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Resilient Disciples |
For decades Barna Research has been examining the faith life of Americans. In their book, Faith for Exiles (Baker Books), David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock present quantitative and qualitative data that underlies Barna’s research and identifies five practices that characterize resilient disciples. These five characteristics include:
So what does it mean to be a resilient disciple? As defined in Faith for Exiles, individuals in this group: have made a commitment to Jesus, who they believe was crucified and raised to conquer sin and death; are involved in a faith community beyond attendance at worship services; and strongly affirm that the Bible is inspired by God and contains truth about the world. In addition, they agree with one or more of the following statements that speak to the exilic conditions in which their faith still thrives: "I want to find a way to follow Jesus that connects with the world I live in;" "God is more at work outside the Church than inside, and I want to be a part of that;" "I want to be a Christian without separating myself from the world around me."
The charts below presents the "indicators" of a resilient faith and the importance of relationships and relational networks.
Barna acknowledges that while the current time of the pandemic adds to the complexity of cultivating long-lasting relationships within the Church, it also underlines the need for these connections. To assess how your church is actively promoting strong relationships, sit down with your team and ask:
For Further Reading
Barna Research
Faith of Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon. David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2019.
- To form a resilient identity, experience intimacy with Jesus.
- In a complex and anxious age, develop the muscles of cultural discernment.
- When isolation and mistrust are the norms, forge meaningful, intergenerational relationships.
- To ground and motivate an ambitious generation, train for vocational discipleship.
- Curb entitlement and self-centered tendencies by engaging in countercultural mission.
So what does it mean to be a resilient disciple? As defined in Faith for Exiles, individuals in this group: have made a commitment to Jesus, who they believe was crucified and raised to conquer sin and death; are involved in a faith community beyond attendance at worship services; and strongly affirm that the Bible is inspired by God and contains truth about the world. In addition, they agree with one or more of the following statements that speak to the exilic conditions in which their faith still thrives: "I want to find a way to follow Jesus that connects with the world I live in;" "God is more at work outside the Church than inside, and I want to be a part of that;" "I want to be a Christian without separating myself from the world around me."
The charts below presents the "indicators" of a resilient faith and the importance of relationships and relational networks.
Barna acknowledges that while the current time of the pandemic adds to the complexity of cultivating long-lasting relationships within the Church, it also underlines the need for these connections. To assess how your church is actively promoting strong relationships, sit down with your team and ask:
- How can we equip our leadership team and congregants alike to support the relational well-being of others, especially young people?
- How do we encourage congregants to make meaningful connections with others?
- What measures are in place for us to identify and assist those who are struggling to forge new friendships?
For Further Reading
Barna Research
- Resilient Disciples: https://www.barna.com/research/resilient-disciples
- Importance of Relationships: https://www.barna.com/research/relationships-build-resilient-faith
- Leading the Next Generation: https://www.barna.com/nextgen
Faith of Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon. David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2019.
