Headline 1 NICARAGUA

Transcription

1 Headline NICARAGUA 1

2 Contents A Letter to Church and Parachurch Ministry Leaders 1 Are We Connecting with the Next Generation? 2 What We Learned 3 Connection Points 4 Small Churches 5 Medium Churches 6 Large Churches 7 Parachurch Organizations 8 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 9 Programs and Activities 10 Evangelism 11 Discipleship 13 Scripture Engagement 15 Leadership 17 Holistic Ministry 19 Ministries That Click-to-Connect 21 Value, Access and Use of Technology 21 Connecting the Dots, Illuminating the Needs 24 Gospel Reach in Nicaragua 25 Appendix 26 About, Acknowledgments and Contact 29

3 A Letter to Church and Parachurch Ministry Leaders 1 The Gospel is relevant, engaging and transformational to each generation that encounters it. This research study was designed for church and parachurch ministry leaders to help establish a foundation for a greater impact in our ministry. It asks important questions and reveals critical findings. In his generation, Nehemiah asked the right questions: How are the Jews and how is Jerusalem? (Nehemiah 1:2). This study asks the question: How are we engaging the generations in the world of today and tomorrow? Once he received the answer to his question, Nehemiah made some strategic decisions and took action. We must follow his example. The Bible says that Nehemiah sat, wept and prayed in response to what he heard (Nehemiah 1:3). We too must take the time to sit with this study and pray that the findings will spur our hearts into action. God empowered Nehemiah to receive the news, design a plan and mobilize partnerships to implement a strategy that would rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. It had been destroyed for 70 years, but it was rebuilt in just 52 days. Likewise, we must also receive these findings and design a plan to share the Gospel with all nations. We must go now and engage the culture with what we know and what God wants the world to know. Please take the time to read. Please take the time to pray. God, empower us to act! Let us co-labor in transformational ministry. If not us, who? If not now, when? Ricardo Luna Regional Director OneHope Latin America

4 Are We Connecting with the Next Generation? 2 The crack of a bat there are few sweeter sounds to the people of Nicaragua, where baseball reigns supreme as the national sport. 1 When that ball connects with that bat, it sets in motion a runner who just might bring home the winning run. Victory! As we work to advance the Good New of Jesus Christ across Nicaragua and throughout the world, we can introduce young people to the victory of all victories eternal salvation. But to do so, we have to connect with them just like a bat connects with a ball. Questions about how effectively the Church is connecting with the young people of the world inspired a global research initiative an ambitious effort to explore the work of churches, ministries and parachurch organizations in 40 nations. There are 6.3 million people in Nicaragua, which is the largest country geographically in Central America. 2 Nearly three-quarters of Nicaraguans are Catholic and just 15% of the people are evangelical. 3 We surveyed 372 organizations, documenting how they interact with the younger generation. The data collected shows outreach gaps, ministry opportunities and evangelistic trends involving the younger generation of Nicaragua. The research also provides insights into new and creative ways to share Christ with the children and youth of Nicaragua. NICARAGUA Boaco Carazo Chinandega Chontales Esteli Granada Jinotega Leon Madriz Managua Masaya Matagalpa North Atlantic Autonomous Region Nueva Segovia Rio San Juan Rivas South Atlantic Autonomous Region

5 Are We Connecting with the Next Generation? 3 What We Learned The importance of creative, engaging ministry to children and youth cannot be underestimated in Nicaragua, where the younger generation makes up more than half of the population. 4 As the future of Nicaragua, this next generation has the potential to transform the spiritual landscape of their country. And, like children all over the globe, they challenge ministries in Nicaragua to continually look for relatable, engaging, high-energy activities that will effectively communicate the Gospel to their age groups. This survey solicited feedback from many ministry teams who shared their experiences and observations about effectively spreading the Gospel among children (ages 5-11) and youth (ages 12-19) in Nicaragua. To measure this Gospel Reach, we looked at interactions where churches and parachurch organizations presented the Gospel directly to children and youth. Key Findings 220 On average, churches in the survey are each reaching 220 children and youth per year with the Gospel; 52 of these are first-time interactions between the child or youth and the reporting church. Churches in Nicaragua placed the strongest emphasis on Discipling children and youth. Far more Nicaraguan churches reported growth than decline in their ministries to children and youth over the past two years. More girls than boys participated in children and youth ministry activities in Nicaragua. In most churches, the number of children who participated outweighed the number of youth years: 29.3%; years: 22.4%;

6 4 Connection Points In His essence, our Triune God Father, Son and Holy Spirit exists in community. We, as God s image-bearers, share that need to be part of a group...to be in community. Nicaraguan children and youth are no exception as they team up in their neighborhoods to play street ball with baseballs made of duct tape and thick sticks for bats. 5 But churches and parachurch organizations that create community gatherings for young people offer so much more than a good game of baseball. They offer the Gospel and eternal life. Regardless of size or outreach focus, each ministry invests the resources entrusted to them staff, volunteers and facility to share Jesus with the kids in their community. In Nicaragua, 353 of the country s 7,414 6 Protestant, Anglican and independent churches participated in our survey. This nationally representative sample included a variety of denominations, congregation sizes, and urban and rural locations. For the purposes of reference and categorization, each responding church was grouped by attendance as Small (with 1-50 people regularly attending), Medium (with attending) or Large (with 101+ attending). These labels reflect attendance only and do not indicate any judgment of value between or among churches of varying size. Surveyed Churches Province Sample % Managua 24.0% Matagalpa 9.0% South Atlantic 9.0% Autonomous Region Chinandega 8.0% Jinotega 7.0% Leon 7.0% Masaya 5.0% Nueva Segovia 5.0% North Atlantic 5.0% Autonomous Region Esteli 5.0% Granada 4.0% Carazo 3.0% Chontales 3.0% Rivas 3.0% Boaco 3.0% Madriz 2.0% In addition to churches, we surveyed and analyzed data from 19 parachurch organizations. 53.5% None of the Above 59.0% Urban Small Churches Attendance: 1-50 Surveys: 106 Staff Location 7.9% s Pastor 10.9% Pastor 27.7% & Pastor 33.3% Rural 7.6% Suburban 40.2% None of the Above 61.9% Urban Medium Churches Attendance: Surveys: 136 Staff Location 6.8% s Pastor 9.1% Pastor 43.9% & Pastor 29.9% Rural 8.2% Suburban 33.0% None of the Above 50.0% & Pastor 87.3% Urban Large Churches Attendance: 101+ Surveys: 111 Staff Location 2.8% s Pastor 14.2% Pastor 8.2% Rural 4.5% Suburban Parachurch Organizations Attendance: n/a Surveys: % Urban Staff Location n/a 17.6% Rural 29.4% Suburban 5 Ibid 6 Programa Latinoamericano de Estudios Sociorreligiosos, PROLADES, 2014

7 Connection Points 5 Small Churches: 1-50 people regularly attending More than half of the Small churches in our survey were located in urban areas. A third were in rural locales and a few were found in the suburbs. Small churches faced some staffing challenges, as more than half had no pastor dedicated to ministry for children or youth. Discipleship and Scripture Engagement were the most valued types of ministry among responding Small churches. When rating individual activities, Small churches rated Sunday school, person-to-person evangelism, and catechism and spiritual formation as most important. Ministry Growth: More than half of Small churches reported significant growth in their children s ministry in the previous two years. Growth across youth ministry was not as great. Still more than half experienced an increase. Very few Small churches witnessed a participation decline in either group. Reach: Small churches in our study reached an average of 91 children and youth with the Gospel in the past year. Small Church Ministry Programs Holistic Ministry 3.0 Leadership 6.7 Evangelism 6.7 Discipleship 8.1 Scripture Engagement 7.5 Two-Year Growth Trends of and Ministries 100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 52.6% 37.9% (5-11) (12-19) 30.0% 20.0% 17.5% 25.3% 27.8% 32.6% 1.0% 2.1% 1.0% 2.1% 10.0% 0.0% Increased by more than 10% Increased by 10% or less Stayed about the same Decreased by 10% or less Decreased by more than 10%

8 Connection Points 6 Medium Churches: people regularly attending Like Small churches, Medium churches in the study were found more often in urban areas with only a few in suburban regions. About 40% had no pastor dedicated to ministry for children or youth. Medium Church Ministry Programs Evangelism 7.2 Discipleship and Scripture Engagement were the most valued types of ministry among the surveyed Medium churches. Among individual ministry activities, these churches place the most emphasis on Sunday school, Bible clubs or studies, and catechism or spiritual formation. Holistic Ministry 3.3 Discipleship 8.8 Ministry Growth: More than two-thirds of surveyed Medium churches saw growth in their programs for children and youth over the past two years. About a quarter remained static, and very few saw a decline in program participation. Reach: Medium churches in our study reached an average of 156 children and youth with the Gospel in the past year. Leadership 7.9 Scripture Engagement 8.0 Two-Year Growth Trends of and Ministries 100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% (5-11) (12-19) 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 46.2% 44.2% 26.9% 27.9% 25.4% 26.4% 10.0% 0.0% 1.5% 1.6% 0.0% 0.0% Increased by more than 10% Increased by 10% or less Stayed about the same Decreased by 10% or less Decreased by more than 10%

9 Connection Points 7 Large Churches: 100+ people regularly attending Almost 90% of the surveyed Large churches were found in urban areas. While half had one or more staff committed to ministering to both children and youth, a third still had no pastor for either age group. Of all activities evaluated, Large churches placed the greatest value on Sunday school, catechism or spiritual formation, and Bible clubs or studies. Among broader ministry types, these churches place the greatest emphasis on Discipleship and Leadership. Of the 111 Large churches in this survey, 13 could be categorized as megachurches, with regular attendance of more than 500. Ministry Growth: Large churches experienced the greatest growth of all participating church sizes. Well over half reported a significant increase in children and youth participation over the previous two years. Reach: Large churches in our study reached an average of 433 children and youth with the Gospel in the past year. Evangelism 7.1 Discipleship 8.5 Leadership Scripture Engagement Large Church Ministry Programs Holistic Ministry 3.3 Two-Year Growth Trends of and Ministries 100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 63.6% 57.8% (5-11) (12-19) 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 15.0% 16.5% 19.6% 22.9% 0.9% 0.9% 1.9% 1.8% 10.0% 0.0% Increased by more than 10% Increased by 10% or less Stayed about the same Decreased by 10% or less Decreased by more than 10%

10 Connection Points 8 Parachurch Organizations: Of the 19 parachurch organizations surveyed, 15 worked directly with children and youth. Two concentrated on resourcing and supporting other ministries and churches, and the last two did not respond to this question. About half were headquartered in urban areas. The main ministry focus of most of these organizations was evangelism. The others emphasized discipleship and benevolence. Asked about specific ministry activities, these non-church ministries placed the greatest value on Bible clubs/studies, person-to-person evangelism, and catechism or other spiritual formation. Ministry Growth: Although the sample of parachurch ministries was not nationally representative, analysis of their responses still provided some insights. In particular, many of these non-church ministries reported strong rates of growth over the past two years, but several remained static. Parachurch Organization Activities Holistic Ministry 5.1 Leadership 7.8 Evangelism 6.9 Discipleship 8.1 Scripture Engagement 7.8 Reach by Region: When asked to indicate the locations where they presented the Gospel to children and youth, parachurch organizations indicated that the greatest concentration of their efforts occurred in Managua, with Masaya a distant second. Two-Year Growth Trends of and Ministries 100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 50.0% 35.3% 11.1% 17.6% 33.3% 41.2% (5-11) (12-19) 5.6% 5.9% 0.0% 0.0% Increased by more than 10% Increased by 10% or less Stayed about the same Decreased by 10% or less Decreased by more than 10%

11 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 9 During his ministry on earth, Jesus was relational. He taught His followers through images and activities that related to their lives. A number of His disciples, including John and Peter, fished for a living. Accordingly, He called them fishers of men, taught from a boat and miraculously fed thousands by multiplying just a few fish. Likewise, effective evangelistic efforts to children and youth are relatable through various means designed to engage youngsters. To explore how ministries are connecting with young audiences in Nicaragua, our survey captured data on 30 different activities for all organization types plus an additional 10 for churches only. The findings were aggregated to analyze five main types of ministry programs: Evangelism, Discipleship, Scripture Engagement, Leadership and Holistic Ministry. Scores were calculated on a 10-point scale based on the importance and frequency reported for specific ministry activities. These scores do not reflect the strength or success of the surveyed programs, just the churches commitment to them. A score of 10 represents the highest frequency or importance. In Nicaragua: Discipleship scored higher than the other ministry categories, but Leadership, Scripture Engagement and Evangelism came in close behind. Holistic Ministry scored lower than any other ministry type across all organizations. Note: Parachurch surveys differed slightly from those filled out by churches. Results for parachurch organizations cannot be directly compared to those of churches. Ministry Programs by Organization Type Small Church Ministry Programs Evangelism 6.7 Medium Church Ministry Programs Evangelism 7.2 Holistic Ministry 3.0 Discipleship 8.1 Holistic Ministry 3.3 Discipleship 8.8 Leadership 6.7 Scripture Engagement 7.5 Leadership 7.9 Scripture Engagement 8.0 Large Church Ministry Programs Holistic Ministry 3.3 Evangelism 7.1 Discipleship 8.5 Parachurch Organization Activities Holistic Ministry 5.1 Evangelism 6.9 Discipleship 8.1 Leadership 8.3 Scripture Engagement 7.9 Leadership 7.8 Scripture Engagement 7.8

12 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 10 Programs and Activities Sunday School Bible Clubs/Studies Catechism or Other Spirtual Formation Person-to-Person Evangelism Discipleship of Young People Leadership Training/Development Scripture/Literature Distribution Evangelism Large Evangelistic/ Outreach Event Group Church Planting and/or Mission Development Church Camps or Retreats Music Ministry Environmental Protection Victims of Domestic Abuse ( or ) s Church Drama Ministry Personal Mentoring Sports and/or Recreational Ministries Assistance to Young, Single Mother Food and/or Water Distribution Programs Other Educational Programs Ministry to in Jail or Prison Orphans or At-Risk and Care Gang Prevention - Rescue and Rehibilitation Outreach Programs in Public Schools Media or Technology Ministry Life Skills or Job Skills Training Mental Health, Addiction, or Trauma Recovery Christian Schools (Primary and/or Secondary) Literacy Programs 97.4% 94.0% 93.9% 92.8% 87.6% 85.2% 84.1% 79.7% 77.7% 75.0% 74.1% 66.1% 66.0% 55.9% 54.8% 54.7% 50.7% 46.6% 43.9% 41.4% 40.0% 38.9% 36.3% 32.5% 29.5% 28.0% 26.1% 24.9% 24.6% 23.0% With kids, creativity is key to winning their hearts and minds. They engage through activities that involve things like music and play. Success is found when a wide net of activities is thrown out into a community. We can see this in Nicaragua, where churches and non-church ministries reported on their use of the programs and activities listed to the left:

13 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 11 Evangelism When a grown child leaves the home to make a life for himself, his parents might give him a parting word of advice like work hard or be kind or stay strong. When Jesus sent His spiritual children out into the world His parting words were, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. But they weren t words of advice. The Great Commission was a calling for His followers to carry the Gospel to all nations of the world. Accomplishing this among the younger generation is critical for the spread of Christianity in the years to come. To evaluate Evangelism efforts in Nicaragua aimed at the next generation, we focused survey questions on four specific ministry activities. Both churches and parachurch organizations were scored based on how they ranked the importance of these activities: Person-to-person evangelism Scripture/literature distribution for evangelization Large evangelistic events Importance of Evangelism Activities Small Churches: Importance Person-to- Person 6.7 Medium Churches: Importance Person-to- Person 6.8 Scripture Distribution Large Events Scripture Distribution Large Events Person-to- Person 7.8 Person-to- Person 8.1 Scripture Distribution 6.6 Scripture Distribution 6.8 Large Events 5.6 Large Events 7.2 Large Churches: Importance Person-to- Person 6.7 Parachurch Organizations: Importance Person-to- Person 7.3 Scripture Distribution Large Events Scripture Distribution Large Events Person-to- Person 8.0 Person-to- Person 8.3 Scripture Distribution 6.9 Scripture Distribution 5.6 Large Events 7.1 Large Events 6.0

14 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 12 To further understand the commitment of Nicaraguan churches to prepare the next generation for carrying out the Great Commission, they were asked how often they teach children and/or youth to share their faith with non-believers. Frequency of Evangelism Activities C Small Churches: Frequency Taught to Share Their Faith 7.7 C Medium Churches: Frequency Taught to Share Their Faith 8.3 Y Taught to Share Their Faith 8.1 Y Taught to Share Their Faith 8.5 C Y Large Churches: Frequency Taught to Share Their Faith Taught to Share Their Faith Observations: In considering Evangelism-related activities, churches of all sizes placed great emphasis on teaching children and youth to share their faith with others and preparing them for person-toperson evangelism Evangelism efforts directed toward youth were considered more important than those directed to children. All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

15 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 13 Discipleship It is clear from Jesus parting words in Matthew 28 that we can t stop at conversion. Jesus command was to make disciples to lead new believers into a deep relationship with the Lord. Ministries seeking to bring youth and children into an intimate relationship with God answer that call. The result can be a lifelong passion to pursue and serve Him. To measure the scope of the Discipleship efforts being conducted in Nicaragua, seven activities were considered. With churches and parachurch organizations, these activities were evaluated based on importance: Sunday school 7 Bible clubs or Bible studies Catechism or other spiritual formation Discipleship of young people Importance of Discipleship Activities Small Churches: Importance Sunday School 9.1 Medium Churches: Importance Sunday School 9.4 Bible Clubs 6.9 Bible Clubs 8.6 Catechism 6.8 Catechism 7.5 Sunday School 8.6 Sunday School 9.2 Bible Clubs Catecism Bible Clubs Catecism Discipleship 6.5 Discipleship 7.5 Large Churches: Importance Sunday School Bible Clubs Catechism Parachurch Organizations: Importance Bible Clubs Catechism Bible Clubs Sunday School 9.2 Catechism 7.0 Bible Clubs Catecism Discipleship 8.6 Discipleship Parachurch organizations were not asked this question

16 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 14 Additionally, churches were evaluated on how often they invested in endeavors that mature a young person s walk of faith. These activities included: Teaching children and/or youth to make life decisions based on God s scriptural guidance Teaching children and/or youth to develop a habit of prayer Teaching parents to rear their children and/or youth according to Biblical principles Frequency of Discipleship Activities Small Churches: Frequency Life Decisions 7.9 Medium Churches: Frequency Life Decisions 8.6 Habit of Prayer Parents Taught to Disciple Habit of Prayer Parents Taught to Disciple Life Decisions 7.9 Life Decisions 8.9 Habit of Prayer 9.1 Habit of Prayer 9.5 Parents Taught to Disciple 8.9 Parents Taught to Disciple 9.7 Large Churches: Frequency Life Decisions Habit of Prayer Parents Taught to Disciple Life Decisions Habit of Prayer Parents Taught to Disciple Observations: In general, Medium churches placed slightly greater emphasis on Discipleship-related activities than their Small and Large counterparts. Most Discipleship-related programs and activities were a high priority for Nicaraguan churches, regardless of size. All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

17 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 15 Scripture Engagement Meaningful relationships don t happen overnight. They develop by spending time together and getting to know one another. The same principle applies to our relationship with God. Time in His Word deepens our relationship with Him, as well as our desire to serve Him. Many of Nicaragua s ministries are working to make sure that children and youth embrace God s Word so that they can then take the Gospel into their communities and bring about life change among their neighbors. In evaluating Scripture Engagement in Nicaragua, four ministry activities were considered. Among churches and parachurch organizations, these activities were evaluated based on importance: Scripture/literature distribution for evangelization Bible Clubs or Bible studies Importance of Scripture Engagement Activities Small Churches: Importance Scripture/Literature Distribution Bible Clubs/ Studies Medium Churches: Importance Scripture/Literature Distribution Bible Clubs/ Studies Scripture/Literature Distribution Bible Clubs/ Studies Scripture/Literature Distribution Bible Clubs/ Studies Large Churches: Importance Scripture/Literature Distribution Bible Clubs/ Studies Parachurch Organizations: Importance Scripture/Literature Distribution Bible Clubs/ Studies Scripture/Literature Distribution Bible Clubs/ Studies Scripture/Literature Distribution Bible Clubs/ Studies

18 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 16 Churches responded to a separate set of questions measuring the frequency of activities that provide a deeper understanding of Scripture and establish a day-to-day dependence on God s Word. The activities evaluated included: Encouraging children and/or youth to personally engage with Scripture Teaching children and/or youth to make life decisions based on God s scriptural guidance Frequency of Scripture Engagement Activities Small Churches: Frequency Taught to Engage with Scripture Taught Life Decisions from Scripture Medium Churches: Frequency Taught to Engage with Scripture Taught Life Decisions from Scripture Taught to Engage with Scripture Taught Life Decisions from Scripture Taught to Engage with Scripture Taught Life Decisions from Scripture Large Churches: Frequency Taught to Engage with Scripture Taught Life Decisions from Scripture Taught to Engage with Scripture Taught Life Decisions from Scripture Observations: Scripture Engagement was a high priority for churches in Nicaragua. The importance and frequency of Scripture Engagement activities was similar for children and youth across all organization types. All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

19 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 17 Leadership How we invest in the spiritual development of young people today will be reflected in how they lead the Church tomorrow. Development of Leadership now is critical to ensuring effective advancement of the Gospel in Nicaragua in the decades to come. For this reason, we evaluated Nicaraguan ministries efforts to grow future leaders. Five specific ministry activities related to youth leadership were assessed. First, churches and parachurch organizations reported on the importance of: Leadership training and development for youth (ages 12-19) Importance of Leadership Activities Small Churches: Importance Medium Churches: Importance Leadership Leadership Training 6.5 Training 7.7 Large Churches: Importance Parachurch Organizations: Importance Leadership Leadership Training 8.4 Training 7.7 Additionally, churches were evaluated on how often they invested in activities focused on some foundational elements of leadership. For this, they provided details about: Teaching youth to disciple others Teaching youth to serve in the local church body Providing opportunities for youth to take leadership roles The number of youth serving in leadership roles Frequency of Leadership Activities Small Churches: Frequency Activities Teaching Discipleship to Others 6.6 Medium Churches: Frequency Activities Teaching Discipleship to Others 7.6 Training to Serve the Church 8.1 Training to Serve the Church 8.8 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 6.7 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 8.6 with Leadership Roles 5.8 with Leadership Roles 7.0 Large Churches: Frequency Activities Teaching Discipleship to Others 8.1 Training to Serve the Church 8.8 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 8.4 with Leadership Roles 7.9 All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

20 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 18 Already represented in the 10-point scores above, this chart shows the actual rates of youth who served in leadership roles in Nicaragua. in Church Leadership Roles Small Churches: Frequency Medium Churches: Frequency None 11.7% None 3.0% 1-10% 60.2% 1-10% 54.8% 11-25% 12.6% 11-25% 18.5% 26-50% 9.7% 26-50% 15.6% Over 50% 5.8% Over 50% 8.1% Large Churches: Frequency None 4.6% 1-10% 11-25% 26-50% 26.9% 24.1% 34.3% Over 50% 10.2% Observations: Churches in Nicaragua are working hard to train up the next generation. All placed a strong emphasis on training youth to serve the Church. As church size increased, the percentage of youth in leadership roles also increased.

21 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 19 Holistic Ministry In the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly demonstrated, through His hospitality toward the poor, healing of the sick and defense of the weakest in society, that God s love is better delivered through a helping hand than a pious heart. If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and be filled, and yet they do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? (James 2:15-16, NASB) Approaching ministry from a holistic perspective is a journey in His footsteps. To evaluate Holistic outreach efforts by churches and parachurch organizations in Nicaragua, we considered seven activities. Nicaragua s churches and parachurch organizations were asked about the importance they attributed to these six outreach activities: Literacy programs Orphan care Food and water programs Life skills training Victims of domestic abuse (children and youth) Environmental protection Importance of Holistic Ministry Activities Small Churches: Importance Literacy Programs 1.4 Medium Churches: Importance 1.0 Literacy Programs Orphan Care 2.1 Orphan Care 1.9 Food & Water Programs 2.7 Food & Water Programs 2.4 Life Skills Training 2.1 Life Skills Training 1.3 Victims of Abuse 2.9 Victims of Abuse 4.0 Environmental Protection 4.0 Environmental Protection 4.6 Large Churches: Importance 0.9 Literacy Programs Parachurch Organizations: Importance Literacy Programs 4.0 Orphan Care 2.6 Orphan Care 3.7 Food & Water Programs 2.4 Food & Water Programs 8.7 Life Skills Training 1.5 Life Skills Training 2.9 Victims of Abuse 3.8 Victims of Abuse 5.1 Environmental Protection 4.5 Environmental Protection 6.4

22 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 20 To further evaluate the breadth of Holistic Ministry in Nicaragua, churches were asked to share how often they provide activities designed to train children and/or youth to serve in the local community outside the church Frequency of Holistic Ministry Activities Small Churches: Frequency Medium Churches: Frequency Training to Serve in Training to Serve in the Community 5.6 the Community 7.5 Large Churches: Frequency Training to Serve in the Community 7.3 Observation: Parachurch organizations were most active in the area of Holistic Ministry. Environmental protection was considered the most important of these activities by churches, followed closely by ministering to victims of abuse. Among non-church ministries, food and water programs were rated the most important. All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

23 Ministries that Click-to-Connect 21 Around the world, access to and use of technology wireless and Internet is changing how we stay in touch and how ministries reach out to the younger generation. While less than 15% of the Nicaraguan population has access to the Internet, 8 mobile penetration is 120%, 9 meaning that many people have more than one device. 10 That said, where there is technology, there are young people utilizing it. Our survey found that church use of technology and youth access to technology in Nicaragua trended together (i.e. texting and cell phones). Similarly, access to technology by youth and use by the church generally increased with church size. Value of Technology To evaluate how churches and parachurch organizations view technology as a communications tool, OneHope asked each to consider the value of digital technologies for ministry to children and youth in their communities. Digital technologies were specified as texting, , social media, websites or blogs, etc. The results indicate that the value placed on technology as a means of communication increased with church size, but not with population density. How Organizations Value Technology Small Churches 5.2 Medium Churches 5.6 Large Churches 6.5 Parachurch Organizations 7.6 Technology Value by Population Density/Ministry Location Rural 5.7 Suburban 6.2 Urban = low value of technology 10 = high value of technology

24 Ministries that Click-to-Connect 22 Access to Technology in Nicaragua had access to cell phones more often than they had access to either smartphones or the Internet. Access to all these technologies increased with church size and it generally increased with population density. Access to Technology by Organization Type and Population Density Smartphones Urban 3.1 Cell Phones Urban 8.8 Small Churches 1.5 Suburban 1.6 Small Churches 7.4 Suburban 6.9 Medium Churches 2.4 Rural 0.7 Medium Churches 8.7 Rural 7.6 Large Churches 3.6 Parachurch Organizations 1.3 Large Churches 9.1 Parachurch Organizations 6.1 Internet Access Urban 7.0 Population Density Organization Type 0 = low access to technology 10 = high access to technology Small Churches 4.8 Medium Sized Churches 5.8 Suburban 4.6 Rural 3.1 Large Churches 7.4 Parachurch Organizations 5.0

25 Use of Technology Ministries that Click-to-Connect Texting was the most used technology and websites the least for communicating with youth across organization types and population densities. Use of all technology increased with church size and population density. 23 Use by Organization Type and Population Density Website Urban 1.4 Texting Urban 4.8 Small Churches 0.8 Suburban 1.2 Small Churches 3.5 Suburban 3.9 Medium Churches 1.1 Rural 0.8 Medium Churches 4.4 Rural 3.4 Large Churches 1.8 Parachurch Organizations 1.9 Large Churches 5.3 Parachurch Organizations 3.8 Urban 3.5 Social Media Urban 4.1 Small Churches 2.1 Suburban 3.0 Small Churches 1.9 Suburban 2.8 Medium Churches 2.6 Rural 1.3 Medium Churches 3,2 Rural 1.4 Large Churches 4.0 Parachurch Organizations 3.9 Large Churches 5.0 Parachurch Organizations 3.4 Population Density Organization Type 0 = low use of technology 10 = high use of technology

26 Connecting the Dots, Illuminating the Needs 24 To understand how churches in Nicaragua can better reach their communities, we asked them to describe their greatest needs and obstacles in ministry to children and youth. Churches indicated that finances were by far their greatest need. Lack of resources and lack of training for youth workers were the top obstacles to ministry. Church Obstacles to Ministry to and Lack of resources Lack of training of youth workers 82.2% 53.0% 39.7% Cultural attitudes toward children and youth 38.2% Lack of cooperation by parents 7.6% Lack of support from pastors and church leaders 3.4% Political or legal obstacles Church Needs for Ministry to and 78.8% Finances 14.7% More volunteers 58.4% Materials or curriculum with better content 18.7% More educational support 53.0% Training for volunteers and/or staff 19.5% More materials or curriculum in our language 50.7% Advocacy and vision for children s and youth ministry 21.5% Better ventilation 49.3% Better knowledge of children and youth ministry practices 43.9% More and better facilities

27 Gospel Reach in Nicaragua 25 When Christ reached out His arms on the cross, He called on His followers to wrap their arms around the world with the Good News of salvation through His blood. More than 2000 years later, Christ s followers are still reaching out to unbelievers. But how effective are these efforts with youth and children in Nicaragua? To measure Gospel Reach, churches and parachurch organizations were asked questions to measure three specific categories of interaction: 1. Engagement any personal interaction with the organization 2. Reach any personal interaction where the Gospel was presented 3. New Reach the church s first interaction with a child or youth where the Gospel was presented Reach of Churches On average, churches in Nicaragua are each reaching 220 children and youth per year with the Gospel; 52 of these are first-time interactions between the child or youth and the reporting church. Engagement: Reporting churches interact directly with an average of 299 children and youth annually. Reach: Of these, 220 are directly engaged with the Gospel. New Reach: 52 of these are interacting with the church for the first time. (5-11) (12-19)

28 26 Appendix Church Ministry Participation by Age and Gender Data from the surveyed churches indicated that there were more children than youth participating in these programs. There was a clear trend of more girls than boys participating as well. Church Ministry Participation by Age More (Ages 5 to 11) More (Ages 12 to 19) 62.5% 60.9% 53.2% and Equally 24.0% 26.3% 22.0% 24.8% 13.5% 12.8% Small Churches Medium Churches Large Churches Church Ministry Participation by Gender Mostly or all boys Mostly or all girls 54.8% 40.4% 60.0% 37.8% 45.0% 50.5% Boys and girls equally 4.8% Small Churches 2.2% Medium Churches 4.6% Large Churches

29 Appendix 27 Ministries to Watch Ministries naturally look to other like-minded organizations for best practices. For this reason, we wanted to learn which ministries are seen as the most respected, knowledgeable or influential in Nicaragua. Churches were asked to name the most effective organizations, both national and local, that minister to children and youth within their own communities. Participating churches named these 23 organizations at least three times. Most were noted as having both a national and a local footprint. Many of the surveyed churches partner with these organizations to achieve mutual ministry goals. Footprint Organization Name Mentions % Naming Who Partner Both Compassion International 58 52% Both King s Castle 32 63% Both World Vision International 28 43% Both Government or Police programs 25 32% Both Samaritan s Purse, Operation Christmas Child 24 32% National Orphanetwork 12 92% Both AJECIM - other Moravian Church programs 10 60% Both Child Evangelism Fellowship 6 100% Both PIEDAD (Mercy) Foundation 6 67% Both My Family (27-25 Program) 5 20% Both Word of Life 5 80% Both ADRA, other Adventist programs 4 50% Both Boy Scout Clubs 4 75% National s Garden 4 25% Both OANSA - Awana Clubs 4 100% Both Save the 4 50% Both The Good Samaritan Association 4 75% Both Verbo Church 4 50% Both Conquerors Club 3 100% National Explorers 3 67% Both Hosanna Tent 3 33% Both Los Pipitos Nicaragua Foundation 3 0% National Nehemiah Center 3 0%

30 Appendix 28 Popular Curricula and Publishers To develop an effective resource list, churches were asked to name the best tools or curriculum for ministry to children and youth in Nicaragua. A large number of responses cited general resources like, the Bible, books, videos, handouts, music, youth camps, teaching aids, etc. These eight resource providers were identified most frequently by the surveyed churches. VIDA Publishers Baptist Publishing House Moravian Church Churches of God King s Castle Phillip Project Compassion International Assemblies of God These four specific curricula were named most often Explorers Club (Churches of God) s Bible The Best Gift of God The Great Adventure

31 Appendix 29 About In 2014, OneHope reached its billionth child a young girl in China with a relevant Gospel message. This year OneHope will reach nearly 100 million additional young people with Scripture programs that are age-and culturally- specific based on research it conducts among children and youth, leaders and educators in each country it works. Since 1987, OneHope has helped kids experience God s Story by collaborating with churches and ministries and working with local governments, schools and non-governmental organizations to bring a message of hope to children and youth in more than 145 countries. WellConnected is a resource for ministry leaders. We share insight, case studies and tools from around the world to help the Church reach the next generation effectively. Acknowledgements Dr. Clifton L. Holland, Regional Project Coordinator (Director of the Latin American Socio- Religious Studies Program Programa Latinoamericano de Estudios Sociorreligiosos, PROLADES); Linda J. Holland, translator and data processing. Miguel España (National Project Coordinator), with logistical support from CIEETS (Centro Intereclesial de Estudios Teológicos y Sociales Interecclesial Center of Theological and Social Studies) and the Martin Luther King Jr. Nicaraguan Evangelical University; interviewers Jorge Antonio Reyes, Loyda Flores and Maribel Padilla. Contact For more information regarding this report, contact Richard Luna at RicardoLuna@onehope.net

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