THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF FAITH & THE ROLE COMMUNICATORS PLAY JOHN ROBERTO (LifelongFaith Associates jroberto@lifelongfaith.com) ADAPTIVE CHALLENGES Living in a Connected, Networked World Mobile Technologies - Personal - Participatory - Portable Loss of Integrated Culture of Faith Formation & Intergenerational Connection Greater Diversity in our People 21st Century Church & Faith Formation Lifelong Learning Models Designed for Christian Formation in the 21 st Century 1
6 SOCIETAL TRENDS (HAYIM HERRING) We have moved... ² from the age of organiza ons toward the age of networks ² from creden aled professionals toward avoca onal experts ² from hierarchical control toward individual autonomy ² from exclusivity toward inclusivity ² from monopoliza on of knowledge toward democra za on of knowledge ² from assuming a fee- for- service economy toward expec ng a free- for- service economy (at least at a basic level) Each of these trends has affected almost every for- profit and nonprofit organiza on. And as these six individual trends have interacted with one another, they have generated profound, exponen al change, shaking the very founda ons of organiza ons. KEY STUDIES www.pewresearch.org www.faithcommunitiestoday.org 2
WE ARE MORE DIVERSE DEMOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY 3
DEMOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY GENERATIONAL DIVERSITY igeneration (2000 - ) Millennials (1980-99) Generation X (1961-79) Baby Boomers (1946-60) Builders (pre 1946) 4
GENERATIONAL CHANGE If only the youngest cohort in society changes (and then persists in that new direc on throughout their own life cycle), society as whole changes inexorably but almost impercep bly, like a massive supertanker changing course. GENERATIONAL CHANGE Ø If the differences between one genera on and the next are small, then genera onally based social change will be real (and significant) but very slow. If for some reason a younger genera on deviates substan ally from its predecessors, then the aggregate social change may be quick significant over a few decades. Ø Significant Genera onal Change began in the early 1990s among the younger genera ons and is influencing society and the older genera ons. 5
FAMILY DIVERSITY The 1950s Family The 2010s Family FAMILY DIVERSITY A Family Not a Family Married Coupled with Children 99 1 Married Couple without Children 88 10 Single Parent with Children 86 12 Unmarried Couple with Children 80 18 Same- Sex Couple with Children 63 34 Same- Sex Couple without Children 45 52 Unmarried Coupled without Children 43 54 Pew Research, 2011 6
RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY 20% of Americans claim no religious affilia on 32% of 18-29 year olds 7
CHANGING RELIGIOSITY According to Pew Research, Americans do not generally become more affiliated as they move through the life cycle from young adulthood through marriage, paren ng, middle age and re rement. 8
CHANGING RELIGIOSITY With few excep ons the unaffiliated say they are not looking for a religion that would be right for them. Overwhelmingly, they think that religious organiza ons are too concerned with money and power, too focused on rules and too involved in poli cs. CHANGING RELIGIOSITY The number of religiously unaffiliated is growing.... Ø because of Americans who rarely go to services are more willing than in the past to drop their religious a achments altogether. Ø because of genera onal replacement, the gradual supplan ng of older genera ons by newer ones. 9
WEEKLY WORSHIP STRONG RELIGIOUS IDENTITY 10
CHANGING PARTICIPATION PATTERNS Fewer Confirmations Fewer Marriages & Later in Life Fewer First Communions Fewer Baptisms Lower Sunday Worship Fewer Young Families RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY Not Religiously Affiliated Spiritual but Not Religious Minimal Engagement with Faith and Community Vibrant Faith & Active Engagement 11
FOUR SCENARIOS FOR FAITH FORMATION & CHURCH LIFE Scenario 4 Uncommitted & Participating Scenario 1 Vibrant Faith & Active Engagement Scenario 3 Unaffiliated & Uninterested Scenario 2 Spiritual but Not Religious SCENARIO #1 ² People are ac vely engaged in a Chris an church, are spiritually commi ed, and growing in their faith. ² People have found their spiritual home within an established Chris an tradi on and a local faith community that provides ways for all ages and genera ons to grow in faith, worship God, and live their faith in the world. 12
SCENARIO #2 ² People are spiritually hungry and searching for God and the spiritual life, but most likely are not affiliated with organized religion and an established Chris an tradi on. ² Some may join a nondenomina onal Chris an church focused on their spiritual needs, while others may find an outlet for their spiritual hunger in small communi es of like- minded spiritual seekers, in local or global acts of service, or in online spiritual resources and communi es. SCENARIO #3 ² A world in which people experience li le need for God and the spiritual life and are not affiliated with organized religion and established Chris an churches. 13
SCENARIO #4 ² People a end church ac vi es occasionally, but are not ac vely engaged or spiritually commi ed. ² They may par cipate in significant seasonal celebra ons and celebrate sacraments and milestones (marriage, bap sm). Some may even send their children to religious educa on classes. ² Spiritual commitment is low and the connec on to the church is more social and u litarian than spiritual. ² While recep ve to an established church, their occasional engagement in church life does not lead them toward spiritual commitment, and their spiritual commitment does not lead them to engagement. 4-SCENARIO THINKING Scenario #4 Scenario #1 Scenario #3 Scenario #2 14
NEW MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES 15
MOBILE REVOLUTION ² Mobile devices have fundamentally changed the rela onship between informa on, me, & space. ² Informa on is now PORTABLE, PARTICIPATORY, & PERSONAL Over 90% of U.S. adults use the internet, ¾ on any given day 72% use social networking sites Over 90% have a cell phone; over 50% have smartphones Over 25% have a tablet computer 2/3 are wireless internet users CONNECTED & NETWORKED WORLD The Triple Revolu on 1. Social Network Revolu on 2. Internet Revolu on 3. Mobile Revolu on It is a network of both rela onships and informa on & knowledge. 16
CONNECTED & NETWORKED EMBEDDED CONNECTED & NETWORKED EMBEDDED SOCIAL NETWORKS 17
CONNECTED & NETWORKED The Social Network, Internet, and Mobile Revolu ons are coming together to shi people s social lives away from densely knit family, neighborhood, and group rela onships toward more far- flung, less ght, more diverse personal networks. NETWORKED INDIVIDUALISM Networked Individualism The three revolu ons have made possible the new social opera ng system Networked Individualism. The hallmark of networked individualism is that people func on more as connected individuals and less as embedded group members. 18
NETWORKED INDIVIDUALISM This stands in contrast to the longstanding social arrangements formed around large hierarchical bureaucracies and small, densely knit groups such as households, communi es, and workgroups. It is an opera ng system because it describes the ways in which people connect, communicate, and exchange informa on. GROUPS TO NETWORKS Group- Centered Society 1. Contact within and between groups 2. Group contact 3. Neighborhood community 4. Local es 5. Bowling leagues 6. Homogeneous es 7. Somewhat involuntary kin and neighborhood es Networked Individualism 1. Contact between individuals 2. One- to- one contact 3. Mul ple communi es 4. Local and distant es 5. Shi ing networks of friends who bowl 6. Diversified es 7. Voluntary friendship es 19
GROUPS TO NETWORKS Group- Centered Society 8. Strong social control 9. Broad spectrum of social capital within group 10. Tight boundaries with other groups 11. Organized recrea on groups 12. Public spaces 13. Bulle n boards 14. Focused work unit Networked Individualism 8. Weak social control / shi to another network 9. Diversified search for specialized social capital 10. Permeable boundaries with other networks 11. Shi ing networks of recrea onal friends 12. Private spaces and online 13. Facebook, Twi ers 14. Networked organized NETWORKED INDIVIDUALS Family & Friends Shared Experiences Educa on Individual Interests Life Stage Sports & Ac vi es Work 20
LOSS OF INTEGRATED CULTURE Yesterday: Culture Church School (Religious) Home Ethnic Culture CONGREGATIONAL CULTURE & FAITH It is the culture of the whole church that is most influen al in nurturing people of vital Chris an faith. Family & Household Faith Congregational Life & Ministries Congregational Leadership Age Group Ministry 21
PARENTS & FAITH Parental Modeling & Teaching Prayer Parental Faith Faith Scripture Reading FAMILIES & FAITH Learning & Applying Faith to Daily Life Praying Serving Others Caring Conversation Celebrating Rituals Reading the Bible 22
INTERGENERATIONALITY & FAITH ² Welcoming and valuing young people s par cipa on in the life of the church ² Worshipping with all of the genera ons ² Serving and building rela onships ² Having significant rela onships with adults in the church and having the community show interest in them INTERGENERATIONALITY & FAITH Churches and families wan ng to ins ll deep faith in youth should help them build a web of rela onships with commi ed and caring adults. Becoming a 5:1 Church 5 Adults to 1 Young Person in Worship, Teaching, Mentoring, Rituals, and all of Community Life 23
COMMUNICATION & THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE What does 21 st century communica on look like through the lens of.... 1. Demographic and ethnic diversity 2. Genera onal diversity 3. Religious diversity 4. Networked individualism 5. Changing culture of faith: congrega on & home 24