GENERATION SPARK

Christian Mentoring for Teens and Young Adults

Show young adults why being part of the church matters.

Young adults are leaving the church behind in record numbers. Without meaningful relationships in the churches they grow up in, many young adults don’t even see what they’re missing when they stop going. Generation Spark offers your church a research-based way to not only keep young people spiritually engaged but equip them to lead your church into the future. The key: mentoring. Generation Spark partners with you to build authentic intergenerational relationships between 16-24-year-olds and spiritual mentors in your church.

Application deadline: September 22, 2021
Launch: October 2021
Cost: Free

Apply to be a Generation Spark church

It's time to take a serious look at mentoring ministry

Young Christians

have left their worshiping congregations (Barna Research).

3

MORE YOUNG ADULTS CONNECT TO A CHURCH

when they move away from home or start college if they have a spiritual mentor in their home church (Renegotiating Faith).

Young leaders

who participated in Generation Spark said they want to stay connected to their home church (Generation Spark).

Key benefits of spiritual mentoring for churches

  • Keep youth and young adults involved in church beyond high school graduation. 
  • Fully integrate a new generation into the life and leadership of the church.
  • Learn from and about each other through intergenerational relationships. 
  • Skip the awkward stage of forming intergenerational relationships with built-in structure and shared purpose.

How Generation Spark mentoring ministry works

Recruit your team

Find mentors and connect them with mentees. Ask others to serve as prayer partners in your mentoring ministry.

Engage mentoring pairs in problem-solving

Mentors and mentees work together on a solution to a problem in your church or community. 

Youth present solutions

Mentees share the ideas for solutions that have emerged through their mentoring partnership with your church or community. 

Determine what’s next

Discern what it would look like to move forward with the ideas mentoring teams share. Consider how you can continue to foster intergenerational ministry partnerships with mentoring.

Testimonials and stories

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Hearing my mentor say ‘It’s great to see you’ on Sunday mornings creates intergenerational bonds and a sense of community. Forced conversations and awkward ice breakers are replaced by the gentle mentoring and guidance the program fosters through relationships.

Generation Spark mentee
“

Focusing on a real problem lays the foundation for adults and youth to combine the wisdom, knowledge, and experience of the former, and the vibrancy, creativity and the youthful perspective of the latter.

Generation Spark mentee
“

This relationship with Mark lets me live into the promise I made to him and his parents when this church baptized him 17 years ago.

Generation Spark mentor
“

Rod, my mentor, and I attended the same service at this church every week for 12 years without ever seeing or recognizing each other. That changed when Generation Spark introduced me to my new friend.

Generation Spark mentee
“

This Generation Spark strategy will help Christian Reformed churches address two needs: enliven profession of faith practices; and, enhance the teen-to-life (high school transition) process.

Christian Reformed Church denominational executive

Featured articles

One Pastor’s Method of Mentoring? Ping Pong.

Why Is There a Generation Missing from Church?

Understanding Digital Culture Can Help the Church Disciple Young Millennials and Gen Z

Are you ready to become a more intergenerational church?

Apply to start mentoring with Generation Spark now! Once we receive your application, we'll get in touch with you to assess whether Generation Spark is the right fit for your church or organization. If you would like to learn more before you apply or have questions, email generationspark@rca.org to connect with our team.

Apply for Generation Spark