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

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1 ARGENTINA

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 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 9 Programs and Activities 10 Evangelism 11 Discipleship 12 Scripture Engagement 14 Leadership 16 Holistic Ministry 18 Ministries that Click-to-Connect 20 Value, Access and Use of Technology 20 Connecting the Dots, Illuminating the Needs 24 Gospel Reach 25 Appendix 27 About, Acknowledgements and Contact 29

3 A Letter to Church and Parachurch Ministry Leaders 1 The Gospel is relevant, engaging and transformational to each generation who encounters it. This research study was designed for church and parachurch ministry leaders to help establish a foundation for a greater impact in their ministry. It asks important questions and reveals critical findings. In his generation, Nehemiah asked the right question: 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, 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. If not us, who? If not now, when? Let us colabor in transformational ministry. God, empower us to act! In Jesus, Ricardo Luna Regional Director OneHope Latin America

4 Are We Connecting with the Next Generation? 2 Modern communication is like a child... constantly moving, developing and ever-changing. No matter where you go in the world, adults are challenged with figuring out how to best communicate with the next generation. And there is no better reason for effectively connecting with young people than sharing the love of Christ with them. Today s youth can change tomorrow s spiritual state of a nation, but only if they are hearing the Good News in a way that resonates with them. With that in mind, we set out to investigate how churches and parachurch organizations around the globe are reaching kids with Christ s message of salvation. Argentina, the eighth largest country geographically in the world, 1 is one of the 40 nations targeted by our study. Of the 43 million people... 40% of the 43 million people who live in Argentina are under the age of who live in Argentina, 40% of them are under the age of 25, 2 making young people the largest population group in this South American country. The vast majority of the populace (92%) is Roman Catholic, but less than 20% actually practice their Catholic faith. 3 Just 2% of Argentinians are Protestant. 4 ARGENTINA There is still plenty of ground to be covered in spreading the Gospel here. Undoubtedly, the beautiful children of Argentina, with their curious minds and soft hearts, are best positioned to change the spiritual landscape of their homeland. In Argentina, OneHope surveyed 323 churches and parachurch organizations, documenting how they interact with the next generation. The findings reveal important outreach gaps, ministry opportunities and evangelistic trends. All provide insights that support Argentina s ministries as they seek ways to better share the Gospel message with the next generation Ibid. 4 Ibid.

5 What We Learned Are We Connecting with the Next Generation 3 When Jesus Himself set out to change the world with His message of salvation, He chose young people to carry the Truth to the masses. Most of His disciples were likely under the age of Why did Jesus seek out young men? Because youth, by nature, are more accepting of new ideas and more open to transformation. Following Christ s strategy for advancing the Gospel, church and parachurch ministries must make it a priority to draw the younger generation into God s Kingdom and train them as disciples. Our survey solicited feedback from many ministry teams who shared their experiences and observations about reaching Argentina s next generations. In this report, children are categorized as ages 5 to 11 and youth are categorized as ages 12 to 19. Ultimately we wanted to know how effectively the Church was spreading the Gospel among these age groups in Argentina. To measure this Gospel Reach, we looked at interactions where churches presented the Gospel directly to children and youth. Key Findings On average, each of the Argentinian churches in the survey reached 141 children and youth per year with the Gospel. Among the ministry programs explored, churches placed the strongest emphasis on discipling children and youth, followed closely by engaging them with Scripture and developing youth leaders. Of the evaluated ministry activities, the three utilized most frequently by churches in Argentina were Sunday school/children s church, church camps/retreats and person-to-person evangelism. The children s and youth programs were experiencing significant growth. More than a third of the surveyed churches witnessed a greater than 10% growth in their children s and youth programs over the previous year. 5

6 Connection Points 4 Young people throughout the world are drawn to cultural and community hubs for specific purposes: 1. To get their basic needs met, including clean water, food, medical care and emotional support; 2. To learn life and job skills; 3. To socialize and have fun. Argentinian children and youth are no different. It is in neighborhood gathering places that offer soccer matches, job training and a good meal that young people become receptive to spiritual nourishment. Ministry organizations regardless of their size, staff or outreach focus invest their resources to create environments where children and youth can congregate for practical purposes and, more importantly, to learn about the transforming power of the Gospel. In Argentina, 290 of the country s 21,009 6 Protestant, Anglican and independent churches participated in our survey. This sample included a variety of denominations, congregation sizes and population densities. Surveyed Churches Province/City Sample % BUENOS AIRES 41.4% CAPITAL FEDERAL 0.3% CASANOVA 0.3% CHACO 0.7% CHUBUT 1.4% CÓRDOBA 12.1% CORRIENTES 10.0% JUJUY 0.3% MENDOZA 13.1% MISIONES 1.7% RÍO NEGRO 1.0% SALTA 10.3% SAN JUAN 0.7% SANTA FE 3.1% SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO 0.3% TIERRA DEL FUEGO 2.8% For the purposes of reference and categorization, each responding church was grouped by attendance as Small (with TUCUMÁN 0.3% 1-80 people regularly attending), Medium (with attending), or Large (with 201+ attending). These labels reflect attendance only and do not indicate any judgment of value between or among churches of varying size. In addition to churches, we surveyed and analyzed data from 33 parachurch organizations. Attendance: 1 80 Surveys: 112 Attendance: Surveys: 103 Attendance: 201+ Surveys: 75 Attendance: n/a Surveys: % Pastor 11.0% Children s Pastor Staff 45.9% Children s & Pastor 31.2% None of the Above 7.8% Pastor 6.9% Children s Pastor Staff 54.9% Children s & Pastor 30.4% None of the Above 13.7% Pastor 12.3% Children s Pastor Staff 63.0% Children s & Pastor 11.0% None of the Above Staff n/a 18.5% Suburban 12.6% Suburban 10.2% Rural Location 71.3% Urban 1.9% Rural Location 85.4% Urban 5.3% Suburban 2.7% Rural Location 27.3% Suburban 92.0% Urban 9.1% 63.6% Rural Urban Location 6 Operation World DVD-ROM, 7th Edition, 2010.

7 : 1-80 people regularly attending Connection Points 5 The majority of Small churches from our survey were located in urban areas. Almost 20% were established in suburban locales and 10% were in rural areas. While these churches were relatively small and almost certainly have limited resources, about 70% had a pastor dedicated to ministering to children, youth or both. Small Church Programs Holistic Ministry 1.8 Evangelism 4.1 Discipleship 6.7 Scripture Engagement By far, the most common children- or youthfocused ministry activity among Small churches was Sunday school. Almost 95% of the surveyed churches offered this program. Person-to-person evangelism, church camps/retreats, Bible clubs/ Leadership Bible studies, Scripture/literature distribution and classes for spiritual formation were the next most common activities at rates of around 70%. Generally, Small churches conducted the evaluated activities less frequently than their larger counterparts. Ministry Growth: Small churches have experienced notable growth, as about 30% of them reported that their attendance increased by more than 10% over the past year. Still, more than half revealed either no growth or a decrease in the number of children and youth with whom they interacted. Reach: Small churches in our study reached an average of 43 children and youth with the Gospel in the past year. Growth Trends in Children s and Ministries 43.1% 46.7% 31.2% 28.0% Children 14.7% 11.2% 6.4% 9.3% 4.6% 4.7% 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 : people regularly attending Connection Points 6 Like Small churches, most of the 103 surveyed Medium churches were located in urban areas. Thirteen were in suburban settings and two churches were established in rural areas. About 70% had a pastor dedicated to ministering to children, youth or both. Almost all of the Medium churches offered Sunday school. Person-to-person evangelism, church camps/retreats, and Bible clubs/bible studies were the next most common activities, as more than 80% of these churches offered them. Generally, Medium churches conducted the evaluated activities at greater rates than Small churches and lesser rates than Large. Medium Church Programs Holistic Ministry 2.1 Evangelism 4.6 Discipleship 7.0 Leadership Scripture Engagement Ministry Growth: Over half of the Medium churches reported growth in the attendance of children and youth over the past year. More than 40% of them witnessed significant growth. Very few churches saw a decline. Reach: Medium churches in our study reached an average of 74 children and youth with the Gospel in the past year. Growth Trends in Children s and Ministries 44.9% 42.3% 33.7% 37.1% Children 14.3% 15.5% 7.1% 3.1% 0.0% 2.1% 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 : 201+ people regularly attending Connection Points 7 Almost all of the 75 Large churches in our study were located in urban settings. Two were found in rural areas and four in suburban environments. Most had a pastor serving either their children or youth or both; only 11% operated without one. Among Large churches, camps and retreats were the most common of the evaluated ministry activities, followed closely by Sunday school/ children s church, then person-to-person evangelism. More than 90% of the surveyed Large churches offered these activities. Interestingly, Large churches were less likely to offer Sunday school/children s church than their smaller counterparts. Large Church Programs Holistic Ministry 2.6 Evangelism 5.5 Discipleship 7.1 Leadership Scripture Engagement Of the 75 large churches in the Argentina survey, 23 could be categorized as megachurches, with regular attendance of 1,000 or greater. Ministry Growth: Large churches experienced greater growth in their children s and youth ministries than the other church sizes. Almost half of them reported significant growth over the past year. Reach: Large churches in our study reached an average of 380 children and youth with the Gospel in the past year. Growth Trends in Children s and Ministries 50.7% 45.6% 30.1% 25.0% Children 15.1% 22.1% 4.1% 7.4% 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%

10 Parachurch Organizations Connection Points 8 Of the 33 parachurch organizations in the survey, 21 were headquartered in the Buenos Aires province. The others were divided among six other provinces. Two of these organizations offered resources or support to other ministries or churches, while thirteen were engaged in direct ministry. Another thirteen did both resource and direct ministry. Surveyed Province/City Sample % BUENOS AIRES 63.6% CHUBUT 6.1% CORRIENTES 6.1% MENDOZA 6.1% MISIONES 6.1% SALTA 3.0% SANTA FE 9.1% Parachurch Organization Programs Holistic Ministry 2.7 Evangelism 3.5 Discipleship 4.5 Scripture Engagement Almost half of the surveyed parachurch organizations were committed Leadership to Discipleship programs. Eleven engaged in benevolence activities. And six reported that Evangelism programs were their priority. Ministry Growth: While not nationally representative, analysis of the parachurch organizations growth still provides some insight. Almost 70% of the organizations reported growth in their ministry to children and youth over the past year. Yet, almost 15% of them experienced some decline in their ministry. Growth Trends in Children s and Ministries 48.3% 61.5% Children 17.2% 7.7% 20.7% 15.4% 10.3% 11.5% 3.4% 3.8% 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 Evangelistic outreach to the next generation is most effective when it strikes a balance between fun, function and spiritual enrichment. Argentinian churches and parachurch organizations are connecting with children and youth through a variety of age-appropriate activities. Our survey considered 29 different forms of Kingdom-building outreach, which are organized into five main program types: Evangelism, Discipleship, Scripture Engagement, Leadership and Holistic Ministry. Scores were calculated on a 10-point scale based on the frequency reported for specific ministry activities. These scores do not reflect the strength or success of the surveyed programs, just the commitment of churches and parachurch organizations to them. A score of 10 represents the highest frequency. In Argentina: The frequency of ministry activities generally increased with church size. Discipleship-related ministry was the most frequent among churches, followed closely by Scripture Engagement and Leadership. Ministry Programs by Organization Type Small Church Programs Holistic Ministry 1.8 Evangelism 4.1 Medium Discipleship 6.7 Leadership Scripture Engagement Church Programs Holistic Ministry 2.1 Evangelism 4.6 Discipleship 7.0 Leadership Scripture Engagement Large Church Programs Holistic Ministry 2.6 Evangelism 5.5 Discipleship 7.1 Parachurch Organization Programs Holistic Ministry 2.7 Leadership 6.5 Scripture Engagement 6.7 Evangelism 3.5 Discipleship 4.5 Leadership 3.8 Scripture Engagement 4.6

12 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 10 Programs and Activities The Bible tells us that we are all made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27). But it also tells us that we are each unique and wonderfully made by our Creator (Psalm 139:13-16). Just as the color of one child s eyes is different from another, so too might be their learning styles. For this reason, ministries employ a broad spectrum of programs and are innovative in how they choose activities based on age and community needs. The different options are strategically woven together to make a vibrant impact. We can see this in Argentina where Sunday school/children s church, person-to-person evangelism, church camps/retreats, and large evangelistic outreach events were the most popular tools for transforming the next generation into a generation for Christ. Sunday School/Children's Church 91.1% Person-to-Person Evangelism Church Camps or Retreats Bible Clubs or Bible Studies 76.8% 81.2% 79.4% Large Evangelistic/Outreach Events Scripture/Literature Distribution Evangelism Leadership Training/Development Spiritual Formation or Doctrinal Classes Discipling Music or Drama Ministry 71.7% 70.8% 69.9% 68.8% 67.2% 67.1% Personal Mentoring 59.6% Sports Ministry Food or Water Programs Foundation and Development of Missions and/or New Churches Orphan or At-Risk Children and Care Mental Health, Addiction or Trauma Recovery 37.4% 43.1% 41.1% 53.0% 52.4% Media or Technology Ministry Attention to Victims of Domestic Violence Other Educational Programs Life Skills or Job Skills Training Attention to Single, Young Mothers Programs of Environmental Conservation Recycling, Cleaning Garbage, Sowing Trees, Etc. Outreach Programs in Schools 32.5% 31.5% 31.2% 30.8% 30.5% 30.0% 28.2% Microfinance Rescue and Rehabilitation of Children and in Gangs Ministry to in Jail or Prison Literacy Programs Health or Medical 21.2% 19.8% 18.4% 18.3% 17.8% School Programs (Primary and/or Secondary) 10.0%

13 Evangelism How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 11 The heart of a child is as fertile for the Gospel as Argentina s Pampas grasslands are fertile for growing crops and raising cattle. And from just one child s heart, a Gospel movement can sprout a movement that has the potential to alter the spiritual course of entire families and even communities for generations to come. This is why it is vital for churches and parachurch organizations to cultivate programs that are intentional about sharing the Good News with the next generation. To explore the range of Evangelism efforts in Argentina, we evaluated four specific ministry activities. Scores were assigned based on the frequency of the following activities:* Person-to-person evangelism Scripture/literature distribution for evangelization Large evangelistic/outreach events Teaching children and youth to share their faith with non-believers Evangelism Activities Person-to- Person 3.5 Person-to- Person 4.1 Children Scripture Distribution Large Events Teaching to Share Faith Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution Large Events Children Scripture Distribution Large Events Teaching to Share Faith Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution Large Events Teaching to Share Faith 7.6 Teaching to Share Faith 7.7 Person-to- Person 5.8 Person-to- Person 5.7 Children Scripture Distribution Large Events Teaching to Share Faith Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution Large Events Children Scripture Distribution Large Events Teaching to Share Faith Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution Large Events Teaching to Share Faith 7.6 Teaching to Share Faith 4.3 Observations: Teaching children and youth to share their faith with others was a high priority to churches in Argentina. Evangelism efforts generally increased as church size increased. *Within the Evangelism category, person-to-person evangelism, scripture/literature distribution, and large evangelistic/outreach events received the highest scores when they occurred weekly. And ministries that categorized the frequency of teaching children/ youth to share their faith with non-believers as very often received the highest score for that Evangelism activity. All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

14 Discipleship How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 12 In the Great Commission, Jesus commands His disciples to make disciples. This call goes well beyond converting people into believers of Christ. We are called to make followers of Christ believers who are intentional about living their lives for the Lord and building His Kingdom. Discipleship is fundamental to encouraging children and youth to develop that deep and abiding relationship with Christ that results in life transformation. There is, perhaps, no other activity with greater potential to produce a long-term generational impact on the Church in Argentina. To measure the scope of Discipleship efforts, churches and parachurch organizations were asked how often they engaged in the following activities:* Sunday school Bible clubs or Bible studies Teaching children and youth to make life decisions based on God s Scriptural guidance Teaching children and youth to develop a habit of prayer Teaching parents to rear their children and youth according to Biblical principles Discipleship of youth Discipleship Activities Sunday School 8.4 Sunday School 8.8 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies 5.2 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies 5.3 Children Life Decisions Habit of Prayer Biblical Child-Rearing Sunday School Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Life Decisions Habit of Prayer Children Life Decisions Habit of Prayer Biblical Child-Rearing Sunday School Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Life Decisions Habit of Prayer Biblical Child-Rearing 7.5 Biblical Child-Rearing 7.3 Discipleship of 5.1 Discipleship of 6.0 Children Sunday School Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Life Decisions Habit of Prayer Biblical Child-Rearing Sunday School Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Life Decisions Habit of Prayer Biblical Child-Rearing Discipleship of Children Sunday School Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Life Decisions Habit of Prayer Biblical Child-Rearing Sunday School Bible Clubs/ 6.9 Bible Studies 3.9 Life 7.7 Decisions Habit of Prayer Biblical Child-Rearing Discipleship of

15 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 13 Observations: Churches in Argentina conducted Discipleship-related activities with greater frequency than all other ministry activities. Sunday school was offered to children more frequently than to youth, but Bible clubs were offered more frequently to youth. Other than Sunday school, the most common activities were teaching children and youth to make decisions from Scripture and to develop a habit of prayer. *Within the Discipleship category, Sunday school and Bible clubs received the highest scores when they occurred weekly. Ministries that categorized the frequency of the activities as very often received the highest score for that Discipleship activity. All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

16 Scripture Engagement How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 14 When we engage in Scripture, we are interacting with God s Character. Just as spending time with an individual helps us to know them better and draw closer to them, spending time in God s Word nurtures a relationship with Him. Encouraging children and youth to connect with Him in this way is critical to their faith walk. In evaluating Scripture Engagement in Argentina, organizations responded to questions about activities that establish a daily dependence on God s Word. The frequency of these four ministry activities were considered:* Scripture/literature distribution for evangelization Bible clubs or Bible studies Encouraging children and youth to personally engage with Scripture Teaching children and youth to make life decisions based on God s Scriptural guidance Scripture Engagement Activities Scripture Distribution 2.6 Scripture Distribution 3.2 Children Children Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Encouraging Engagement Children Children Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions 7.8 Teaching Life Decisions 5.8

17 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 15 Observations: Encouraging children and youth to engage with Scripture and teaching them to seek guidance from Scripture in making life decisions were high priorities for churches in Argentina. While Medium churches offered those two activities to youth more frequently than children, Large churches focused on children more often. *Within the Scripture Engagement category, Scripture/literature distribution and Bible clubs received the highest scores when they occurred weekly. Ministries that categorized the frequency of encouraging and teaching children/youth to engage with Scripture as very often received the highest score for that Scripture Engagement activity. All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

18 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 16 Leadership When the Israelites entered into the Promised Land, they did so with the Lord s instruction to live by His Word, which included passing His Word on to the next generation. These words which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons (Deut. 6:6-7). Not only did God want His people to know and follow Him, He also wanted to ensure that generations to come would know and follow Him. Forward-thinking churches and ministries focus on Leadership development because they know that raising up the next generation of Christian leaders is critical to the health of the Church and the future of the Kingdom. For this reason, we evaluated efforts in Argentina to grow future Christian leaders. We asked how often churches and parachurch organizations invested in training up youth (ages 12-19) for Christian leadership. These five specific ministry activities related to Leadership were assessed:* Leadership training and development for youth Teaching youth to disciple others Teaching youth to serve in the local church body Providing opportunities for youth to take leadership roles The numbers of youth serving in leadership roles (churches only) Leadership Activities Leadership Training 3.1 Leadership Training 4.0 Teaching to Disciple Others 6.4 Teaching to Disciple Others 5.9 Teaching to Serve the Church 7.7 Teaching to Serve the Church 7.5 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 6.4 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 7.0 with Leadership Roles 5.2 with Leadership Roles 6.4 Leadership Training 4.7 Leadership Training 3.3 Teaching to Disciple Others 6.3 Teaching to Disciple Others 4.1 Teaching to Serve the Church 7.7 Teaching to Serve the Church 4.2 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 6.8 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 3.7 with Leadership Roles 6.9 *Within the Leadership category, leadership training and development received the highest scores when it occurred at least weekly. Ministries that categorized the frequency of teaching youth to disciple and serve as very often received the highest score for those activities. For youth in leadership roles, ministries were awarded the highest score when they very often provided opportunities for youth to serve in leadership and when at least 11% of their youth were serving in leadership roles. All scores are delivered in a 10- point scale.

19 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 17 Already represented in the scores above, this chart shows the actual rates of youth serving in leadership roles in Argentina. in Church Leadership Roles None 27.9% None 12.9% 1-10% 40.5% 1-10% 48.5% 11-25% 19.8% 11-25% 17.8% 26-50% 9.9% 26-50% 13.9% Over 50% 1.8% Over 50% 6.9% None 12.0% 1-10% 38.7% 11-25% 26-50% 20.0% 26.7% Over 50% 2.7% Observations: Churches in Argentina have made great efforts to develop leadership characteristics in youth by teaching them to serve in the church. The number of youth serving in leadership roles increased with church size.

20 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 18 Holistic Ministry Jesus transforms the heart. But as He demonstrated during His time on earth, ministry is not limited to the heart. Christ also met the physical, mental and emotional needs of hurting people. Today, the Church serves as His hands and feet to those who are suffering. When the needs of the whole person are met, the heart is more receptive to Jesus Christ s transforming love. To evaluate Holistic Ministry efforts by churches and parachurch organizations in Argentina, we considered seven activities:* Literacy programs Care of orphans or at-risk children/youth Food or water programs Life skills or job skills training Health or medical care Microfinance Teaching children and youth to serve in the local community Holistic Ministry Activities Literacy Programs 0.4 Literacy Programs 1.0 Orphan Care 1.7 Orphan Care 2.0 Food & Water Programs 2.8 Food & Water Programs 3.5 Life Skills Training 1.2 Life Skills Training 1.7 $ Health or Medical Microfinance $ Health or Medical Microfinance Teaching to Serve 5.8 Teaching to Serve 5.4 Literacy Programs 1.4 Literacy Programs 1.6 Orphan Care 2.8 Orphan Care 3.7 Food & Water Programs 3.8 Food & Water Programs 3.8 Life Skills Training 2.6 Life Skills Training 2.8 $ Health or Medical Microfinance $ Health or Medical Microfinance Teaching to Serve 5.9 Teaching to Serve 3.2

21 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 19 Observations: Churches in Argentina primarily expressed their commitment to Holistic Ministry by teaching children and youth to serve in the community. Of both churches and parachurch organizations, the most common activity directed to meeting the social needs of their community was food and water programs. Holistic Ministry increased as church size increased. *Within the Holistic Ministry category, literacy programs, orphan/at-risk care, food/water programs, life/job skills training, health/ medical care and microfinance received the highest scores when these activities occurred weekly. Ministries that categorized the frequency of teaching children/youth to serve in ministry in the local community as very often received the highest score for that Holistic Ministry activity. All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

22 Ministries that Click-to-Connect 20 Technology is quickly and dramatically changing the way we stay in touch with one another in the 21st Century. To remain connected with the next generation, ministries need to keep pace with the technology trends. More than half of the population in Argentina uses cell phones and that number is expected to increase to 75% by Three-quarters of the population regularly access the Internet, and the majority do so to keep up with family and friends. 8 In summary, more and more Argentinians are becoming socially connected through wireless and Internet technology. 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 reported value of technology by churches and by youth increased as church size increased. The surveyed youth valued technology significantly more than their respective organizations. Value of Technology by Organization and by Organization Technology Value Urban 7.2 Technology Urban Value 8.2 Suburban Suburban Rural Rural = low value of technology 10 = high value of technology

23 Access to Technology Ministries that Click-to-Connect 21 The surveyed youth in Argentina had the greatest access to cell phones, followed closely by Internet. Almost half of the youth had access to smartphones. Access to Technology by Organization and Population Density Smartphones Urban Cell Phones Urban 50.2% 79.2% Suburban 42.4% 33.3% 74.6% Rural 45.3% 19.4% 77.0% 50.3% 46.8% 80.3% 62.5% Suburban 67.2% Rural 51.4% Internet Access Urban 72.8% 75.0% 52.3% 65.4% 69.2% Suburban 57.8% Rural 26.4%

24 Use of Technology Ministries that Click-to-Connect 22 Texting and social media were the most common digital technologies used by churches and parachurch organizations for communicating with youth. It is not surprising, considering the limited Internet access, that websites and were not as prevalent. The surveyed youth used social media much more than their respective churches. Use of Technology by Organization and by Organization Website Urban Use 4.8 Website Urban Use 5.8 Suburban Rural Suburban 5.0 Rural 3.3 Organization Use Urban 5.3 Urban Use 5.8 Suburban Suburban Rural Rural = low use of technology 10 = high use of technology

25 Ministries that Click-to-Connect 23 Use of Technology by Organization and by (continued) Organization Texting Use Urban 8.2 Texting Urban Use 8.6 Suburban Suburban Rural Rural Organization Social Media Use Urban 8.4 Social Urban Media Use 8.8 Suburban Suburban Rural Rural = low use of technology 10 = high use of technology

26 Connecting the Dots, Illuminating the Needs 24 To gain deeper insight into the realities of church outreach in Argentina, we asked them to describe their greatest needs for and the greatest obstacles facing their ministry to children and youth. Churches indicated more volunteers, finances and training for their workers were the greatest needs. Lack of resources and cultural attitudes toward young people were the greatest obstacles. Church Obstacles to Ministry to Children and 43.4% Lack of resources Cultural attitudes toward children and youth 36.2% 10.7% Lack of cooperation from parents 5.9% Political or legal obstacles Lack of training for the volunteers 5.9% 2.1% Lack of support from pastors and leaders Church Needs for Ministry to Children and 42.1% More volunteers 41.7% Finances 40.7% Training for volunteers and/or staff 39.3% Materials or curricula with better content 26.9% Better knowledge of children and youth ministry practices 22.8% Advocacy and vision for children's and youth ministry 15.2% More materials or curricula in our language

27 25 Gospel Reach Research and statistics are important tools in developing ministry strategy. But the ultimate measurement for any Gospel outreach is the heart real transformation taking place within the hearts and lives of Argentina s next generation. And each child who accepts Jesus Christ into their heart has the potential to be a Kingdom builder, taking the Gospel into their homes and communities. To measure Gospel Reach, churches were asked questions to determine 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 Argentina are each reaching 141 children and youth per year with the Gospel; 62 of these are first-time interactions between the child or youth and the reporting church. Engagement: Reporting churches interact directly with an average of 174 children and youth annually. Reach: Of these, 141 are directly engaged with the Gospel. New Reach: 62 of these are interacting with the church for the first time. Children

28 Gospel Reach 26 Reach by Church Size Engagement Reach New Reach Children

29 27 Appendix Church Ministry Participation by Gender Data from the surveyed churches in Argentina revealed a trend toward more girls than boys participating in their children s and youth ministry activities. The extent of this gender gap is not clear. Which gender(s) most often participates in your ministry to children and/or youth? Mostly or all boys Mostly or all girls Boys and girls equally (1-80) 10.7% 33.9% 55.4% (81-200) 2.9% 23.3% 73.8% (201+) 1.3% 25.3% 73.3% 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 Argentina. Here, 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 identified 158 unique organizations, naming these 17 organizations at least five times. Most have both a national and a local footprint. Many of the surveyed churches partner with these organizations to achieve mutual ministry goals. Footprint Organization Name Both APEN Both CASTILLEROS DEL REY National CINALLI National DANTE GEBEL Local EPASI Both ESPECIALIDADES JUVENILES Both FORO 4/14 Both JESUS WARRIORS Both KING S KIDS Both LAPEN Local MENDOZA National NINO DE NAVIDAD Both ONEHOPE Both OLIMPIADAS BIBLICAS Both PLACERES PERFECTOS Both SOCIEDADES BIBLICAS

30 Appendix Popular Curricula and Publishers To develop an effective resource list, churches were asked to name the best tools or curricula for ministry to children and youth in Argentina. 28 These nine were identified most frequently by the surveyed churches: Aliento Kids Campamentos Cinalli Lapen Obras Teatrales OneHope Sociedades Biblicas Vivir la Biblia YWAM/Jucum

31 29 About, Acknowledgements and Contact More than a billion children and youth have received a relevant presentation of God s Word from local churches around the world through OneHope. This year OneHope plans to reach one hundred million more young people with Scripture programs that are age- and culturally- specific based on research it conducts among children and youth, leaders and educators in the countries 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 life-changing message to children and youth in every country of the world. 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 We extend a special thank you to Veronica Schaab. This report would not have been possible without the the local churches in Argentina. OneHope is grateful for these relationships, which set the foundation for this research, and is hopeful that this work will bear much fruit. Contact For more information regarding this report, Ricardo Luna at ricardoluna@onehope.net.

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