Who we are, where we’ve been, and what our heart is
Not long after we got married in 2018, we realised that God had given us a shared heart for the student and young adult community. Having been recent graduates ourselves and navigating the highs and lows of the 20s, we realised how important it is that young adults are welcomed, supported and equipped during these foundational years. Often marked by key life decisions and change, it is important that we can walk through these times together as brothers and sisters in Christ.
When we first prayed about where God wanted to lead young adult work at Jubilee, we had an image of an upper room – a space for young adults to meet with one another, form authentic relationships, love Jesus with all our hearts and love one another as He first loved us. You can find out more about this in our 2018 article.
Ultimately, we desire to see young adults flourish as part of a community of believers who are so in love with Jesus, we can’t help but sharpen one another on our journeys to be more like Him. But this isn’t so we can be an insular band of friends. Jesus has called all of us to adventure with Him; to ‘go and make disciples’ of all nations. We want our love for Christ and one another to overflow into our everyday lives. We want to be salt and light in our universities, workplaces, and spheres God has called us into.
The best summary of this heart and vision comes from a time of prayer and dialogue at our Young Adults team ‘Away Day’ earlier this year. If you want to better understand our vision or what you can join us in prayer for, reading this ten-point prayer list is definitely the place to start:
“As a Young Adult team, we pray to see young adults….
- Integrated in church and in love with Christ,
- Saved by faith in Jesus and returning to His loving arms,
- Committed to Christ in times of change and decision-making,
- Blessed to be a blessing wherever God leads them,
- With genuine love for others as Christ first loved us,
- Anchored in the word of God,
- On fire for God and with eyes fixed on Jesus,
- Growing in fruits, gifts and knowledge of the Holy Spirit,
- With a people to call ‘home’,
- Growing in maturity and stature in faith”
A glimpse at the landscape
Now you understand our heart, it’s time to give you a glimpse of the landscape in which we’re operating. We believe Jesus for the things above; however, we cannot ignore the challenges that these years bring. To understand why we so passionately believe in building community and focusing on discipleship with our young adults, we have outlined three challenges for you below (but there is no doubt more):
1. Lack of Community and Connection
Even before the covid pandemic, it was reported that young people aged 16 to 34 years in the UK ‘may also be feeling more disconnected from their communities, with a decrease in those agreeing or strongly agreeing that they felt a sense of belonging to their neighbourhood between 2014 to 2015 (57%) and 2017 to 2018 (48%)’ (Office for National Statistics). [1]
With a lack of community and connection reported among many of the young people we seek to serve, we believe it is critical that young people are integrated in the family of Christ and have a people to call ‘home’. We also believe it is crucial that a sense of purpose in placement is reignited. To explain this, let’s look at Mordecai’s encouragement to Esther:
‘And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’ (Esther 4:14, ESV).
Mordecai is highlighting that Esther’s placement had a purpose: God had ordained her to be in the kingdom as Queen for ‘such a time as this.’ As our Sites seek to serve and reach the communities around us, we believe it’s essential that young adults and students are aware of the role they have to play on this journey with us. By being a church to call ‘home’, all generations can encourage one another as Esther was reminded of her purposeful placement by Mordecai. We’d love to see these types of faith-building intergenerational relationships occurring for our young adult and students, and that they’ll find peace knowing they’re planted in Coventry for ‘such a time as this.’
2. Loneliness
Firstly, we want to recognise that loneliness is not just a young adult issue, but a societal one. In 2016 to 2017, 1 in 20 adults in the UK reported being feeling lonely ‘often/always’ – that’s 1 in 20 adults! (The Campaign to End Loneliness). [2]
But now, let’s hone in on who this article is focusing on.
First of all: students.
This year, the Office for National Statistics reported that loneliness experienced by students during the covid pandemic was ‘significantly higher’ than the average adult population, with 17% of students feeling lonely ‘often’ or ‘always.’ (Office for National Statistics) [3]
What about millennials?
Sadly, the picture of loneliness across the nation for many millennials is also bleak. A YouGov survey in 2019 found that 22% of millennials report of having ‘no friends whatsoever.’ (J Savage) [4]
‘No friends whatsoever.’
I think we’ll leave this point at that. We’ll reflect on it later.
3. Young adults and church
Our experiences having conversations with fellow young adult leaders has brought about a recurring rhetoric: is it just us, or is this really difficult at the moment?
Disclaimer: we’re no statisticians or researchers, but our experiences and conversations have given the impression that it feels like there are increasingly…fewer of us. Or, perhaps we can no longer assume that young adults joining our churches have encountered Jesus and chosen to follow Him. Either way, in the aftermath of lockdown it is no wonder we’re finding it challenging. But this challenge started before covid reared its ugly head.
In a 2017 article by Humanists UK, it was cited that ‘71% of 18-24 year olds say they belong to no religion, while just 3% say they are Church of England and 5% say they are Catholic. These latter two figures only increase slightly to 5% and 9% respectively, amongst 25-34 year olds.’ (Humanists UK) [5] While this study only mentions the Church of England and Catholicism, we think this presents enough of a picture. We are an increasingly secular and unreached generation.
But where are we going with this?
Our Reflections
It is easy to despair at the landscape. There are also many positives to remember. We love this generation! We love the desire many young adults have for authenticity! We love the amazing blessing our current young adults and students are to us! But we focused on the challenges in this article because it is often challenges that awaken our heart to action and remind us of how desperately we need Jesus.
It is Jesus who places every single student and young adult with us. We can act obediently and put on socials, worship and teaching nights, student and young adult lunches and even weekends away. We can deliver welcome notices and attend CU church searches. These are acts of service and tools God can use. But if the last years have shown us anything, these are plans and efforts which are incredibly changeable. What we do is not centred around the events that are put on – you don’t have to walk or scroll far nowadays for a well-polished and better event. Nor is it about the numbers we gather, you need only look and be encouraged at how God uses Gideon’s shrinking army in Judges 7 as an illustration of how God can move in power with a faithful few.
Ultimately, what we do is centred around what Christ has called every single one of us to do: –
- Christ followers are all called to make disciples (Matthew 28: 18-20).
- Christ followers are to have love for one another (John 13:35).
- Christ followers are to be imitators of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Therefore, as imitators of Christ, moved by His compassion for us, we demonstrate the same compassion to those we serve, even if the practical outworking of this changes:
- If lack of community and loneliness is rife, we are moved by compassion to bring those from the outside in. As an example, we serve young adults by running socials and a weekend away.
- If young people are coming to us with questions about faith and uncertainties, we are moved by compassion to ensure we provide space for teaching on these topics. As an example, we serve young adults by developing teaching series aimed at this generation.
- If young people are coming to us seeking real connection, we are moved by compassion to provide a space for community, but more importantly, times for them to connect with the best counsellor, friend, and provider there is: Jesus. As an example, we serve young adults by providing space for worship and reflection in our ‘Refocus’ nights and at our weekend away.
- If an increasing amount of young people do not know the full gospel message or know Jesus, we look to raise up and equip disciples to go and make more disciples. There will always be a better event, but there will never be a better King to follow than Christ or a better truth to share than the gospel.
Eyes ever toward the Lord
We see the landscape around us and are compelled by love to serve and pray for transformation. Yet, over the years one thing has been made incredibly clear: our young adults work is not the thing that will change the landscape. That is far, far beyond us. So instead, we look to the Lord and trust Him with the tasks He has given us. We serve, act, and we pray. We hold what we do lightly, and hold who Christ is higher. We pray that the Lord will continue to raise up young men and women of faith with ‘eyes ever toward the Lord’ and are glad at any small part we at Jubilee have to play in a bigger and greater story.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
[…]
My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net. Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted. (Psalm 25 4-7, 15-16 ESV)
Dan & Esther Brown
Are you a student or young adult?
If you’re a young adult or new student reading this, we’d love for you to join us on this journey. We pray you’re loved and welcomed wherever you go. We pray that you know Jesus and enjoy the adventure with Him. We pray that you are not passengers, but active parts of the Christ-filled community you are called into. You might be wondering how this heart translates into the practical side of what we do. At the end of this blog post, we’ve included a link for ‘What’s On’ for young adults and students at Jubilee. If you need to get in touch, you’re welcome to reach out to us on social media or by emailing Faith in the Church Office and she’ll answer your questions or put you in touch with the right people: office@jubileechurchcoventry.org
Are you a church member looking to get involved?
If you’re reading this as a fellow church member, we also hope this shines a light on why we do what we do for young adults at Jubilee, and we encourage you to join with us in this. Reaching students and young adults is not an exclusive thing our team do (Dan, Esther, Rachel, Sam, Josh D, Victor, Pieter and Alanah). Whether it’s partnering with us in prayer, inviting a student or young adult round to your home, choosing to spend time investing long-term in raising up younger disciples around you, or simply hosting a student lunch or inviting a new face into your Small Group this September – you have a lot to offer, and will be a massive blessing.
What’s On
Find out what’s on for young adults by visiting our webpage.
[1] Young people’s wellbeing in the UK, Office for National Statistics, 2 October 2020.
[2] The Facts of Loneliness, The Campaign to End Loneliness, accessed on Mon 11 July 2022.
[3] Coronavirus and Higher Education Students: 25 February to 7 March 2022, Office for National Statistics, 21 March 2022.
[4] What is life without friendship? Millennials branded ‘lonely generation’, Joanne Savage, Newsletter, 30 July 2021.
[5] Latest British Social Attitudes reveals 71% of young adults are non-religious, just 3% are Church of England, Humanists UK, 4 September 2017.
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