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

Transcription

1 PANAMA

2 B 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 Panama 25 Appendix 27 About, Acknowledgments and Contact 30

3 A Letter to Church and Parachurch Ministry Leaders 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. God, empower us to act! Let us co-labor in transformational ministry. If not us, who? If not now, when? In Jesus, Ricardo Luna Regional Director OneHope Latin America 1

4 Are We Connecting with the Next Generation? 2 Those who work with children and youth on a daily basis have a good understanding of their mentality, behavior, desires and what they aspire to do. Spiritual shepherds must think beyond that, questioning whether we are helping the younger generation truly connect with the Gospel message of grace. How can we know if we are making an impact? What can we do to improve our efforts in reaching our children and youth? To answer these important questions, OneHope launched an investigative effort which explored the work of churches, ministries and parachurch organizations in 40 nations, including Panama. The nearly 1 million children and youth 1 living in Panama represent 27% of the nation s 3.6 million citizens. About 25% of the population live below the poverty line. With such large numbers of young people, it s easy to see how issues related to income disparity can present hurdles as well as opportunities in ministry. The majority of the residents of this Central American country have some connection to Christ 67% are Catholic and 14% are Protestant. Still, there remains a great need for the Salvation that Jesus offers. PANAMA In Panama, OneHope surveyed 361 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 Panama s ministries as they seek ways to better share the Gospel message with the next generation. 1 The World Factbook, May 15, 2015.

5 What We Learned Ministering to the younger generation has enormous Biblical precedent. Throughout Scripture we find children and youth used by God for His purpose. Joel 1:3 summarizes the mandate to pass God s Word on to younger generations. Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. God works in and through young people. If we are to do what our Heavenly Father instructed, ministries both church and parachurch must make it a priority to draw the younger generation into God s Kingdom and train them as disciples. This survey solicited feedback from many ministry teams who shared their experiences and observations about reaching Panama 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 Panama. To measure this Gospel Reach, we looked at interactions where churches and parachurch organizations presented the Gospel directly to children and youth. 3 Key Findings On average, the Panamanian churches in this survey reached 120 children and youth last year with the Gospel; 44 of these were first-time interactions between the child or youth and the reporting church. Gospel Reach to children and youth increases with church size, and it generally increases with population density. Among ministry programs explored, churches in Panama place the strongest emphasis on Discipling children and youth. Regardless of size, far more Panamanian churches reported growth than decline in their ministries to children and youth.

6 4 Connection Points Around the world, churches and parachurch organizations are attractive hubs for children and youth because they provide for more than just spiritual growth. They offer social connections, emotional support and even sustenance. Regardless of size or outreach focus, each invests its resources staff, volunteers and facility location to change eternity for those they serve. In Panama, 337 of the country s 4,104 2 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. In addition to churches, we surveyed and analyzed data from 24 parachurch organizations. Surveyed Churches by Region Province Sample % Panamá 38.6% Chiriqui 19.6% Panamá Oeste 16.9% Colón 6.8% Veraguas 4.2% Darión 3.3% Coclé 3.3% Bocas Del Toro 3.9% Darien 1.2% Los Santos 1.2% Herrera 0.9% Other/Unknown 0.3% Small Churches Attendance: 1-50 Surveys: 119 % of Surveys: 30.5% Medium Churches Attendance: Surveys: 148 % of Surveys: 37.9% Large Churches Attendance: 101+ Surveys: 110 % of Surveys 28.2% Parachurch Organizations Attendance: n/a Surveys: 13 % of Surveys: 3.3% 8.5% Pastor 5.9% s Pastor 62.2% Rural 22.7% Urban Staff Location 7.6% & Pastor 78.0% None of the Above 15.1% Suburban 8.1% Pastor 5.4% s Pastor 63.9% Rural 14.6% Urban Staff Location 8.8% & Pastor 77.7% None of the Above 21.5% Suburban 3.6% s Pastor 79.1% None of the Above 51.8% Rural 21.8% Urban Staff Location 8.2% Pastor 9.1% & Pastor 26.4% Suburban 30.8% Rural 23.1% Urban Staff Location n/a 46.2% Suburban 2 Operation World DVD-ROM, 7th Edition, 2010.

7 Connection Points 5 Small Churches: 1-50 people regularly attending Small churches face some unique challenges in staffing. More than one-third of small churches in our survey reported that they have no pastor dedicated to ministering to children or to youth. Only about 40% have a pastor or pastors dedicated to both age groups. Discipleship, Scripture Engagement and Leadership are the most valued ministry program types among Small churches. When considering individual activities, Small churches rated Sunday school and church camps/retreats as most important, followed by person-toperson evangelism, catechism and spiritual formation, and youth groups. Small Church Activities Holistic Ministry 3.8 Leadership 7.7 Evangelism 7.1 Discipleship 8.5 Scripture Engagement 7.8 Ministry Growth: Nearly half of Small churches reported growth in their children s and youth ministries in the previous two years, while about 10% saw a drop in participation. Reach: Small churches in our study reached an average of 54 children and youth with the Gospel in the past year. Two-Year Growth Trends in s and Ministries 41.8% 45.2% 31.9% 25.0% 17.6% 19.0% Age 5-11 Age % 7.1% 3.3% 3.6% 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 More represented in the suburban (40%) and urban (36%) than rural (23%) areas, almost twothirds of reporting Medium churches have pastors dedicated to ministry to both children and youth. Discipleship was the most valued ministry program type for this group of churches. Medium churches tend to fall between Small and Large churches in their estimate of the importance of individual ministry activities. But in Panama, these churches scored Sunday school and food and water programs as more important than did Large churches. Ministry Growth: Nearly three-quarters of Medium churches experienced growth in their children s programs, and more than 60% saw growth in their youth programs over the past two years. Medium Church Activities Holistic Ministry 4.3 Leadership 8.1 Evangelism 7.5 Discipleship 8.6 Scripture Engagement 8.2 Reach: Medium churches in our study reached an average of 95 children and youth with the Gospel in the past year. Two-Year Growth Trends in s and Ministries 44.9% 33.3% 26.8% 28.5% 24.4% 31.7% Age 5-11 Age % 5.7% 0.0% 0.8% Increased by more than 10% Increased by 10% or less Stayed about the same Decreased by 10% or less Decreased by more than 10%

9 Connection Points 7 Large Churches: 101+ people regularly attending More than half of Large churches were found in urban areas. Nearly three-quarters of these churches have one or more pastors ministering to both children and youth. Large churches generally placed greater value on the evaluated ministry programs than their Medium and Small counterparts did. Discipleship related activities were considered the most important, closely followed by Leadership and Scripture Engagement program types. Of all the activities evaluated, Large churches placed the greatest value on church camps, music ministry, youth groups, catechism and spiritual formation, and discipleship of young people. Eight of the 337 participating churches in Panama can be categorized as megachurches, with regular attendance of more than 500. Six of these are Pentecostal. Ministry Growth: Nearly three-fifths of Large churches experienced significant growth in their children s and youth ministries over the past two years. Very few reported negative growth. Reach: Large churches in our study reached an average of 198 children and youth with the Gospel in the past year. Large Church Activities Holistic Ministry 5.1 Leadership 8.9 Evangelism 8.2 Two-Year Growth Trends in s and Ministries 60.7% 57.8% Discipleship 9.0 Scripture Engagement 8.7 Age 5-11 Age % 15.7% 16.1% 21.6% 3.6% 3.9% 0.0% 1.0% 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: Half of the surveyed parachurch organizations are headquartered in urban areas and a third were found in suburban locales. Of the 24 parachurch organizations surveyed, 22 work directly with children and youth. The other two concentrate on resourcing and supporting other ministries and churches. Benevolence is the primary ministry focus of almost half (11) of these organizations. Ten concentrate on evangelism and three emphasize discipleship. Ministry Growth: While not nationally representative, analysis of the parachurch organizations growth still provides some insight. In particular, these non-church ministries reported either high rates of growth or no change at all, with about half reporting significant growth. Reach by Region: When asked to indicate the locations where they presented the Gospel to children and youth, parachurch organizations indicated the greatest concentration of their efforts occurred in Panama Province, with West Panama a distant second. Footprint: % Responding Direct Ministry: 91.7% Resources/Support: 8.3% Two-Year Growth Trends in s and Ministries 52.6% Parachurch Organization Activities Holistic Ministry 5.4 Leadership 6.7 Evangelism 5.1 Discipleship 6.9 Scripture Engagement % 45.0% 36.8% Age 5-11 Age % 10.5% 0.0% 0.0% 5.0% 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 Healthy, striving ministries actively seek to engage the younger generation through a variety of fun, creative activities, programs and services. The goal: to introduce Christ, raise disciples and mentor future leaders. To explore how ministries in Panama have implemented an array of activities to accomplish this goal, our survey captured data on 26 different activities for all organization types plus an additional 16 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 Panama we found that: The importance and frequency of Leadership related activities increased with church size. Holistic Ministry rated lower than any other ministry type across all organizations. Ministry Types by Organization Type Small Churches Activities Evangelism 7.1 Large Large Churches Activities Evangelism 8.2 Holistic Ministry 3.8 Discipleship 8.5 Holistic Ministry 5.1 Discipleship 9.0 Leadership 7.7 Scripture Engagement 7.8 Leadership 8.9 Scripture Engagement 8.7 Medium Churches Activities Evangelism 7.5 Parachurch Organizations Organization Activities Evangelism 5.1 Holistic Ministry 4.3 Discipleship 8.6 Holistic Ministry 5.4 Discipleship 6.9 Leadership 8.1 Scripture Engagement 8.2 All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale. Leadership 6.7 Scripture Engagement 5.8 Note: Parachurch surveys differed slightly from those filled out by churches. Results for parachurch organizations cannot be directly compared to those of churches.

12 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 10 Programs and Activities The early years of a person s life are vital to establishing values and life direction. That is why ministries offer a variety of programs to capture the attention of children and deliver God s truth. Through different activities, ministries provide programs that are Bible-based, Christ-centered and relationship-focused. In Panama, churches and non-church ministries employ a broad spectrum of programs. Among the surveyed organizations, church camps or retreats, youth group and Sunday school were the most common programs targeted to young people while programs at Christian schools and other educational programs were the least common. Church Camps or Retreats Group* Sunday School* Catechism or Other Spiritual Formation Discipleship of Young People Person-to-Person Evangelization Scripture/Literature Distribution Evangelism Bible Clubs or Bible Study Music Ministry Leadership Training / Development Church Planting / Mission Development Sports / Recreation Ministry Large Evangelistic / Outreach Events Food or Water Programs s Church* Drama Ministry Environmental Protection Personal Mentoring Outreach Programs in Schools Assistance to Young, Single Mothers Life Skills or Job Skills Training Victims of Domestic Abuse (/) Media or Technology Ministry Orphan or At-risk and Care Mental Health, Addiction, or Trauma Recovery Rescue / Rehabilitation of Delinquent / Ministry to in Jail or Prison* Literacy Programs Gang Prevention Christian Schools (Primary / Secondary)* Other Educational Programs** Literacy Programs 96.9% 96.3% 96.1% 94.4% 93.1% 93.0% 91.2% 90.9% 89.8% 88.9% 84.6% 84.5% 82.1% 81.6% 81.1% 80.8% 73.7% 71.1% 66.9% 66.7% 65.9% 65.7% 62.8% 60.5% 55.6% 50.4% 49.0% 47.7% 45.3% 43.0% 42.1% * These programs were not present in the parachurch survey. ** This program was not present in the church survey.

13 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 11 Evangelism Nothing compares, or even comes close, to seeing the power of Jesus restore a child s broken life to what God had originally intended. After all, God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (John 3:17). Jesus urges His followers to take part in his mission to heal the lives and relationships of the lost. To evaluate evangelism efforts in Panama 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/outreach events Importance of Evangelism Activities by Organization Type Small Churches: Importance Person-to- Person 6.8 Medium Churches: Importance Person-to- Person 6.8 Scripture Distribution Large Events Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution Scripture Distribution Large Events Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution Large Events 6.0 Large Events 6.6 Large Churches: Importance Parachurch Organizations: Importance Person-to- Person 7.9 Person-to- Person 7.0 Scripture Distribution Large Events Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution Scripture Distribution Large Events Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution Large Events 7.6 Large Events 3.6

14 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 12 To further understand the commitment of Panamanian churches to prepare the next generation to introduce Christ to others, they were asked how often they: Teach children and youth to share their faith with non-believers. Frequency of Evangelism Activities by Organization Type C Small Churches: Frequency Teaching to Share Faith 8.7 C Medium Churches: Frequency Teaching to Share Faith 8.4 Y Teaching to Share Faith 8.8 Y Teaching to Share Faith 8.9 C Y Large Churches: Frequency Teaching to Share Faith Teaching to Share Faith All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale. Observations: Churches dedicate significant time to teaching both children and youth to share their faith with others. Large churches focus on Evangelism efforts more than Small and Medium churches.

15 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 13 Discipleship The preacher in Ecclesiastes promotes the benefits that come with working together. Two are better than one, he writes, because they have a good reward for their toil (Eccl. 4:9). This is especially true for believers who live out their faith in Christ in discipleship relationships, seeking accountability, reproof, instruction, support and encouragement. To measure the scope of the discipleship efforts in Panama, the following activities were considered. With churches and parachurch organizations, these activities were evaluated on importance: Sunday school 3 Bible clubs or Bible studies Catechism or other spiritual formation Discipleship of young people Importance of Discipleship Activities by Organization Type Small Churches: Importance Medium Churches: Importance Sunday School 9.2 Sunday School 9.4 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation Sunday School 8.9 Sunday School 9.2 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation Discipleship of Young People 6.8 Discipleship of Young People 8.2 Large Churches: Importance Parachurch Organizations: Importance Sunday School 9.2 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation Sunday School 9.1 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation Discipleship of Young People 8.9 Discipleship of Young People 5.5 All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale. 3 Parachurch organizations were not asked this question

16 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 14 Additionally, churches were evaluated based on how often they invested in endeavors that mature a young person s walk of faith. These activities included: 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 Frequency of Discipleship Activities by Organization Type Small Churches: Frequency Life Decisions 8.9 Medium Churches: Frequency Life Decisions 8.9 Habit of Prayer 9.4 Habit of Prayer 9.1 Biblical Child-Rearing 9.1 Biblical Child-Rearing 8.7 Life Decisions 9.1 Life Decisions 9.2 Habit of Prayer 9.4 Habit of Prayer 9.3 Biblical Child-Rearing 9.2 Biblical Child-Rearing 8.6 Large Churches: Frequency Life Decisions Habit of Prayer Biblical Child-Rearing Life Decisions Habit of Prayer Biblical Child-Rearing All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale. Observations: For churches in Panama, Sunday school is the most valued Discipleship activity. In Large and Medium churches, Discipleship of youth is considered almost as important as Sunday school. Most discipleship-related programs and activities are a high priority for Panamanian churches, regardless of size.

17 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 15 Scripture Engagement Scripture is absolutely essential to the growth and maturity of God s children. Being in the Word on a daily basis is a reflection of our spiritual walk and an indicator of a thriving faith. Ministries that help children and youth engage in God s Word help them know God intimately. And there is no greater way to commune with the Lord. In evaluating Scripture Engagement in Panama, 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 by Organization Type Small Churches: Importance Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Medium Churches: Importance Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Large Churches: Importance Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Parachurch Organizations: Importance Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

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 youth to personally engage with Scripture Teaching children and youth to make life decisions based on God s Scriptural guidance Frequency of Scripture Engagement by Organization Type Small Churches: Frequency Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Medium Churches: Frequency Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Large Churches: Frequency Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale. Observations: The importance and frequency of Scripture Engagement activities are similar for children and youth across all organization types and generally increase with church size. The importance and frequency of Scripture Engagement activities among Small churches increases across population densities.

19 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 17 Leadership Church and parachurch ministries that implement youth leadership development in their programs see the potential in the lives of the younger generation. Ministries are tasked to look beyond difficult social and economic situations knowing that, for God s children,...all things work together for those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28). Loving and raising Christian leaders this way breeds hope, encouragement and stability for the future of the Church. We evaluated the Panamanian 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 to 19) Importance of Leadership Activities by Organization Type Small Churches: Importance Leadership Training Medium Churches: Importance 6.6 Leadership Training 7.6 Large Churches: Importance Leadership Training Parachurch Organizations: Importance 8.3 Leadership Training 6.7 All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale. Additionally, churches were evaluated on how often they invested in activities focused on some foundational elements of leadership. For this, they provided details about: Teach youth to disciple others Teach youth to serve in the local church body Provide opportunities for youth to take leadership roles The number of youth serving in leadership roles Frequency of Leadership Activities by Organization Type Small Churches: Frequency Teaching to Disciple Others 7.7 Medium Churches: Frequency Teaching to Disciple Others 7.6 Teaching to Serve the Church 9.2 Teaching to Serve the Church 8.9 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 8.3 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 8.4 with Leadership Roles 6.8 with Leadership Roles 7.9 Large Churches: Frequency Teaching to Disciple Others Teaching to Serve the Church Opportunities for Leadership Roles with Leadership Roles All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

20 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 18 Already represented in the scores above, this chart shows the actual rates of youth serving in leadership roles in Panama. in Church Leadership Roles Small Churches Medium Churches None 5.5% None 1.7% 1-10% 51.6% 1-10% 38.0% 11-25% 23.1% 11-25% 33.9% 26-50% 13.2% 26-50% 21.5% Over 50% 6.6% Over 50% 5.0% Large Churches None 1-10% 11-25% 26-50% Over 50% 2.7% 19.6% 32.1% 38.4% 7.1% Observations: Churches in Panama, regardless of size, are working hard to train up the next generation. All place a strong emphasis on training youth to serve the church. The percentage of youth in leadership roles increases with church size.

21 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 19 Holistic Ministry The Gospel brings transformation in all areas of human need: emotional, physical, spiritual, intellectual and social. Scripture is abundantly clear about why Christ s ministry should touch all areas of life. Isaiah 61:1 2 says, He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. Christ s mission was to bring the Good News to the poor, to comfort the desperate, to free the prisoners and to bring reconciliation and restoration to the guilty (Luke 4). Just as Jesus ministered to the needs of the whole person, church and parachurch organizations desire to address the needs of the younger generation in every area of life. To evaluate holistic outreach efforts by churches and parachurch organizations in Panama, we considered seven activities. Panama s churches and parachurch organizations were asked about the importance they attributed to these six outreach activities: Literacy programs Orphan care Life skills training Food and water programs Environmental protection Victims of domestic abuse (children and youth) Importance of Holistic Ministry by Organization Type Small Churches: Importance Literacy Programs 2.1 Medium Churches: Importance Literacy 2.3 Programs Orphan Care 2.7 Orphan Care 3.7 Life Skills Training 3.7 Life Skills Training 3.3 Food & Water Programs 4.7 Food & Water with Leadership ProgramsRoles 5.8 Environmental Protection 3.3 Environmental Protection 4.2 Domestic Abuse 2.7 Domestic with Leadership Abuse Roles 3.7 Large Churches: Importance Literacy Programs 2.9 Parachurch Organizations: Importance Literacy 3.5 Programs Orphan Care 4.3 Orphan Care 6.5 Life Skills Training 5.5 Life Skills Training 6.3 Food & Water Programs 6.3 Food & Water with Leadership ProgramsRoles 4.8 Environmental Protection 4.9 Environmental Protection 6.3 Domestic Abuse 4.5 Domestic with Leadership Abuse Roles 5.0 All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.

22 How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 20 To further evaluate the breadth of holistic ministry in Panama, churches were asked to share how often they provide activities designed to train children and youth to serve in the local community outside the church. Frequency of Holistic Ministry Activities by Organization Type Small Churches: Frequency Teaching Social Outreach 7.4 Medium Churches: Frequency Teaching Social Outreach 6.8 Large Churches: Frequency Teaching Social Outreach 7.2 Holistic Ministry by Population Density Small Churches: Frequency Medium Churches: Frequency Rural 2.8 Rural 4.7 Suburban 3.9 Suburban 4.0 Urban 4.3 Urban 4.3 Large Churches: Frequency Parachurch Organizations: Frequency Rural 4.2 Rural 4.5 Suburban 4.3 Suburban 4.8 Urban 5.6 Urban 5.9 All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale. Observations: Food and water programs were the most important Holistic Ministry activity to churches. Generally, organizations in urban areas were more focused on Holistic Ministry than those located elsewhere. Churches, regardless of size, devoted time to teaching children and youth to serve in the community.

23 Ministries that Click-to-Connect 21 With almost 6 million mobile connections 4 and a mobile penetration rate of 143% 5 meaning many people have more than one mobile device Panama is considered a Fast Grower market when it comes to wireless and mobile phone services. Online connectivity, though, is not nearly as impressive. Less than 49% of Panamanians have access to the the Internet 6. With this, it s not surprising to find that the use of technology among children and youth in Panama is growing. Reaching young people where they are and in a relevant way means high-tech connections are a mandatory part of any ministry model. The survey found that church use of technology and youth access to technology in Panama tend to trend together across population densities. 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 as church size and population density increased, the value placed on technology as a means of communication increased as well. No such change was seen across location types. Value of Technology by Organization and by Population Density Urban 8.0 Small Churches Suburban Medium Churches Rural Large Churches Parachurch Organizations = low value of technology 10 = high value of technology Internet Live Stats

24 Ministries that Click-to-Connect 22 Access to Technology in Panama have relatively equal access to cell phones, smartphones and the Internet. In Large church ministry areas, however, youth had greater access to smartphones and the Internet. Across population densities, youth access to communications technology generally increased. Access by Organization Type and Population Density Smartphone Urban 8.5 Cell Phone Urban 7.3 Small Churches 6.8 Suburban 7.8 Small Churches 7.1 Suburban 7.4 Medium Churches 7.3 Rural 5.6 Medium Churches 7.5 Rural 6.5 Large Churches 8.8 Parachurch Organizations 6.1 Large Churches 7.4 Parachurch Organizations 4.1 Internet Access Urban 9.0 Small Churches 7.4 Suburban 8.1 Geographic Location Organization Size 0 = low access to technology 10 = high access to technology Medium Churches 7.6 Rural 5.7 Large Churches 9.1 Parachurch Organizations 6.7

25 Ministries that Click-to-Connect 23 Use of Technology Social media are the most used technologies for communicating with youth, followed closely by texting. Across organization types and population densities websites are the least used communications channel. Tech use of all types increases with church size and with population density. Technology Used to Reach by Organization and Population Website Urban 5.8 Urban 7.0 Small Churches 3.4 Suburban 3.9 Small Churches 4.1 Suburban 5.4 Medium Churches 3.9 Rural 2.6 Medium Churches 5.2 Rural 3.3 Large Churches 6.3 Parachurch Organizations 3.1 Large Churches 7.4 Parachurch Organizations 6.4 Texting Urban 7.7 Social Media Urban 8.5 Small Churches 6.0 Suburban 7.2 Small Churches 6.0 Suburban 7.8 Medium Churches 7.1 Rural 5.5 Medium Churches 7.7 Rural 5.8 Large Churches 8.1 Parachurch Organizations 7.0 Large Churches 9.1 Parachurch Organizations 8.2 Geographic Location Organization Size 0 = low use of technology 10 = high use of technology

26 L57 L87 L44 L84 L54 L55 L89 L45 L97 L56 L60 L56 L57 L71 L66 Connecting the Dots, Illuminating the Needs 24 To gain greater insight into the realities of churches in Panama, we asked them to describe their greatest needs for and the greatest obstacles against ministry to children and youth. Churches indicated finances and training for volunteers and staff were their greatest needs. Lack of resources and lack of cooperation by parents were the top obstacles. Church Needs for Ministry to & % 45LFinances % More educational support % 41.5% Training for volunteers and/ or staff Materials or curricula with better content % 39.8% More volunteers Advocacy and vision for children s and youth ministry % 28.8% Better knowledge of children and youth ministry practices More and better facilities 13+ More materials or curricula in our language 12.5% 11+ Better ventilation 10.7% Church Obstacles to Ministry to & % Lack of resources 54.9% Lack cooperation of parents by 44.2% Lack youth of workers training of 34.4% attitudes towards children and youth +58LCultural 16+ Lack of support of pastors and church leaders 15.7% % Political or legal obstcles

27 Gospel Reach in Panama 25 Sharing the Gospel with the younger generation is a powerful way to love them. and youth find hope and comfort as well as inspiration to love others from God s free gift His sacrificial love. This Gospel message needs to be passed along so others can know God s love, too. How effective is the Church in Panama at sharing this message? It s an important question. To measure Gospel Reach, churches and parachurch organizations were asked about three specific categories of interaction: 1. Engagement any interaction with the organization 2. Reach any 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 Panama are each reaching 120 children and youth per year with the Gospel; 44 of these are first-time interactions between the child or youth and the reporting church. Engagement: Reporting churches interact with an average of 171 children and youth annually. Reach: Of these, 120 are engaged with the Gospel. New Reach: 44 of these are first-time Gospel presentations to the child or youth by the church. (5-11) (12-19)

28 Average Gospel Reach Gospel Reach in Panama 26 New Gospel Reach Observations: Reach and New Reach both increase with church size and generally increase with population density. Across church sizes and population densities churches are reaching more children than youth.

29 Appendix Church Ministry Participation by Age are participating in ministry activities in Panama at higher rates than youth, but that age gap decreases as church size increases % 42.1% 27.2% 27.0% 31.0% 21.7% 34.2% 37.7% 28.1% 29.2% 37.5% 33.3% 10 0 Small Churches (1-50) Medium Churches (51-100) Large Churches (101+) Parachurch Organizations (5 11) (12 19) and Equally

30 Appendix 28 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 Panama. Here, churches were asked to name the most effective organizations, both national and local, that minister to children and youth within their own communities. The surveyed churches identified 147 unique organizations, naming these 26 organizations at least five times. All but two of these were described 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 % of Naming Who also Partner Both Conquerors/Adventurers Club 73 81% Both Boy Scout Clubs 35 83% Both King s Castle 21 14% Both Adventist Church, Other % Both Jesus The Way, Truth & The Life Ministry 15 53% Both Oansa/Awana Clubs 14 57% Both Good Samaritan Program 13 69% Both Foursquare Church, s & 12 75% Programs Both Samaritan s Purse 9 89% National Teen Challenge 9 22% Both Child Evangelism Fellowship 8 100% Both Beaver Club 7 100% Both Word Of Life 7 57% Both Christian Camping International-Latin 6 83% America Both Provincial s & Ministry, 6 83% Camps Both Mides (Government Ministry of Social 6 67% Development) Both Government Ministry of Education 6 50% Both Police 6 50% Both Hosana Ministry 6 33% Both Community of Christian Students 5 100% (Inter-Varsity) Both Assemblies of God - Church, Other 5 80% Both Leader Club 5 80% Both Community Board 5 60% Both Red Cross 5 60%

31 Appendix 29 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 Panama. These 20 publishers were identified most frequently by the surveyed churches Patmos Publishers Adventist Church, Publishing House Senda de Vida (Path of Life) Publishers CLC International United Bible Society, Bible Society International Mission of Puerto Rico New Life Assemblies of God Baptist Church, Bookstore, Convention, Publishing House Child Evangelism Fellowship Foursquare Church Samaritan s Purse Church of God Hispanic World Publishers VIDA Publishers, Bookstore Way of Life Publishers CLIE Publishers Sigueme Publishers (Spain) Lifeway Seminario por Extension A Las Naciones (SEAN) The surveyed churches also identified these 11 specific curricula, texts and programs as being valuable. The Bible (including children s Bibles) Bible studies, clubs, stories, etc. Vacation Bible School Boy Scout Clubs Conquerors Clubs The Great Adventure The Sower, Sowers, Seeds, Little Seeds OANSA - AWANA Clubs Adventurers Clubs Links of Grace Good Samaritan books, magazine The Sunday/Pentecostal Lectionary

32 Appendix 30 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. Acknowledgments 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. Nina Pérez de Bruneau (National Project Coordinator) with logistical support from Christian Camping International (CCI Campamentos Cristianos Internacionales); interviewers Angélica de Nuñez, Gricel Quintero, Nerayda Jiménez and Texsi de Chacón. Contact For more information regarding this report, contact Tyler Prieb: tylerprieb@onehope.net

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