren’t involved in those interactions ‘Generations’—Isn’t That A two or more generations addressed in an ongoing, regular, and frequent Biblical Term? in parallel—often for pragmatic way can lack imagination for how purposes. A popular genre of ‘fam- this might be the case. Perhaps you have been troubled by ily service’ utilised this model, pro- how deeply I have engaged in the viding tactile activities for toddlers, Intergenerational: the practice of world of secular philosophy, citing craft or puzzles for primary ages, facilitating, hosting and celebrating the voices of modernity—Darwin adolescents are invited to lead music the shared life and connections of and Marx, and the stage theorists. or readings or prayers, or perhaps all and any generations together—in Isn’t ‘generations’ a Biblical term— coach younger children in their ways that disempower generational might we not be drawing on a her- activities, while adults are addressed difference for the purpose of more itage received through scripture, in much the same way as they are wholly embodying the call of the rather than secular conduits? accustomed to. While the intention is Gospel to live as God’s reconciled that each group is served with what people in the kingdom of God. This Naturally, as a Biblical scholar I they need, it is often evident that the form of gathering intentionally would be thrilled to trace the trajec- architecture of the service works erases the divisions of age and seeks tory of ‘generations’ thinking from on a clear blueprint of what is most to address the gathered commu- scripture into the theological reflec- familiar for adults, with accommo- nity as a diverse group of humans, tion, intellectual architecture, and dations for children. The facilitation which is expressed in an infinitely operational culture of the contem- of these gatherings mostly addresses complex and beautiful constellation porary church. the generations separately, and of personhoods. Intergenerational rarely enables interaction within the community affirms our humanness Although ‘generation/s’ appears in service between different ages. Such as consisting of many many fac- the Bible a couple of hundred times, services often live a fragile life and ets—personality, culture, intellect, its meaning in the ancient texts and suffer a great deal of criticism from education, tastes, age, abilities, contexts is discontinuous with the almost every sector, not the least interests, gender, faith—and resists meaning it is being given now. parents who find the expectations the predominance of any one part of exhausting and unfulfilling, either human personhood as a false claim. In Biblical texts the notion of ‘gen- personally or as a family experience. Theologically the predominance of erational’ is inextricably linked to Singles express a sense of alienation, any one part of personhood—as the the system of patriarchy, and speaks because there is no articulation of Apostle states: Jew or Greek, Male to both a social system of author- how those of various ages might be or Female, Slave or Free—is an ity and a theological framework community for one another. affront to the totality of Jesus as the for perpetuity of life beyond death. one and incontestable Risen Lord The ongoing proclamation of future Cross-generational: the deliberate of the cosmos, in whose name all generations is held as the future intersection of two of more genera- tongues confess and knees bow. hope of life for the patriarchs of tions in ways which honour genera- Israel, bypassing theologies of eter- tional differences and value the var- My observation of healthy commu- nal life in a spiritual reality. ious gifts each generation is to the nities is that they are dextrous and at other in mutual interaction. Sunday ease with a number of ways of relat- Secondly, the language of genera- schools and youth groups are exam- ing together. In small groups based tions in Biblical materials presup- ples of this model. Adult leaders around lots of different aspect of poses not a division of young and interact with children or young peo- personhood, or theological tasks; in old but a unity of life as God’s ple. We all know that these ought larger cohorts that can temporarily people. Texts consistently promote to be mutual encounters, and many reconfigure and then easily regroup; the place of young and old together of us who have spent years in these as a whole gathering making wel- in faithful covenant keeping, law contexts recognise that so called come space for all. Here, relation- observance, sacrifice and festival ‘leaders’ are as much discipled by ship is understood as a gift that celebration, and suffering in the the young as the other way around, we have in abundance to offer one wake of unfaithfulness. Our atten- though sometimes people who another in the hospitality of God. tion to the term generations ought

10 | A imperative of procreation as akeyidentity marker. or contemporary sociology, carries the implicit drawn fromancientBiblical patriarchal societies Thirdly, thelanguage of ‘generations’, whether has joined. not bere-workedtodivideorputasunderwhatGod destroying the connections that create the possibilities demographics which deliberately isolate age groups, Two: avoidingtheexploitative ethics ofthemarketing slavery thataccompanypatriarchy. when weconsidertheinstitutionslikepolygamyand context, even if we wanted to, which we probably don’t tively or realistically implemented in our contemporary ancient systems ofpatriarchal order thatcannotbeeffec- One: keepingatleastarm’s lengthfromimplicating the languageofGenerations: Here thenweseethreereasonstobecarefulinouruseof of imperativegenerativity. examples ofliveswelllivedinrepudiation are obvious ation, particularly when bothJesusandthe Apostle Paul reason forthechurchtoholdanormativity of procre- the public square conversations. There is notheological generational thinking perhaps further isolates us from sexuality, andmarriage legislation, a heavy emphasis on a credibleparticipant in thediscoursesaroundgender, ical trends. Where thechurchisstrugglingtoremain ordered sub-systemputsitatoddswiththesesociolog- For the church to present itself as a generationally normative adultstatus. bearing children is unremarkable and inthe scope of is relatively high.Inmanysectorsof Australian life,not occurrence ofbothmenandwomenwhodonotprocreate the needforhighbirthratestomaintain population, the wealth and stability of Australian society, mitigating religious, andsocio-economic factors. Further, withthe of culturespresentinoursociety, shapedbyethnic, becoming aparentvariesgreatlyacrossthemultiplicity is ill-fitting in twenty-first century Australia. The age for focus onchild-bearing generativity as anidentity marker cohort themselves procreate. Needless tosaythiskind of childbearing, and isboundedbythepointsatwhichthat bearing. A generation iscreated with contemporaneous

generation is defined not solely by age, but by child by but age, by solely not defined is generation identities totheLordshipofJesus. generational divisions andsubmitting generational the reconciled people ofGodwithoutreconciling our of faith as acontributing constituent. We cannot be essential participation of each member of thecommunity vibrant, current, present, the affirms that theology this the followers of Jesusin community must be ordered by confessing, peacemaking, healing andjusticeseekingas practices ofrelating,communicating,Our celebrating, with theknowledgenotonlyofgood,butalsoevil. with the burden of life bounded in a world struck through image ofGodtogether, andasall,youngoldbeset by our theology of being, of humans as bearers of the of agealone.Ourpractice in community must bedriven richness ofhuman diversities, not onlythroughthe lenses beings, tobeopenencounteronthebasisoffull how tobetogether—to seeoneanother aswholehuman differentiation. There ismuchworktodoinre-learning articulations of ourGospelstorythat transcends human So there is muchworkto do in recovering clear anthropology—how we speakofhumans—and our action. is not enough; it must engage our gears and steer our our theology clear in our heads or dear in our hearts true—but theology isnotenough.Orrather, holding our theological centre, keepingourbearingclearand and weshouldnotmovemorethanarmsreach from Theology is foundational—it must be our starting point, Recovering LostSkillsAndTheArtOfBeing hope withnewcreation. ity through procreation, and replacing procreation as our humans fromtheimperatives to assuretheirownlongev- and provisionofeternal life for the world, thusliberating death and resurrection of Christ as effecting the terms dox Christian understandings of the meaning of the generations, which runagainst the grainofmostortho- of enduring/everlasting life that inhabit the notion of patterning and thedistribution of theological constructs Three: recognisingthe subliminal narratives of family collective life. on consumptioninplace of community connections and energies, wonderandexperience, and create dependence of shared resources and interdependence of wisdomand ●

| 11

YVQ | Issue 15 | Autumn 2017

Ministry As A Family Writers Geoff & Ros Cox

Think of ‘family life’ and what indelible mark as we experienced temporary community. We live and immediately springs to mind? It first-hand the transformative effects move among campers and beach- might be seat-of-the-pants chaos, of delving into the Bible in a strongly goers, presenting a mix of activities or perhaps order and routine bor- relational context. Countless leaders including age-specific small groups dering on the monotonous. If your over the years had modelled the way and larger-scale family events. experience of the family journey of Jesus for us. is anything like ours, ‘family life’ We find that being a family on mis- will probably sit somewhere along When it came time for us as a family sion enables us to support the work that spectrum at any given moment to consider doing ministry together, of the team by operating in spaces of any day or week, except for that our thoughts soon turned to SU mis- on the periphery of programs, precious, fleeting moment early on a sions due, significantly, to the value where onlookers and passers-by Friday evening—the moment of the they place on family engagement. may be willing to share their time week when you collectively realise We joined an SUFM team as a fam- in conversation. Sometimes, but not you have survived another one. ily, small children and all. always, this will open up avenues for spiritual dialogue. Even in the In the midst of these thrills and spills, Since taking that step in 2010, our absence of overt Gospel opportu- have you ever considered how God experience of doing mission as a nities, we know that God works as could use your experiences of family family has been richly rewarding. we are present in this way. Being life for the Kingdom? What would it Participating as a family within a a family also serves as a point of look like, for you and for others, to larger team context has meant that connection with campers at a time embark on ministry as a family? we and our children have been in their year where their own family immersed in a temporary but inten- situation is front and centre. In many ways the ministry path we sive Christian community with all have taken as a family is nothing the pressures, joys, encouragement, Equal to the support we can provide extreme, and we would not claim and spiritual nurturing that comes to the team as parents, our children to be a paragon example. In another with the experience. It has also do likewise with their participation sense, though, that is entirely meant, conversely, that our team is in the thick of the program. It is a the point. invited into our family. There are joy to see our children learn and no pretences. As a family, we come grow from the example of missional Over the years, we have both and live as we are. It is this window living and service in all its depth and received training in and developed into the normality of family life that vibrancy. Yet as well as absorbing, experience with various fields of we trust can better inspire our whole we find them contributing in ways Christian ministry that has enabled us team as we minister to children, all of their own. For sure, their to serve in ways that reflect our par- young people, and their families. natural spontaneity sits well in the ticular individual gifts and interests. mission context, however we also That is a healthy and indeed Biblical Each of us brings on mission our truly sense our children working in thing. Yet as we grew as a family, our individual personalities and gifts. partnership with their fellow team way of doing ministry did not nec- One of the many things which leaders, particularly as the Bible is essarily adapt in response to these excites us each year as we antici- opened with groups of children and changed circumstances. As good pate a new mission experience is the stories of Jesus’ own life and minis- and uplifting as our various personal prospect of a fresh canvas about to try are shared and explored. ministries were, and continue to be, be filled in ways which reflect the it is our decision to engage in min- colours and shades of the team’s Of course, ‘doing ministry’ is not istry together which we believe has many parts. always a walk in the (caravan) park. brought most joy and richness in our But the truth is that neither is ‘doing family’s spiritual growth. Yet for every opportunity we may family’. What we learn from our have to exercise our particular min- experiences with one naturally feeds Both of us had grown up as par- istry gifts, there are many more into and refines the other. In doing ticipants and then volunteers with opportunities simply to connect so, we greatly sense God’s leading Scripture Union (SU) and their with people on an everyday level. as we seek to make a difference both Family Mission (SUFM) holiday Our mission context is that of a in our family and in his world. ● programs. This had left on us an temporary community within a 14 | ti-layered delivery of apowerful message through which to a‘children’s talk’ whichisat its bestaclever, mul- called to the frontofthechurchwheretheysit andlisten You’ve probablyexperienced it—all the children are will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’” (v2-3, NIV) unless youchange and become like little children, you the child among them. And hesaid:‘Truly Itell you, where “[Jesus]called alittle child to him,andplaced crete imitation ofthe(powerful) sceneinMatthew18 children in worship has revolved around a very con- For several generations now, theexplicit inclusion of lifelong worshipersofourchildren,youth,andadults? How canwebestuseourfewshorthourstogethertogrow brings usbacktochurch,whereit’s probablyaSunday. to passon:thedevelopmentoflifelongworshipers. This Let’s narrowthisinforone element offaiththat we hope a powerfulwayofsharing your faithwith others. and wordstogether—ontheroadofsharedlife—are Words canbringclarity, yettheycanbeempty. Actions Actions are powerful, though they can be ambiguous. houses andonyourgates.”(v7-9,NIV) on yourforeheads. Write themonthedoorframesofyour get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them walk alongtheroad,whenyoulie down andwhenyou commandments] when you sit at home and when you children. Moses implores parents to “talk about [God’s give us ahelpful framework for sharing faith with our The oft-quotedinstructionstoparentsinDeuteronomy 6 hopefully hearts)ofthosewelead. everything we knowaboutfaithintotheminds(andthen of education inschoolswillbeeffective at downloading not slippery at all, and asifthe20thcentury’s methods for some ministries age-specific various into off split we as on a Sunday, these principles get shelved for a few hours The troubleisthat,often,whenweall turnuptochurch think, feel,act,andrelate. realities of our faith and the impact it has on the way we to ‘dolife together’ thatothersgettoseethepractical day communication onsocialmedia, and otherchances ing conversations,sharedexperiences on camps,dayto ing life with thoseyoulead. It’s throughregular mentor for awhile,you’llhaverealised the importance of shar If you’vebeeninvolvedinyouthorchildren’sministry effectively withthenextgeneration? teaching series. Sohowcanwepossiblyhopetoshareit week 10 a into compartmentalise and define clearly to hand overtosomeoneelse,andit’s nearlyimpossible and up scoop It’s to concept. difficult slippery a is Faith teaching about faith in an educative way, as if it’s Life LongWorship Writer Brendan Petty - - be abumpyroad. Give itatry—and remember that creativity will always areas beyondjustthose10minutes. sidering inallourworshiptoo,soit’s helpedusinother Age Worship arethingsthatwereallyshouldbecon- Some oftheprinciplesweapplywhenpreparingfor All leading outoftheserviceintoweekahead. interaction between generations, and a positive vibe age groupandalwaysendswithat least some laughter, become the mostvaluable part ofthemorning for each We can’t claim that every week is a ‘success’, but it’s and theirleaders all jointogether in aworshipactivity. our morningserviceeachweek,wheretheadults,kids, we have had a short All Age Worship time at the end of For thelastfewyearsatDoncasterChurchofChrist, a goatittogetherandlearnfromwatchingeachother. children out tolearn aboutfaith and worship,let’s have what we’redoingalongtheway?Insteadoftaking than toworshiptogetherandexplain lifelong worshipers in ourweeklychurchtime. What betterwaytodevelop guide the waythat weinclude both children and adults and women,oldmenchildren”(v12,NIV). This can and everythingpraisingtheLord,including “youngmen My favouritePsalmis148,whichspeaksofeveryone adults cansometimesgetcaughtupin. ple, inthemidstofpoliticsandpowergamesthatwe Matthew simplistic moral assertions. There areotherplacesthat is an awkward, clichéd porridge of poor theology and God speakstoallagesthatarepresent,butatitsworst • • • • • • not towarmtheseats andpaythebills! gathered sothatwecanallengage inworship, Make itparticipatory. After all, we’re primarily visitors present. Avoid jargon, andalwaysassumethereare with thesame respect thatyouwouldforanadult. Learn children’s names,soyoucanaddressthem ask “WhatdoweknowaboutGod’s love?”). instead of“DoesGodloveeveryone?” we can Ask openquestionsrather than closed ones(e.g. auditory, kinaesthetic. Try to engage all learning styles—visual, experience. Make no assumptions about knowledge, ability, 18 can be more accurately replicated, for exam- ●

| 15

YVQ | Issue 15 | Autumn 2017 Diverse, Yet Still One Church Writer Tim Walter

Our culture is complex. On one I was privileged enough to spend the Family Training events worked to hand, we have access to limitless past eight years as the Children and some degree, as did family BBQs knowledge through the internet and Family Minister at Epping Church and events, but it was the church our phones. On another hand, we of Christ in Sydney. This Aussie services which took us by surprise. have a lack of resilience and a rise of suburb has become so culturally When we focused in on Mother’s anxiety levels. With such diversity diverse that the last census places day, we would make it a ‘family of pressures, of course we focus on Anglo Saxons in the bottom 10% of friendly event’. It was an intergen- our ministry area of choice. We dive the suburb’s population. This means erational experience. I was so proud deep into youth culture and how to that our church became so cultur- of our teams when we broke attend- run the very best youth ministry we ally diverse that our playgroup was ance records twice doing this. can; we put energy into our leaders made up of more than ten cultures. and into pastoral care in and through My wife and I had the only blonde How did it look? Each special ser- the issues youth face today. Cultural children in the group, and would vice we would create a ‘fun’ feel differences add an entirely new ele- often have our children’s pho- outside with something for the kids ment to the conversation, and what tos taken with visiting families or (for example, a jumping castle). about children’s ministry; won’t a grandparents from overseas. Where We would set up our tea and cof- successful kid’s ministry feed up would you even start with a ministry fee outside with tables and chairs, into youth? Who has time to even like this? How would you make it meaning that kids could play, par- think about kid’s ministry when you intergenerational—how does it join ents could sit and catch up over a are a youth pastor? with youth ministry, seniors’ minis- coffee, and we had a number of fam- try, etc? ilies walk in off the street due to the Intergenerational ministry is hard appeal of the atmosphere that was work. Thinking across the age spec- Firstly, lots of prayer. God created created around families. This also trums and how to intersect them families not just your age-focused appealed to a cultural diversity as so that they benefit everyone takes ministry. Pray about what you have many cultures love the family feel a lot of head space—to even for a and where God wants you to grow and where drawn to these mornings. moment imagine what it would be into. For Epping, it was Children like to lay a multicultural filter over and Families—despite a solid youth The second principle was food. It’s intergenerational ministry is enough group and a fantastic young adults not rocket science, but sometimes to make even the strongest of minis- ministry, Sundays saw three chil- we need a reminder that people con- try warriors cut and run. However, dren sit on the floor each week. nect over food. Cultures also con- this is what we are looking at today So years where dedicated to hol- nect when they come together and in this article. iday programs, schools ministry, share their foods. Our playgroup after school programs, and Sunday would end each term with a ‘bring a If you’re looking for some theolog- mornings services. We came to the plate’ meal, which would mean that ical gems from a well-researched realisation that parents needed to be we had a choice of Indian, Korean, scholar, then I apologise; that is in on the conversation. As Reggie Chinese, Australian foods, and not me. However, God has truly Joiner talks about in his book everything in-between. Now when blessed the ministries I have been Think Orange, we have 40 hours of I say playgroup I’m not talking the a part of, and while not every idea contact a year with these kids and normal 4-7 mothers and kids; I’m works, God has been faithful through youth, and parents have 3000 hours. talking anywhere between 70 and it all and I have been blessed to be a How can we use our time to tap into 100 people in the church hall every part of some amazing growth in both the 3000 a little better? Families Wednesday of the week. We had a generational and multicultural min- became key! reputation for being a loving play- istries. These insights are from the group who welcomes all. school of hard knocks; some came Something amazing took place. easy, others where fought for over Firstly we discovered some princi- But how do you go from a large years and years of ministry, so please ples that transcended culture. One playgroup to an entire family in hear my heart that if you are doing was the value of family. When we church worshiping Christ? Firstly, it tough or beginning this journey, it involved families, we had a far we need to acknowledge the struc- can be a long road but well worth the greater diversity of families than ture of the church. We were a siloed results for the Kingdom. when we targeted a singular age. group of ministries happening 16 | church toconnect naturally. open conversations andopportunities to forthosein our community can break down not only walls but can These glimpsesofintergenerational cultural and cross members to come to youthgroupandsharetheir story. dren to pray over the church, ask some of our older from their countryofheritage,create spaceforchil families lead us inworshiponemorning with worship This maymean that we celebrate our cultures, have but implementitlightly. all the time. So can I suggest that we hold this idea firmly to implement in today’s churchwherewearealltogether it sounds great! But let’s face it, that’s almost impossible in life gets from seeing a child come to know Christ… members mentor the younger, and the joy someone later with teenagers and young adults. To have our older son theywishtogrow become, and the same applies in achildlookinguptoteenager to seethekindofper day astheytravelled home. There istremendousstrength ‘assumed’ Jesuswaswithhisextended family for overa Luke of thiswith Jesus at the temple as a12year old in each other, andsharedlifetogether. We seeglimpses was kidsministryastheyworshipedtogether, caredfor Church did everything together; young adults ministry adults, worshipministry, groundsroster, etc…theEarly compartmentalised our church, kids’ ministry, young munity is theworld’s model of organisation; we have I stronglybelievewhathascreptintoourchurchcom- munity, itwasandisGod’s planforustodolifetogether. doesn’t one ofthe elders go? We were designed for com- the worshipteamgo?Ifyouareasmallerchurch,why of the young adultscome as leaders, why don’t someof don’tple, youryoutharegoingonacamp, why some the different ministries andworkingtogether. Forexam It beginswiththinkingacross theministries;celebrating partnership andunityformwithinthechurch. against theotherministries where whatwereally want is leaders. This causes a ‘win at all costs’ style mentality wanting moreroom,all wanting resources,money, and within achurch,eachclawingforitspieceofthepie,all made an intentional shift in our language from the front different translations in our weekly newsletter. We also Our languagechanged, andwetriedevenhavingsome team eachweekwherepossible. nationalities represented onstageacrossourworship focused, whichresulted in making sure wehaddifferent sations abouthowwecanbecome more multiculturally takes somedeepthoughtandfocus. Iremember conver It takes leadership and intentionality to dowell.Italso Obviously, thesethingsdon’t happenontheirown. Leading TheCultureShift 2, which also shows the family focus as his parents - - - - in mind,asheonlyseesoneChurch. connections and multicultural diversity is what Jesus had and through ourchurch with a sense ofintergenerational ingness tobringbackthedynamics ofcommunity in everyone, allnations,ages, stages oflife. A will- We readintheNew Testament that theGospelisfor versation totakeplace. language not onlywasfun,butalsoallowed a funcon- We foundthat learning how tosay“hello” in anative ics, andcustoms. in theculturesyouareworkingwith,family dynam- cipleship. Doublechecktherolesofmalesandfemales that out ofignorance wedon’t closeadoortofaithordis- and research when it comes to multicultural ministry, so versal, there are some thingsthat need further thought We foundthatwhilesomeactions and practices are uni- tions came from made our experiences totally irrelevant. follow Christ, however the cultural filter which the ques- our staff, thousandsofpeople have made decisions to why Jesus would do what he did. In the experiences of to answer the questions she wasaskingabout faith and young womanaccepted Christandwedidn’t knowhow other cultures. One night shocked all of the staff, whena to evangelise and disciple was alack of awareness One thingwefoundwhenstarted tolookinto how Cultural Awareness ing connection. fee withanewpersonfromanyculture makesanamaz be the first person to meet the new people. A simple cof- Making surethat we asleaders also areleading the shift, everyone cheerandcelebratealifededicatedtoChrist. tos from the youth night where it took place and have Or, when ateenager wasbaptised, - we wouldshowpho are we to have such an amazing number of children!” remember when wehad3kidsdownthere? How blessed down tothehall…”then,withasmile,“…whocan eyes, “wejusthavetowaitforallll those kidstowalk vice, words suchas,in a joking manner while rolling to have them move downto the hall from the church ser church—as numbersgrewthistookmoreandtime stop theserviceasourchildrenwentouttochildren’s came from all those on stage. The Senior Pastor would the ministryseasonatEpping. The verbalfamilyvalue church, whichwasthestrongestgrowthpointearlyin with a future.” This helped families connect with our about your child crying, that is the sound ofa church acknowledge that saying, “parentspleasedon’t feelbad of thechurch.Ifababywascryingwewouldverbally ● - - | 17

YVQ | Issue 15 | Autumn 2017 A Blank Page Writer Sue Allison

What do you do when you have a completely blank page? No tradition you need to carry on, no existing youth program to follow. ‘You can do whatever you like,’ says my senior pastor. Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? But where do you start?

We had seven teenagers at Red • Ask them questions rather where they continue to encourage Church 15 to 18 years of age when than defend and explain each other regardless of the per- I came on staff twelve months ago. your theology. Encourage sonal journeys God takes them on? All but two of them were connected them to think about what How could we encourage them to to a youth group from a different they believe rather than sharpen and deepen each other’s church. Most attended our morning convince them about what faith? What adventures could we service with their families, plus the you believe. go on that would foster radical dis- one guy with no faith tradition who cipleship that would test their faith just wandered in off the street won- • Make it experiential—give and encourage them to have a pas- dering what happened in a church. them an opportunity to do sion for the world around them? something that is important With only seven teens to cater for The question I asked was, ‘What and will create change. They we could tailor-make a discipleship does God want to do here at love to engage in making a program just for them. So, to borrow Red Church?’ Here, today, in this difference. an Orange phrase of ‘Starting with culture, with these people. At Red the end in mind’, I worked back- we have a saying—we want to raise We gathered the youth together for wards and thought about what we ‘Red Hot Disciples’—and this filters a couple of hang out events just would need to do to form these Red through the whole church regardless to get to know each other over the Hot Disciples. of age. So with the youth this meant first few months. At the end of last that we weren’t focused on being year one generous family from the At our first meeting this year we attractional or running a fun Friday church lent us their holiday house offered them a challenge to buy into night thing-to-do. The number one and we went on a ‘camp’ weekend the adventure together. The main aim is that we had was to raise disci- away together. Let me say for those deal would be a fortnightly disci- ples who are passionate about their of you who have organised camps pleship group and from this core faith and who allow their faith to before, there was something really we would form the experiences we shape their life as they navigate a relaxing, flexible, intimate, and low would embark on. fast changing world where absolutes cost about just having seven kids are unpopular. If we could raise Red and six leaders in a holiday house The foundation would be a strong Hot Disciples, then they couldn’t for the weekend. The kids knitted community that would be commit- help but multiply themselves. together as a group and their passion ted to each other’s life journey and for God and level of Christian matu- committed to encouraging each In It’s Just a Phase—So Don’t Miss rity was inspiring. other in faith. Our fortnightly focus It1, Reggie Joiner and Kristen Ivy would be on developing a strong give us three ideas that will help us Reflecting on the outstanding leader- Biblical worldview. To know what disciple teens: ship quality of our youth after camp the Bible says so that they can apply I wondered, ‘What could God do it to their current circumstance, • Practical applications rather with this amazing group of teens if be challenged, be encouraged, than just theory. How does they really committed to each other and be comforted. This was not to my faith affect the choices in Christian community? What life- be through teaching as such, but that I make each day? long relationships could be formed exploring the Bible together, asking

¹Joiner & Ivy (2015) It’s Just a Phase—So Don’t Miss It: Why Every Life Stage of a Kid Matters and at Least 13 Things 18 | Your Church Should Do About It, Orange: USA. what Godhasdrawntogetherandthejourneyahead. enced leaders thatwantedtobeinvolved.I’mexcitedfor ership qualitiesinourteens,andtheawesome,experi Discipleship, the incredible maturity of faith and lead to ourdirection:theheartofchurchforRedHot ing ayouthprogram. Three mainfactorscontributed There aremanywaystostartfromablankpageinform- nection, pray, anddream. and tonightwearemeeting over dinnertobuildourcon- incredible leaders who are sold out on raising disciples in a serving/missional activity together. We have three opportunity bythemid-year holidays forthemtoengage fun andtobuild community, but we are looking to create they came to Red. In the Easter holidays we’ll meet for with theyouthgrouptheywereconnectedbefore discipleship. Somehavealsochosentostayconnected All theyouthhave committed to meeting fortnightly for We don’t havealottoreportyet,astheyearisyoung. we’ll transitionthementoringintosmallgroupministry. kids individually. Hopefullyaswegainmorejunioryouth nect themin,andsowearesettingupmentorsforthese these twokidsandourexistingyouthwastoobigtocon- ating fromkids’ ministrythisyear. We feltthegapbetween We haveonemaleandfemale Grade6studentgradu- and communitiesclosertoJesus. to Earth, and that they have aheart to drawtheir friends to them want know they carry the authority of Jesus to bring Heaven We influencers. be to them for passion And lastlywewanttoempowerourteensandgrowa God intimately, to sit in his presence and know his voice. seek tofosterintheteensaloveofGod,desireknow questions and expressing thoughts. Each meeting we ● - - | 19

YVQ | Issue 15 | Autumn 2017 Anchors In A Time Of Change Writer Ann Fair

It was a defining moment for me. There is no doubt that young people and the necessity of ‘leaving home’ today face many challenges which and establishing themselves in a As I sat in the hairdresser’s chair, I the generations before them knew new community and environment listened to the chatter around me as nothing about. Research into new is a Big Deal. With the high level a group of 16 year old girls had their issues such as the impact of social of city living in Australia, a large hair done for their formal ‘Leavers media, the rise of mental health proportion of teenagers and twen- Dinner’ (In Tasmania high school challenges, the weakening of resil- ty-somethings study or work from goes to Year 10, and then students ience as a negative by-product of their parental home, saving money move to a different campus). They over-zealous parenting, and increase for their future. With house prices discussed in earnest the finest details in a sense of entitlement from parents so high in our bigger cities, this is a of their plans for the evening. Most attempting to compensate for broken common practice. had already been to have their ‘mani marriages or time-poor parenting. and pedi’, and were off to have their So at what point in Australian life do makeup done after the hair was Our teenagers want independence we see a tangible shift in responsi- finished. Dresses were discussed— and autonomy to make decisions, bility, from parent to child, happen- style, length, colour—and the terror but they are mostly dependent on ing? Or is the lack of clarity on this they felt at the prospect of turning their parents for a roof over their making it harder for everyone? up in the limo in the same dress as heads, and money in their pockets. someone else. And then the conver- They also tend to be over-confident And is there anything our faith com- sation continued to lingerie. It had in their own abilities, but quick to munities can offer in this situation? to be hot. Because tonight was The expect help from parents when they Night. It was accepted that most get into difficulties. Parents, on At the same time, statistics indi- students would go to after-parties the other hand, are feeling increas- cate that “more than 50,000 young where the cool parents would have ingly anxious about the dangers people each year are leaving the supplied barrels and bottles, and the that their offspring might fall into, Christian faith and deciding that teenagers would get smashed and and increasingly powerless to steer they have ‘no religion’.”2 hook up (the Tasmanian version of them in the right direction as their schoolies, but two years younger). own influence wanes in favour of A collaborative group of Australian peer group, the media, and society Christian organisations have McCrindle Research recently in general. Having their teenagers formed Here2Stay (The Bible explored the rise of schoolies week dependent on them for longer helps Society, Compassion, Focus on the in the Australian culture. parents feel they can keep an eye on Family Australia, Scripture Union them longer. Queensland, and Willow Creek “In the span of a generation, celebrat- Australia) seeking to address and ing the end of Year 12 by attending In so many other cultures, the end arrest this trend, and have identi- a schoolies week has emerged as a of childhood is marked with ritu- fied two foundational principles— rite of passage. However, Australian als which define the individual as Family/Household Nurture, and parents have mixed views of how a young adult. Some of these may Generation Connections—and eight the celebration is played out, and a seem barbaric to us in the ‘devel- ‘pillars’ of long-term spiritual for- third of parents state that they would oped’ world, but help the family and mation in our faith communities. not allow their child to participate in the community to view the young One of these pillars is ‘Anchors/ a Gold Coast type schoolies week.”1 person as stepping towards or into Rites of Passage’. the rights and responsibilities of an Only 7% of surveyed parents claimed adult. Even with our neighbours Anticipating, honouring and cel- to have ‘no concern’ about their chil- across the Pacific (the USA), the ebrating with children and young dren attending schoolies week—and usual pattern is for teens who leave people ‘transitions’ and ‘rites of yet this is the default ‘rite of passage’ high school to choose to do further passage’. This is something we need for our young people? education in a different state or city, to be intentional about, it needs to

¹www.mccrindle.com.au/ParentsConcernedwithSchoolies_McCrindleResearch_Oct2014.pdf ²Hughes P. (2007) Putting Life Together: Findings from Australian Youth Spirituality Research, Christian Research Association. 20 | Here arethreereasons… mation process? Why areRitesofPassagesoimportant in thefaithfor times aretough. thing that helpsthemtostayontrack withGodwhen anchor inaperson’s life. This anchorcanbecome some- be public and aneventorexperience that canbecome an � � In theinfographic‘Church Attendance in Australia’ community eventin2018(andno, itwon’t bewarriors our churchfamily with aview totrialling it asabroader in females and Year for specifically age, equivalent or 9, first instance, we are focussing on separate events for males the In context. our in like look might celebration in Launcestonisexploringwhata‘riteofpassage’ Aof HopeChristianChurch groupofleadersatDoor rites ofpassage. offers father/childexperienceswhichcouldbeseenas (fatheringadventures.com.au) Fathering Adventures experience withtheirparents. usually at Year 9 level, or aone-day event for students to to schools—either a full-year engagement with a school, The RiteJourney(theritejourney.com) offers programs kind ofserviceinthesecularmarketplace. There are already a small number of providers ofthis What wouldthislooklikeexactly?! the childreninourneighbourhoods. healthy socialandemotional transition toadulthoodof ing Christ-followingadults,andalsoencouragingthe parents), forboththespiritualformation ofouremerg- anchor pointsforyoungpeopletoexperience (with their offer supporttoparentsin the form ofcelebrations and Perhaps there is anopportunity here forthe Church to and thenvocation,withspiritualityinapoor6thplace. highest priority, followedbyemotionalandmentalhealth, Australians ranktheirrelationships(family)ashavingthe McCrindle reportsthatwhenaskedaboutlifepriorities, blog.mccrindle.com.au/the-mccrindle-blog/church_attendance_in_australia_infographic (2013) here2stay.org.au/8pillars/anchors/ 3. Many youngmenandwomenaremakingup 2. They anchor usin our culture—who we are and 1. There areanchorpointsthroughouttheBible for their ownritesofpassage. where webelong. memory andunderstanding. 3

- 4

[email protected]. who are alsoexploringthisconcept.Pleasecontact Door of Hope would love to hear from any other churches a greatstart! We maynotreplace schoolies altogether, butatleastit’s faith thatlasts. will setthemuptothriveinadulthood,anddevelopa this transition with lovingbutrespectfulguidance which Ultimately, ourdesireistoseeyouthmove through serve severalpurposes: We believe that events like this havethe potential to 13:11, NIV) I putthe ways ofchildhood behind me.” (1 Corinthians a child,Ireasonedlikechild. When Ibecame a man, “When I wasachild, I talked like a child, I thoughtlike mark theleavingbehindofchildishthings. to ceremony group significant a and together, complete the parent/s bythe child, an outdoor challenge element to their teenager, astatement of honourandappreciation of will include preparation of alove letter bythe parents to for the boys and princesses for the girls!). Each event • • • • ity inthepathwaytowardhealthyindependence. of theiryoungadults,andthechildren someclar To offer parents some scaffolding in the letting go supportive partnerinraisingthenextgeneration. munity to engage with andviewthechurchasa To provide another way for families in our com- chaotic; at astagewhentheserelationships often become To strengthen bonds between parent/s and child ple awayfromtheirfaith; the church, and slow the drift of ouryoungpeo- the God oftheir parents and the community of To deepen theengagementofourteenagers with ● -

| 21

YVQ | Issue 15 | Autumn 2017 Care For The Spiritual Nature Of The Child Writer Vivienne Mountain

What does care for children look like? Certainly it means “A desire for connectedness, which often expresses itself we care for the physical life. Children need food, exer- in an emotional relationship with an invisible sacred cise, and physical protection. As well as the physical, we presence” (Tacey, 2000, 17). care for the intellect; we teach and encourage children to grow in understanding. Then there is care for the emo- Another definition of children’s spirituality as ‘Relational tional life, helping children to manage fear, anger, sad- consciousness’ comes from extensive research in the ness, and confusion. We help children to grow in social UK. The definition of ‘Relational consciousness’ (Hay skills and empathy for others. Finally we need to care for and Nye, 1998, 113) speaks of children’s innate aware- the spirit or soul of the child. ness that they are connected, a God-given knowledge that they belong. Children are aware of being in a rela- Why Is Children’s Spiritual Nature Important? tionship with others, they are open and trusting. They have a delightful connection with nature, a relationship The word Spirit is from the Latin ‘Spiritus’ meaning with little beetles or caterpillars or responding to the breath. A similar meaning is attached to the Greek wagging tail of a dog. Finally there is an awareness of ‘Pneuma’ and the Hebrew word ‘Ruach’. Caring for the God, the divine who made us and loves us. As Christians spiritual nature of the child therefore is central to life, we recognise children’s spirituality as coming from our like protecting their ability to breathe. In our lives we creation by God. It is “an instinctive capacity to respond are aware of spirit as the breath of life, an indication of to our creator” (Nye, 2009, 9). It is part of the life of the vitality and energy. We experience ‘spirit’ in the wonder child, it is already there, a quality to be nurtured and of the first breath of a new born baby, the ‘kiss of life’ of cherished, rather than something we need to teach. a surf life-saver, or the last breath of life in a loved one. On the other hand, the word ‘spirit’ is commonly used to Finally we recognise the spirit of the child as linked to relate to strong collective feeling, such as cheering at a the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, God who football match or demonstrations of a school spirit. is active in the world.

Roehlkepartain, King, Wagener & Benson (2006) have “In the beginning…the Spirit of God was hovering over edited a Handbook of Spiritual Development in Childhood the waters.” (Gen 1:1) and Adolescence with contributions from 72 social scien- tists. They state that the concept of spirituality is broad “When [Jesus] had said this, he breathed on them and and complex—it has “multiple domains… it is like the said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit…’” (John 20:22) wind, though it might be experienced and described, it cannot be captured” (6). Protecting the spiritual nature of How Do We Care For The Spiritual Life Of Children? the child is vital. In our age where emotional and men- tal dis-regulation are a major concern, there is a growing In recognition of the early work of Rebecca Nye (2009, number of scholars in various disciplines who consider 41), we can identify six ways in which children’s spirit- the nurture and development of spirituality in children is uality can be nurtured. These aspects can be a check-list a major theme in healthy development. to help us in our ministries care for children.

From the original Latin root of the word, spirituality can Space be identified as part of the inner life, a motive force found Personality in human beings. The basic dictionary definition shows Imagination the original Latin root of the word Spiritual: “Of or per- Relationship taining to the spirit or soul as distinguished from the phys- Inner life ical nature” (Macquarie Dictionary, 1981, 1661). In this Trust sense spirituality is a deep part of being human. It is part of the unique human consciousness as in “a wellspring of Space—Is There Space In Our Church For Quiet, love and wisdom” (Hart, 2003, 2) or “awareness sensing… Mystery, And Listening To God? mystery sensing… value sensing” (Nye, 1996, 146 ). In our contemporary society spirituality can be conceived The world of the child is busy with school, friends, as being outside of the religious traditions, however it usu- activities, and play. As parents and leaders we should 22 | ally involves an awareness of connectedness with God, practise finding some quiet space to balance the hectic modern timetable. In many secular schools meditation how the brain develops as children experience loving and mindfulness are now being included in the curricu- understanding (Music, 2011, 68). As Paul reminds us, as lum in awareness that children need some quiet space in disciples we are all part of the body, with Christ the head. order to help them concentrate and learn. In our church The body cares for each part, recognising and respecting worship and youth work, space to be still and recognise the differences. Our relationship with each other is part God with us is one way to foster the spiritual nature of our relationship with God. of our children. From my research I was impressed by one youth group where they had a special ‘God space’. Inner life—Can We Relate To The Feelings And Deep It was a quiet time where children were encouraged to Spiritual Concerns Of Children? listen for God’s ‘voice’ and make some kind of response with art work (Mountain, 2014). It is easy, natural, and good for us to engage with chil- dren talking about external things: ‘What grade are you Personality—Do We Recognise Each Child As in at school this year?’, ‘How is basketball training Unique, A Child Of God? going?’ We do need to build relationships with children in this safe, easy way. However, if we are to care for the Children come into the church with different temper- spiritual nature we are challenged to go deeper: ‘When aments as well as different experiences of life. As we I was at school I found friendships difficult—is that true recognise their spiritual nature we are sensitive to the for you?’, ‘We all feel guilty when we do stupid things’, various ways in which they respond to life. Bible stories ‘I think knowing what to do with anger can be tough’, will resonate differently with each child and often they ‘When my grandmother died it felt like the sun stopped will show distinctive differences in how the Holy Spirit shining’. Sharing our own deep feelings and experiences brings the Bible alive for them. As leaders and teachers, with a child can be an enormous encouragement. To the inner spiritual life of each child should be appre- know that they are not alone in their particular difficulty ciated. There is no need for strong authoritarian forms gives them courage and hope. of teaching—‘This is what the Bible says…’—rather, we can trust that God is working in them through the Trust—We Need To Nurture Trust, Hope, And Love; Spirit—‘I wonder what the bible story says to you…?’ Eternal Qualities. The method of Godly Play (Berryman, 1991) shows this respectful attitude to the growing faith of children. Building trust with children is a difficult task, yet it is at the centre of relationships and spiritual care. The young Imagination—Can We Encourage Wonder And child’s early trust can be quickly shattered—people let Creativity? them down, laugh at them, tell them lies, or ignore their needs. To re-build the early spiritual nature of trust is the As we are created ‘in the image of God’, creativity and transformational task of the church. The stories of Jesus imagination are gifts that we all possess that should be nur- are based in his trust of God and leads to his love and tured and encouraged. Young children are still “fresh from acceptance of people and his certain hope for the new the hands of God… encompassed by the love of God,” Kingdom coming. One important way we show trust is (Rahner, 1997, 39) and imagination is a strong aspect of through prayer; we can pray with children and ask them their spirituality. As children tell stories and they interpret to pray for us. Research shows that children do pray, ideas through art they are engaged at a deep imaginative even children not brought up in a religious environment. level. It is a great shame if adults laugh at the imaginative “Prayer is something to do when you can’t do anything ideas of children; rather, they can join children in the fun of else” (Mountain, 2016, 89). Prayer has been shown to be ‘make believe’ and ‘what if…’ So much of the teaching of a way for children to cope with the difficulties in life, a Jesus relied on imagination. Parables invite us into the sit- way to keep trusting. uation urging us to be involved, to make sense of the story and to look for meanings. Or we can look at the symbols In conclusion, we affirm that the spiritual nature of the in our worship—the candle, the cross, the dove. Each one child is important and should be nurtured and developed requires us to use our imagination to make sense of these in the church. This is not a new task but is based in our symbols as part of our Christian spiritual experience. scripture and history, we are seeking the Kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit has been given to us to enliven Relationship—Do We Recognise Children As Fellow our spirits. The Church is called to live out the faith in Disciples? care for the weak and vulnerable, to care for the spiritual nature of children. It is possible that this mission of As we saw in the introduction, relationship and a sense spiritual care in the Church can also give us an opportu- of connection is part of the definition of spirituality. nity to engage in the ongoing wider discussion regarding Modern psychology also supports this idea. Children are the importance of spirituality in the secular society. ● born into a family, they need love and compassion to grow in emotional regulation, social and mental health. Bibliography available online at Research into early attachment to a care-giver shows churchesofchrist.org.au/youthvision. YVQ Annual is a Christian art journal for young and emerging artists to be published in November 2017. If you are a young and emerging writer or artist, you are invited to make a submission to YVQ Annual for a chance to have your work featured in this year’s anthology of essays, short stories, poetry, and visual art. churchesofchrist.org.au/yvqannual