Gathering In

Last Friday I had an interesting mix of a day. I spent the afternoon talking with Lauren Gaffey from Charis Ministries in Chicago, a center for Ignatian spirituality for young adults. Charis offers weekend retreats, days of reflection, and service days for 20- and 30-somethings, including a retreat based on Catholic Social Teaching called "For The Least: A Service, Peace & Justice Weekend Retreat." I have heard about Charis from friends who have attended their retreats, as well as from other ministers who admire Charis' dedication to young adults - which goes beyond what most parishes can provide.

The "For The Least" retreat centers around talks by young adults themselves, who have been involved in service and work for justice. Whether they have lived abroad among the poor or try to balance volunteerism with their careers, the young adults share with their peers some real experiences of living out Catholic social teaching. This narrative-based approach is interesting and engaging for young adults, and the lived stories of faith and social justice make for a more authentic witness to the Church's teaching than a lecture or a powerpoint. 

Later in the day, I drove to Willow Creek Community Church in the outskirts of Chicagoland. Turning off the road onto Willow's "campus," I was amazed to see a giant complex in front of me that looked  more like a mall or a community college than any church I'd ever seen. I entered the vast atrium (pictured above) and a "greeter" immediately welcomed me and led me across a maze of rooms - a 7,000 person auditorium, a giant activity center/food court, a large coffee shop, bookstore, and classroom upon classroom - until I got to the wing where the young adult ministry offices are housed. 

Axis Ministries is Willow's outreach and ministry to 20-somethings, and I joined the group for their Friday night "Axis Experience." This kind of worship, common to evangelical churches - lots of praise & worship music with a live band, in-depth Scripture study, extemporaneous prayer - is not very familiar to a Roman Catholic. Even though I have been to similar services in the past, I still felt the awkward moments of "when do I sit and stand? why is everyone raising their hands in the air right now?" 

But the most incredible thing for me about the Axis Experience was the fact that it attracted well over 100 young adults on a Friday night, a diverse group of 20-somethings who were excited to be there, engaged in the worship, and eager to meet new people. I don't believe that numbers are everything in ministry, but they are something. So I have been pondering what attracts young people to a place like Axis or Willow - and what could retain them in the long run.

Do churches necessarily have to target young adults with ministries or worship services with cool music, multi-media presentations, and a targeted message? Or does this approach alienate one generation from another? Can efforts that seek to gather in young adults keep them committed to a faith community, or do they simply lose interest once the novelty wears off?