UKRAINE
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 20 Ministries that Click-to-Connect 21 Value, Access and Use of Technology 21 Connecting the Dots, Illuminating the Needs 24 Gospel Reach 25 Appendix 26 About, Acknowledgements and Contact 29
A Letter to Church and Parachurch Ministry Leaders 1 Since its beginning in 1987, OneHope s focus has been on transforming the lives of children and youth around the world through engagement with God s Word. As an outcome-based ministry, we start by identifying the desired result, and then build a program to achieve that purpose. Research has proven to be key to our efforts as we identify the heartfelt needs of children and youth around the world. This research initiative is designed to gather data on how churches and Christian organizations, in more than 40 countries, are reaching the children and youth of their nation with the Gospel message. Once the data is gathered and analyzed, the goal is to share actionable insights with the Church, and other Christian ministries around the world, equipping them to make an even bigger impact for Christ. The enclosed report, conducted in partnership with Scripture Union-Ukraine, shares such insights and reveals the state of ministry to Ukraine s children and youth. More importantly, it sheds light on both successes and gaps opportunities to reach even more young people. We invite you to dig in and uncover a wealth of information that can help to make your ministry even more effective. Prayerfully, we hope the findings here offer fresh inspiration to you and your team and that they can help you usher in a season of divine change for the young people in your sphere of influence. We are excited about the doors this can open for your ministry, the Church and the furtherance of the Gospel! Paul Walker Regional Director, Europe, Australia & New Zealand OneHope
Are We Connecting with the Next Generation? 2 During the last 2000 years, the Gospel has been passed down from one generation to the next. It s a responsibility Paul recognized when he wrote, I am convinced that He is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. To preserve this legacy and continue to share God s message, it s essential to reach the younger generation. UKRAINE... we surveyed 372 organizations, documenting how they connect with young people... With that in mind, we wanted to know how effectively the Church is connecting with children and youth. To find out, we launched a global research initiative which explored the work of churches, ministries and parachurch organizations in 40 nations. In Ukraine, we surveyed 372 organizations, documenting how they connect with young people in their efforts to share Christ. The findings identify outreach gaps, potential ministry opportunities and evangelistic trends that may help Ukraine s churches and parachurch organizations better reach their audiences with the Gospel message.
What We Learned Are We Connecting with the Next Generation 3 We know children and youth are instrumental in growing the Church. The Bible repeatedly illustrates how God used them in mighty ways and in vital roles to affect great change: Joseph was a teenager when God used him to help protect the Hebrew nation, Miriam was preteen when she saved her brother Moses from the waters of the Nile, and the noblest king to reign in Judah was only 8 years old when he took the throne. Today s young people are equally important. This survey solicited feedback from many ministry teams who shared their experiences and observations about reaching Ukraine s next generation. 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 Ukraine. To measure this Gospel Reach, we looked at interactions where churches presented the Gospel directly to children and youth. Key Findings On average, the Ukrainian churches in the survey each reached 294 children and youth with the Gospel in the previous year. Of these, 62 were first-time interactions between the child or youth and the reporting church. Medium and Large churches see greater attendance by youth (versus children) and all church sizes see more girls than boys participating in their ministry activities. Gospel reach to children and youth generally increases with church size. Among ministry categories explored, churches in Ukraine place the strongest emphasis on Discipleship, followed closely by Scripture Engagement. While few Ukrainian churches experienced a decline in their ministries to children and youth over the past two years, the majority reported static participation rates.
Connection Points 4 God created us for communion with Him and for relationship with others. Churches and parachurch organizations can bring these connections to life for children, preteens and teenagers as they learn to connect with God while making friends in a safe environment. Hebrews highlights how this kind of inviting, close-knit environment can help,...motivate one another to acts of love and good works and to...encourage one another This combination of social and spiritual interaction is attractive to young people who crave more than just spiritual nurturing. Ukraine is home to more than 6.7 million children and youth. These younger citizens represent only 15% of the nation s total population of more than 44 million. 1 Although separated into various denominations, Ukraine s population is overwhelmingly Christian. Surveyed Churches Oblast/City Sample % KHERSON 5.5% CHERKASY 7.4% ROVNO 7.4% ODESSA 12.4% DNEPROPETROVSK 13.8% LVOV 15.7% DONETSK 18.7% KIEV 19.0% The vast majority up to two-thirds identify as Orthodox, but many do not specify a particular branch. Of the country s 6,746 2 Protestant, Anglican and independent churches, 363 participated in our survey. For the purposes of reference and categorization, each responding church was grouped by attendance as Small (with 1-50 people regularly attending), Medium (with 51-200 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 nine parachurch organizations. Small Churches Attendance: 1 50 Surveys: 123 Medium Churches Attendance: 51 200 Surveys: 157 Large Churches Attendance: 201+ Surveys: 83 Parachurch Organizations Attendance: n/a Surveys: 9 9.8% s Pastor 56.1% Rural 17.1% None of the Above Staff 38.2% Urban Location 73.2% s & Pastor 0.0% Pastor 5.7% Suburban 3.2% Pastor 5.1% s Pastor 3.8% Suburban 12.2% Rural Staff Location 89.8% s & Pastor 1.9% None of the Above 84.0% Urban 2.4% Pastor 0.0% Rural 2.4% s Pastor 2.4% Suburban Staff Location 95.2% s & Pastor 0.0% None of the Above 97.6% Urban 0.0% Rural Staff 100.0% Urban Location n/a 0.0% Suburban 1 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/up.html 2 Operation World DVD-ROM, 7th Edition, 2010
Small Churches: 1-50 people regularly attending Connection Points 5 Found least often in suburban areas, the Small Evangelism churches in our study were primarily found Small Church 4.8 in rural and urban areas. The vast majority of Programs Ukraine s Small churches, nearly 75%, had staff dedicated to children s and youth ministry while 10% had a pastor for children only. Holistic Ministry 3.6 When considering ministry activities, Small churches rated Sunday school, person-to-person evangelism and church camps or retreats as the most important. Among broader ministry types, these churches placed the greatest emphasis on Discipleship and Scripture Engagement. Leadership 4.9 5.7 Ministry Growth: More than half of Small churches in our study reported no growth in their children s or youth ministries in the previous two years. More than a quarter experienced some growth, while 15% saw a decline in participation. Discipleship 6.2 Scripture Engagement Reach: Small churches in our study reached an average of 38 children and 33 youth with the Gospel in the past year. Growth Trends in s and Ministries 55.3% 55.3% 23.6% 20.3% 6.5% 7.3% 11.4% 13.8% 3.3% 3.3% Increased by more than 10% Increased by 10% or less Stayed about the same Decreased by 10% or less Decreased by more than 10%
Medium Churches: 51-200 people regularly attending Connection Points 6 The vast majority of the surveyed Medium Evangelism churches were located in urban areas, rarely Medium Church 4.2 in suburban locales. A significant majority of Programs Medium churches, nearly 90%, had a pastor or pastors who ministered to children and youth. Less than 2% had no pastor for either group. Holistic Ministry 2.5 Sunday school, youth groups, and church camps or retreats were the most valued ministry activities among the surveyed Medium churches. Among broader ministry types, these churches placed the greatest emphasis on Discipleship and Scripture Engagement. Leadership 5.1 5.6 Ministry Growth: More than 70% of surveyed Medium churches saw no change in the participation rates of children or youth over the past two years, while a quarter of them reported some growth. Discipleship 6.1 Scripture Engagement Reach: Medium churches in our study reached an average of 108 children and 87 youth with the Gospel in the past year. Growth Trends in s and Ministries 70.1% 73.2% 23.6% 20.4% 3.2% 5.1% 2.5% 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% Increased by more than 10% Increased by 10% or less Stayed about the same Decreased by 10% or less Decreased by more than 10%
Large Churches: 201+ people regularly attending Connection Points 7 Like many other countries, more than 97% of the Evangelism surveyed Large churches were found in urban Large Church 4.5 areas with the remaining few located in the Programs suburbs. Almost all of these churches had one or more pastors dedicated to ministering to children and youth. Holistic Ministry 2.9 Of all activities evaluated, Large churches placed the greatest value on Sunday school, youth groups, and church camps or retreats. Among broader ministry types, these churches placed the greatest emphasis on Discipleship and Scripture Engagement. Leadership 5.7 6.1 Of the 83 large churches, 38 could be categorized as megachurches, with regular attendance of more than 500. Nearly 60% of these were in the Kiev region and about 40% would be characterized as Pentecostal or charismatic. Discipleship 6.7 Scripture Engagement Ministry Growth: Large churches experienced the greatest growth of all participating church sizes with about half reporting an increase in child and youth participation over the previous two years. More than 40% remained static and a very few reported negative growth. Reach: Large churches in our study reached an average of 449 children and 365 youth with the Gospel last year. Growth Trends in s and Ministries 31.3% 22.9% 26.5% 26.5% 42.2% 45.8% 0.0% 3.6% 0.0% 1.2% Increased by more than 10% Increased by 10% or less Stayed about the same Decreased by 10% or less Decreased by more than 10%
Parachurch Organizations Connection Points 8 All nine parachurch organizations that participated in the survey were headquartered in urban areas. Of these, three worked directly with children and youth. Two concentrated on resourcing and supporting other ministries and churches. And four were equally involved in both direct and resource ministry. The main ministry focus of most of these organizations was Evangelism (67%). The others emphasized Discipleship (33%), while none of them indicated benevolence as their main focus. When asked about specific ministry activities, Leadership these parachurch organizations placed the greatest 8.1 8.1 value on church camps or retreats, Bible clubs/ studies, person-to-person evangelism, orphan care, Scripture and Surveyed Parachurch Organizations literature distribution for evangelism, personal mentoring, outreach Footprint % Responding programs in schools, and catechism or other spiritual formation. Direct Ministry 33.3% Resources/Support 22.2% Both Equally 44.4% increase in participation over the past two years. Parachurch Organization Programs Holistic Ministry 4.2 Evangelism 7.1 Discipleship 7.5 Scripture Engagement Ministry Growth: Although the sample of parachurch ministries was not nationally representative, analysis of their responses still provided some insights. In particular, these non-church ministries reported strong growth, with more than 85% experiencing an Reach by Region: When asked to share the locations where they presented the Gospel to children and youth, parachurch organizations indicated that the greatest concentration of their efforts occurred in Zaporizhia region (17.3%) and Poltava region (14.5%), followed by Kiev city (6.7%). Growth Trends in s and Ministries 62.5% 66.7% 25.0% 22.2% 12.5% 11.1% 0.0% 0.0% 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%
How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 9 It takes vision, creativity and hard work to connect with young audiences, especially when the goal is to make ministry fun, meaningful and advance the Kingdom. To explore how ministries are connecting with kids in Ukraine, our survey captured data on 23 different activities for all organization types plus an additional 12 activities 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 Ukraine: Churches rated Discipleship-related programs higher than any other ministry types. While Holistic Ministry scored lower than any other ministry across the different organizations, in rural areas, it scored twice as high as it did in suburban and urban areas. Ministry Programs by Organization Type Small Church Programs Holistic Ministry 3.6 Evangelism 4.8 Medium Discipleship 6.2 Leadership Scripture Engagement 4.9 5.7 Church Programs Holistic Ministry 2.5 Evangelism 4.2 Discipleship 6.1 Leadership Scripture Engagement 5.1 5.6 Large Church Programs Holistic Ministry 2.9 Evangelism 4.5 Discipleship 6.7 Parachurch Organization Programs Holistic Ministry 4.2 Leadership 5.7 Scripture Engagement 6.1 Evangelism 7.1 Discipleship 7.5 Leadership 8.1 Scripture Engagement 8.1 Note: Parachurch surveys differed slightly from those filled out by churches. Results for parachurch organizations cannot be directly compared to those of churches.
Programs and Activities How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 10 Every child or teenager is distinct and will respond in different ways to a variety of ministry activities. For this reason, churches employ a broad spectrum of choices and are innovative in how they choose activities based on age and community needs. The different options are woven together, strategically, in effort to make a vibrant impact. We can see this in Ukraine, where churches and non-church ministries reported on their use of the following programs and activities: Sunday School 96.5% Camps or Retreats 95.1% Group Personal Evangelism Music Ministry Bible Club or Bible Study Spiritual Formation Personal Mentoring Evangelism by Distribution of Literature 90.5% 90.0% 87.6% 83.3% 82.7% 82.2% 80.8% Sports Ministry Leadership Training Drama/Theatrical Ministry Orphans and At-Risk Program of Achievement at School 72.2% 68.5% 68.1% 67.7% 66.2% Ministry through Media and Technology 61.5% Other Educational Programs Ministry of Rehabilitation and Recovery 50.4% 50.0% Large Evangelistic Company Ministry to Drug Addicts Ministry of Recovery from Injuries Life Skills Training Church Planting Assistance with Food and Water Literacy Programs 45.6% 45.0% 43.3% 42.9% 42.0% 40.8% 39.6% Prison Ministry 12.7% Note: Sunday school, youth group and ministry of recovery from injuries did not appear on the parachurch survey.
Evangelism How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 11 Intentional evangelism is essential to spreading Christianity and to strengthen the Church for the younger generation. In Paul s letter to Philemon he said, I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. The hearts of children are fertile ground. How blessed are they that come to know Christ at an early age! To evaluate Evangelism efforts in Ukraine 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 endeavors: Person-to-person evangelism Scripture/literature distribution for evangelism Large evangelistic events Importance of Evangelism Activities Small Churches: Importance Medium Churches: Importance Person-to- Person 4.7 Person-to- Person 3.4 Scripture Distribution Large Events Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution 3.1 4.6 4.9 6.7 Scripture Distribution Large Events Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution 1.9 3.2 4.5 6.2 Large Events 3.7 Large Events 3.0 Large Churches: Importance Parachurch Organizations: Importance Person-to- Person 3.8 Person-to- Person 6.2 Scripture Distribution Large Events Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution 1.3 2.7 5.2 7.4 Scripture Distribution Large Events Person-to- Person Scripture Distribution 4.6 7.9 8.3 9.6 Large Events 2.4 Large Events 5.8
How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 12 To further understand the commitment of Ukrainian 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 others Frequency of Evangelism Activities C Small Churches: Frequency Teach to Share Faith 5.7 C Medium Churches: Frequency Teach to Share Faith 5.4 Y Teach to Share Faith 5.3 Y Teach to Share Faith 5.7 C Y Large Churches: Frequency Teach to Share Faith Teach to Share Faith 6.4 6.6 Note: All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale. Observations: Among individual activities related to Evangelism, churches placed the greatest emphasis on personto-person evangelism for youth. Parachurch organizations considered Scripture/literature distribution to be the most important Evangelism activity, especially when directed to youth.
Discipleship How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 13 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Scripture perfectly confirms that what is modeled to young people early in life, and what they learn from it, influences what they ll believe for the rest of their lives. Discipleship living out our faith alongside other like-minded believers is critical to training up the next generation. It is especially critical if they are to move beyond simply learning about God and into a relationship with Him. To measure the scope of the Discipleship efforts being conducted in Ukraine, six activities were considered. With churches and parachurch organizations, these activities were evaluated based on importance: Sunday school 3 Bible clubs or Bible studies Foundations of faith or spiritual formation Importance of Discipleship Activities Small Churches: Importance Medium Churches: Importance Sunday School 7.8 Sunday School 8.9 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation 4.7 5.1 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation 3.2 5.0 Sunday School 4.4 Sunday School 4.8 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation Spiritual Formation 5.6 6.1 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation 5.7 6.2 Large Churches: Importance Parachurch Organizations: Importance Sunday School 9.6 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation 3.2 4.8 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation 6.3 6.3 Sunday School 4.4 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation 6.1 7.7 Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies Spiritual Formation 8.8 8.8 3 Parachurch organizations were not asked this question.
How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 14 Additionally, churches were evaluated on how often they invest 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 Small Churches: Frequency Life Decisions 6.4 Medium Churches: Frequency Life Decisions 6.5 Habit of Prayer 5.9 Habit of Prayer 6.0 Biblical Child-Rearing 7.6 Biblical Child-Rearing 7.3 Life Decisions 6.6 Life Decisions 6.5 Habit of Prayer 6.1 Habit of Prayer 5.9 Biblical Child-Rearing 7.6 Biblical Child-Rearing 7.2 Large Churches: Frequency Life Decisions 7.0 Habit of Prayer Biblical Child-Rearing Life Decisions Habit of Prayer 6.9 8.0 7.3 6.8 Biblical Child-Rearing 8.1 Note: All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale. Observations: Churches rate Sunday school as the most important among Discipleship activities for children. For youth, they favor Bible clubs and foundations of faith (catechism) or spiritual formation, along with parachurches. Most Discipleship-related programs and activities are a high priority for Ukrainian churches, but they clearly prioritize them differently when considering the age of their participants.
Scripture Engagement How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 15 God s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path, and there is no better way to introduce children and youth to the God of the universe and His wondrous plans for us than through Scripture. Equipping young people to to read, understand and apply Biblical truths in their lives is foundational to helping the next generation connect with Christ and mature their spiritual walk. In evaluating Scripture Engagement in Ukraine, four ministry activities were considered. Among churches and parachurch organizations, these activities were evaluated based on importance: Scripture/literature distribution for evangelism Bible clubs or Bible studies Importance of Scripture Engagement Activities Small Churches: Importance Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies 4.6 5.1 Medium Churches: Importance Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies 3.2 5.0 Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies 4.9 5.6 Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies 4.6 6.2 Large Churches: Importance Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies 2.7 4.7 Parachurch Organizations: Importance Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies 6.3 7.9 Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies 5.2 7.7 Scripture Distribution Bible Clubs/ Bible Studies 8.8 9.6
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 Activities Small Churches: Frequency Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions 6.2 6.4 Medium Churches: Frequency Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions 6.5 6.5 Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions 6.5 6.6 Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions 6.5 6.5 Large Churches: Frequency Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions Encouraging Engagement Teaching Life Decisions 7.3 7.1 7.2 7.3 Note: All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale. Observation: Both churches and parachurch organizations considered Scripture Engagement activities to be more important for youth than for children.
Leadership How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 17 Jesus knew it was critical for the Church to have solid leadership established and in place before He left the earth. Because of this, He spent a great amount of time developing the leaders He selected. In the same way now, churches and ministries focus on Leadership because they know that raising up the next generation of Christian leaders is crucial to the health and longevity of the Church. For this reason, we evaluated the efforts of Ukrainian ministries 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 Leadership Training Medium Churches: Importance Leadership 5.3 Training 4.7 Large Churches: Importance Leadership Training Parachurch Organizations: Importance Leadership 5.2 Training 8.1 Additionally, churches were evaluated on how often they invest 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 Teaching to Disciple Others 5.1 Medium Churches: Frequency Teaching to Disciple Others 5.0 Teaching to Serve the Church 5.5 Teaching to Serve the Church 5.8 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 4.6 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 3.9 with Leadership Roles 3.9 with Leadership Roles 6.3 Large Churches: Frequency Teaching to Disciple Others 5.4 Teaching to Serve the Church 6.7 Opportunities for Leadership Roles 4.0 with Leadership Roles 7.5 Note: All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale.
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 Ukraine. in Church Leadership Roles Small Churches Medium Churches None 30.1% None 7.1% 1-10% 62.6% 1-10% 60.3% 11-25% 7.3% 11-25% 28.8% 26-50% 0.0% 26-50% 3.8% Over 50% 0.0% Over 50% 0.0% Large Churches None 0.0% 1-10% 11-25% 44.6% 50.6% 26-50% Over 50% 0.0% 4.8% Observations: Churches in Ukraine, regardless of size, have worked to train up the next generation. More than half of all surveyed churches had at least some of their youth serving in leadership. And as church size increased, the percentage of youth in leadership roles also increased.
How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 19 Holistic Ministry From the Greek word holos meaning whole comes the term holistic. Holistic Ministry for children and youth focuses on serving their whole being, including their physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual needs. This approach to ministry and servanthood opens the door for modern-day ministries to share the love of Christ, just as He modeled for us, in very practical and life-altering ways. To evaluate Holistic outreach efforts by churches and parachurch organizations in Ukraine, we considered five activities. Ukraine s churches and parachurch organizations were asked about the importance they attributed to these four outreach activities: Literacy programs Orphan care Food and water programs Life skills training Importance of Holistic Ministry Activities Small Churches: Importance Literacy Programs 3.3 Medium Churches: Importance Literacy Programs 2.2 Orphan Care 3.7 Orphan Care 3.1 Food & Water Programs 3.3 Food & Water Programs 2.1 Life Skills Training 3.8 Life Skills Training 2.3 Large Churches: Importance Literacy Programs 1.4 Parachurch Organizations: Importance Literacy Programs 3.1 Orphan Care 4.8 Orphan Care 7.9 Food & Water Programs 2.0 Food & Water Programs 2.9 Life Skills Training 2.3 Life Skills Training 2.9
How Ministries Are Connecting with Young Audiences 20 To further evaluate the breadth of Holistic Ministry in Ukraine, 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 Small Churches: Frequency Train to Serve Medium Churches: Frequency 3.8 Train to Serve 3.1 Large Churches: Frequency Train to Serve 4.0 Holistic Ministry by Population Density Small Churches Medium Churches Rural 4.5 Rural 1.7 Suburban 6.5 Suburban 3.1 Urban 3.5 Large Churches Rural Suburban Urban 2.0 2.4 2.9 Note: All scores are delivered in a 10-point scale. Observations: Holistic Ministry activities generally increased as population density decreased. With the exception of Small churches, which gave a slight edge to life skills training, the surveyed organizations considered orphan care to be the most important among Holistic Ministry activities.
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. Because of this this, reaching young people where they are and in a relevant way means high-tech connections are a mandatory part of any ministry model. In Ukraine, there are more than 64 million mobile connections 4 and a mobile penetration rate of 143% 5 meaning many people have more than one mobile device. Access to the Internet, however, is not as impressive with a penetration rate of 37.5%. 6 Our survey found that church use of technology and youth access to technology in Ukraine were both on the rise (i.e. texting and cell phones). Similarly, young people s access to technology and use of technology by the responding churches 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, email, 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. Value of Technology by Organization and by Population Density Urban 7.4 Small Churches Suburban 6.1 6.9 Medium Churches Rural 7.0 5.8 Large Churches Parachurch Organizations 8.2 9.6 0 = low value of technology 10 = high value of technology 4 https://gsmaintelligence.com 5 https://gsmaintelligence.com 6 http://www.internetlivestats.com/internet-users-by-country
Access to Technology Ministries that Click-to-Connect 22 in Ukraine have access to cell phones more often than they have access to either smartphones or the Internet. Access to all these technologies increased with church size and population density. Access to Technology by Organization and by Population Density Smartphones Urban Cell Phones Urban 5.6 9.7 Small Churches Suburban Small Churches Suburban 3.9 4.7 8.7 9.3 Medium Churches Rural Medium Churches Rural 5.5 3.6 9.7 8.5 Large Churches Parachurch Organizations Large Churches 6.0 7.2 9.8 10.0 Parachurch Organizations 0 = low access to technology 10 = high access to technology Internet Access Urban 8.5 Large Churches 9.0 8.3 Small Churches 6.6 Medium Churches 8.2 Suburban 7.3 Rural 5.7 Parachurch Organizations
Use of Technology Ministries that Click-to-Connect 23 Texting, followed by social media, is the most often used tool for churches communicating with youth. The surveyed parachurch organizations granted equal importance to texting, social media and email. Across organization types, websites were the least used communications channel. Use of Technology by Organization and by Population Density Website Urban 4.3 Large Churches 6.3 6.9 Small Churches 2.3 Medium Churches 3.9 Suburban 3.7 Rural 2.9 Parachurch Organizations Texting Urban 8.6 Large Churches 8.7 8.9 Small Churches 7.2 Medium Churches 8.7 Suburban 6.0 Rural 7.5 Parachurch Organizations Email Urban 6.6 Large Churches 7.2 8.9 Small Churches 4.5 Medium Churches 6.4 Suburban 5.3 Rural 4.3 Parachurch Organizations Social Media Urban 6.8 Large Churches 7.4 8.9 Small Churches 5.9 Medium Churches 7.0 Suburban 6.3 Rural 6.8 Parachurch Organizations 0 = low use of technology 10 = high use of technology
Connecting the Dots, Illuminating the Needs 24 To understand how churches in Ukraine can better reach their communities, we asked them to describe their greatest needs and obstacles in ministry to children and youth. Churches indicated that media/ technology, practical ministry knowledge, and materials and programs with the best content and in their own language were their greatest needs. Lack of resources and religious stereotypes were the top obstacles to ministry. Church Obstacles to Ministry to and 81.0% Lack of resources 54.0% Religious sterotypes 9.4% Cultural attitudes toward children and youth 2.8% Political or legal obstacles Church Needs for Ministry to and 57.6% Media/Technology 42.7% Better knowledge of children and youth ministry practices 40.5% Materials or curricula with better content 38.8% More materials or curricula in our language 34.2% More volunteers 28.9% Advocacy and vision for children's and youth ministry 26.7% Finances 21.8% Training for volunteers and/or staff
25 Gospel Reach Before Jesus ascended to heaven He told his followers to, Go and make disciples of all nations. It s a command just as significant today as it was 2000 years ago. Reaching youth with the Gospel keeps the Church alive and sets the course for generations to come. How effective are the efforts of this special calling with children and youth in Ukraine? To measure Gospel Reach, churches 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 Ukraine are each reaching 294 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 340 children and youth annually. Reach: Of these, 294 are directly engaged with the Gospel. New Reach: 62 of these are interacting with the church for the first time.
26 Appendix Ministry Participation Data from the surveyed churches indicates that more youth than children participated in these programs. Additionally, there is a clear trend of more girls than boys participating. Which age(s) most often participates in your ministry to children and/or youth? (5 11) (12 19) Both equally Small Churches (1-50) 17.2% 19.7% 63.1% Medium Churches (51-200) 2.6% 41.0% 56.4% Large Churches (201+) 3.6% 27.7% 68.7% Which gender(s) most often participates in your ministry to children and/or youth? Majority or all boys Majority or all girls Boys and girls equally Small Churches (1-50) 14.8% 28.7% 56.6% Medium Churches (51-200) 2.6% 34.6% 62.8% Large Churches (201+) 3.6% 13.3% 83.1%
Appendix 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. Here, churches were asked to name the most effective organizations ministering to children and youth in Ukraine, both nationally and locally, within their own communities. 27 Participating churches named 368 organizations with a national footprint and 299 with a local footprint. Of these, 26 organizations were mentioned at least five times and all of those were noted as being effective both nationally and locally. Most of the nominating churches partnered with these organizations to achieve mutual ministry goals. Footprint Organization Name Mentions % Naming Who Partner Both for Christ, YFC Ukraine 76 88.0% Both CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) 72 88.0% Both Campus Crusade for Christ 46 74.0% Both with a Mission 41 90.0% Both Avana 38 84.0% Both Emmanuil 29 100.0% Both Country Health 24 100.0% Both New Hope 24 100.0% Both CCI Ukraine (Christian Camping International) 22 91.0% Both Heirs 20 100.0% Both ASR 20 90.0% Both Radooga 13 54.0% Both OneHope 12 100.0% Both IFES 11 64.0% Both Ukraine without Orphans 9 67.0% Both Good Samaritan 8 100.0% Both Heart to Heart 8 100.0% Both Smile of a Child 8 75.0% Both Ukraine's Future 7 100.0% Both Helping Hands 7 43.0% Both Adventurers 6 100.0% Both Pathfinders 6 100.0% Both Sports Coalition 6 100.0% Both Kofehaus 6 67.0% Both Open Heart 5 100.0% Both Pilgrim Republic 5 60.0%
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 Ukraine. These 19 publishers and curricula were identified most frequently by the surveyed churches. 28 Country Health Life of Jesus Christ CEF Adventurers School Without Walls Campus Crusade for Christ New Hope Pathfinders for Christ - Rock Avana Emmaus Inductive Bible Study for Preparing for Baptism Christian Ethics City of Light Discovery Good News My Generation OneHope Ukraine s Future
About, Acknowledgements and Contact 29 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. www.onehope.net 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. www.wellconnected.is Acknowledgements Thank you to all those who helped with the logistics of this report and to all churches and organizations that participated in this initiative. Contact For more information regarding this report, email Paul Walker at paulwalker@onehope.net.
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