Benefit Show Coming May 1 to the 567

A Culture of Youth Groups and A Church Without One - Part 2

In the first Post I really wanted to address the "NEED" kids felt and parents expressed for time with peers. The reality - there isn't a NEED - a want, yes - but not a need. Almost 40% of a Middle Schooler's waking/available life is spent with peers.

So we come to the second post, and a second often heard claim: "Youth learn better when they are in a peer group."

There are studies that suggest that this is an accurate and true statement... when it comes to lecture style teaching of specific subjects, like math or science. However, there are other studies that show there are TREMENDOUS benefits to all age groups in intergenerational learning as well. For example, this US Gov site lists the following benefits:
For the Community
• Strengthens Community: Intergenerational programs bring together diverse groups and networks and help to dispel inaccurate stereotypes. Sharing talents and resources help to create a unified group identity. Children, youth, and older adults are less alienated while the community recognizes that they are contributing members of society.
• Maximizes Human Resources: Intergenerational community service programs tend to multiply human resources by engaging older adults and youth as volunteers.
• Maximizes Financial Resources: When groups representing young and old approach local funders, those funders are more likely to respond positively because they can see broad-based community support. Intergenerational programs can save money and stretch scarce resources by sharing sites and/or resources.
• Expands Services: Intergenerational community service programs can expand the level of services to meet more needs and address more issues.
• Encourages Cultural Exchange: Intergenerational programs promote the transmission of cultural traditions and values from older to younger generations, helping to build a sense of personal and societal identity while encouraging tolerance.
• Inspires Collaboration: Intergenerational programs can unite community members to take action on public policy issues that address human needs across the generations.
For Youth and Children
• Enhances Social Skills: Interaction with older adults enhances communication skills, promotes self-esteem, develops problem-solving abilities, and fosters friendships across generations. Positive attitudes are developed regarding sense of purpose and community service. Additionally, youth involved in mentoring programs have been show to be almost one-third less likely to hit others.
• Improves Academic Performance: Intergenerational programs increase school attendance and performance. Students tutored by older adults made significantly greater gains in achievement test scores than other students.
• Decreases Drug Use: Youth involved in intergenerational mentoring programs are 46% less likely to report the initiation of drug use, and among minority youth that statistic increased to 70%.
• Increases Stability: Children and youth gain positive role models with whom they can interact on a regular basis. Older adult volunteers help to provide children and youth with consistency through mentoring and in child care facilities that average a 25-35% turnover rate.
For Older Adults
• Enhances Socialization: Older adults remain productive, useful, and contributing members of society. They increase interaction with children and youth and engage more with one another to prevent isolation in later years.
• Stimulates Learning: Older adults learn new innovations and technologies from their younger counterparts.
• Increases Emotional Support: Intergenerational programs afford older adults an opportunity to participate in a meaningful activity. This decreases loneliness, boredom, and depression while increasing self-esteem. Older volunteers report more enriched lives, a rejuvenated sense of purpose, and increased coping skills for their personal struggles.
• Improves Health: Helping contributes to the maintenance of good health, and can diminish the effect of psychological and physical diseases and disorders.

This site states the following as one of the lessons learned from their study- "Lesson 1 - The multidimensional policy and practice analysis of EAGLE demonstrates that the benefits of intergenerational learning are many, such as: uniting segregated generations and building better understanding; encouraging active citizenship and social participation, and encouraging cross-generational working."

So when it comes to math, English, Science, and History it may very well be true that peer group learning in a lecture setting is the best way for youth to learn. BUT studies indicate that when it comes to learning as it relates to community, health, and participation in community - the benefits of intergenerational learning exceed those of peer learning. And, since the Church is an interconnected, interdependent community – reason would seem to say that intergenerational learning seems to be the best route for all ages to participate in – it is a win/win/win – strengthening adults, youth, and children as well as fostering a greater sense of community and unity. Perhaps that is why God instructed the church through Paul in Titus 2 that older men should teach younger men about living the Christian life, and older women likewise were to teach the younger women about life issues. The entire context is not age segregated learning, but intergenerational learning within the community of the church.

So - do kids learn better in peer groups? In some things yes. In all things no.

A Culture of Youth Groups and A Church Without One

New City Church downtown doesn't have a Youth Group. We live in a culture that highly values church Youth Groups. Most people have never questioned church Youth Groups, they simply assume that these groups are good - are best for kids. After all, most churched people grew up with some kind of a youth group AND every 'real' church has one. In fact, not having a youth group is often interpreted as a sign that a church doesn't care about kids (and THAT's a bad sign).

I want to share some posts as I think and re-think the Youth Group questions. The thinking and re-thinking comes as we continue to have questions about NCCd not having a youth group and on the heels of one family leaving NCCd and another close to leaving over the same issue. I want to say up front that I believe we have freedom within Scripture to have a youth group or not, and that neither is RIGHT, and either can be WRONG. I also would like to remind everyone that all Youth group experiences are not the same - yours may have been great while others were horrible - or vice versa.

So, I will begin a series of posts with the numbers...

I have heard many times that youth "really enjoy an environment with their peers." "They need a time to be together with people their own age."

I cannot argue that kids need time with their peers.

I would not argue that kids enjoy hanging out with other kids their own age.

HOWEVER - I would ask, "How much time with peers is enough?"

Here are some conservative numbers on peer to peer interaction:

Hours in a day 24 x 7 = 168 p week

Hours of sleep 8 x 7 = 56 p week
Available Hours p/day 16 x 7 = 112 p week

School Hours: 8am – 3pm 7hrs x 5days = 35 or 31% of available hours

CONSERVATIVELY - A child in school spends roughly 1/3 of their waking hours with their peers

One study shows that the average middle school child spends another 5-6 hours per week in extracurricular activities such as sports, band, etc. These events are by and large peer related events and activities as well, pushing the percentage with peers to 36%.

If we also consider travel to and from school as well as time to ‘get ready’ (for school, activities, bed…) as UNAVAILABLE time – figuring VERY conservatively at just 1 hour per day would change the #s as follows:

56 Hours of sleep
7 hours of ‘getting ready’
105 Available hours

40 hours of school and extracurricular activities with peers

38% of the average Middle Schooler’s waking life is spent with his/her peers.

** Consider that # and this One - According to one source - in 2000 the average time PER WEEK that a married father spent caring for his children (time that they were his primary focus) 6.5 hours. (or 6% of the child’s 105 waking hours of availability)

S0, How much time with peers is ENOUGH?
Just "by the numbers" is time with peers a valid argument FOR a Youth Group? Or, Is it simply more time separated from parents and the diverse Gospel Community of the whole body?

Music @ New City

It seems that every week at nccd gets better and better as far as music goes (maybe the preaching will catch up one day!). Below is a low quality, short recording of a song that Josh Maloy (singing) wrote... he and all of our band crew are amazing... God amazes me.

Another Look at the New Space

Come Help out at the new 567!

This Saturday - April 3 - 8:30am-2:30pm

Tipping? Maybe. A Changing City

The Tipping Point: Small changes may have little effect until they build up to critical mass, then the next small change may suddenly change everything. this is the tipping point.

Typically no one knows when the tipping point is reached until the tip has occurred and I think it is far too early to say that we have tipped when it comes to downtown Macon. BUT we maybe tipping.

In the midst of the worst economy that our nation has seen in decades, there are exciting signs of growth and exciting new businesses in the works. I know - many would point out that other businesses are closing - like Macon Pizza, and that a couple of downtown businesses are teetering. This is true. But there are always businesses that open and close - who often should not have opened to begin with. Opening a new business is tough and more businesses fail in the first five years than succeed. Some of our downtown startups were destined for failure. You can't open a restaurant that serves mediocre food and provides terrible service and expect to survive. Neither can you open a store or shop that you like, but that doesn't really appeal to the market you are in and expect success.

So what makes these new businesses different? They are a good fit for the culture and context, and each is different.

> Cherry Street Cycles, for example will be the only downtown cycle shop (if Mercer is intown). We are in a culture that enjoys biking and in a city that can bike year around.

> The Rookery - I know the Rookery is not new - but it is! The Rookery has new owners. The new owners did a complete overhaul of the old building and it looks and SMELLS great. They strengthened the menu and added specialties that few places offer. They have also strengthened their service and the quality of the food served. And the old Rookery is completely new, and doing GREAT.

> The 567 is leaving a 1600 square foot facility capable of holding shows with around 100 in attendance and is moving to a 12,000 square foot facility capable of having standing room only shows for 600 or more. And the 567 makes that move as more and more it passes up potential big shows, and more and more packs out its small space. On top of that, the 567 will offer new business incubator space and more!

> The Iguana - I know it doesn't have the best reputation! The Iguana closed, but I hear a new venue will open in its place and serve as a weekend music venue. Some of you are saying - WAIT A MINUTE! Another music venue!?!? YES - thankfully so. The 567 will play a different style of music than the Iguana, or the Capitol Theater, or the Humming Bird. Each has the potential to reach a different audience. More diversity in music will mean more diversity in people coming to hear the music - and just MORE people!

> A New Brew Pub is also in the works. It will be located near the Rookery and the 567. The new pub would serve all the regular beers, plus some micro brews, AND It's Own Brew! So it won't be like any other bar downtown. A stand out, specialty pub - nice.

Add to these new businesses the young businesses now in place, like DolceVita, Killian's and it appears that we might just be tipping. I know it is too early to say - but i think it is happening, and it is happening in the hardest economy we've seen in quite a while.

Transformation of a City

I ran across this post at Cool Studios and thought it worthy of a share. Notice some of the reasons WHY Lafayette is loved... a move back to downtown, GREAT MUSIC, and young people:

How Lafayette, Louisiana is attracting creatives

With a population over 100,000 and a greater population of half a million, Lafayette, Louisiana is a little known small town creative mecca whose residents probably want to keep it that way. What’s their secret? The city’s aptly named Independent sheds some light in their cover story, Cool town. Lafayette is becoming a magnet for the creative class. Here’s why.

Economically, they’re successfully transitioning from the industrial age (oil) to the knowledge age (health care, tourism). Education wise, their acclaimed University of Louisiana hosts 16,000 students with an emphasis on the emerging fields of health, design and tech. As far as infrastructure, the city’s utility (LUS) will complete a citywide fiber network providing among the highest broadband speeds in the nation.

However, what is it about Lafayette that actually makes people stick? That’s the kind of thing statistics can’t show, but perhaps you’ll get an idea from listening to its natives...

“The music here is incomparable. You can’t find this anywhere else. In addition to the indigenous music that comes out of here, over just the last few years there’s been a lot of good popular music being made.“

“Lafayette and Acadiana has an indigenous culture that doesn’t exist anywhere else on the planet. People move here just for this music and culture. It’s mind blowing. I cannot tell you how many people Terrance meets throughout the world that get turned on to this region’s music and are inspired to move here because of it.”

Keep in mind that two of the top 10 search queries are music related. Also, music scenes are a sign of economic rise.

“Everyone I know is moving downtown. It’s a good little community of young people. People just getting married or people my age who are single. Artists, a lot of creative type people. Interesting people. With all the businesses that are going downtown, and people I know who are opening businesses downtown, it’s a fun little community; you can ride bikes everywhere.“

“It has so much culture and so much more fun than any other small town. I have never been worried about who I am in Lafayette. We have a very small gay community, but I’ve never run into a place that was intolerant.“

“I work for [architect] David Courville, and I own the Lafayette Top Shop on Jefferson, so I’m really invested in downtown. Lafayette has a really hip urban feel to it even though it’s a small town. In November, we moved upstairs, above the shop. I figure if I’m going to start designing smaller, more efficient units, I need to live in one. It’s 700 square feet.”

Scroll down the cover story to peruse an impressive list of over 340 things that make Lafayette so cool.

Photo: Lafayette’s spectacular Festival International.

Thanks to Zach Kupperman, founder of Policy Pitch for the reference!

Posted by Neil Takemoto in • Downtown Migration

Another Crazy Couple - nccMilledgeville?

It is now official - Ryan and Lori Lyons are Crazy! Ryan and Lori have decided to leave a really good church and a really good church's financial support to move from KY to Middle Ga in order to plant a new New City Church campus in Milledgeville!

All of the details regarding the exact timing of the move are still being worked out, but it could be as soon as a May 1 move. While settling into a new city, Ryan will receive a crash course hands on time of New City training. Over the summer he will begin sharing New City's vision for a transformed Milledgeville with goal of building a core of 25 adults committed that vision. When Ryan and the core are ready, we'll officially launch New City Church Milledgeville. With God's favor and a lot of hard work, a Fall 2010 launch is possible.

Ready or Not...here we go!

More About Ryan...

Ryan is a graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he is also working on his PhD. He is currently the teaching pastor of church outside of Louisville, KY. Ryan and Lori are both from Warner Robins, so the move will bring them a lot closer to family. Ryan and Lori will make the move along with little ones Michael and Kaitlyn.

Macon, ReDevelopment, and 3rd Places

I ran across this blog post at the newly discovered cooltownstudios.com . I love the article. Where's your Third Place?

The third place

The first place is your home. The second place is your workplace. The

third place is where you hang out in between. Ray Oldenburg wrote the book on it.

A cool town is full of great third places. If you aren’t motivated to leave home or your workplace, chances are you don’t live around too many successful third places.

The UK has long had the concept of the third place down pat. While staying with a friend in the small town of Streatley-Goring in England, I’d usually find him at “The Bull”, a small pub across the street (literally). There he was, laughing it up with his good friends or playing a game of darts amid philosophic discussion. This was available to him whenever he felt like walking 50 yards. In fact, during my stay there it was available to me as well, as they made me feel right at home. Now that’s what a third place is all about.

Keep up with third place trends right here.

Welcome to Macon

A new, New City family is on the way... the moving truck hopefully arrives tomorrow and Jaclyn and Elijah will be picked up from the airport. Zack has been here since Monday after an 18+ hour drive from Boston. Yes, BOSTON.

Why are they moving to Macon? To be a part of New City Church - crazy.

Six years ago I met Zack when I moved from Birmingham to Eastman, GA. He was the youth pastor at the church I was coming to as pastor. After a year or so, Zack left us for school in Birmingham, where he met his wife Jaclyn. After graduation, Zack, Jaclyn, and their new baby Elijah headed to Boston Mass for Gordon Conwell Seminary. Recently Zack and Jaclyn began talking about where they could serve the kingdom - they wanted to be in a theologically conservative church who was striving to advance the gospel and the kingdom in their city and ultimately through all the world. After looking at other churches and other cities, they agreed that Macon would be their home, and New City would be their church. Zack is looking for a job - has his second interview with a local company next week. They have risked much to invest much... and we're glad.

Welcome to Macon Zack, Jaclyn, and Elijah Williams.