Mitchell BruceMarketing, Technology, Philosophy

Returning to the Front Porch

Equip 2019: a leadership session for Alabama WMU on reaching younger generations through genuine community.

Title slide reading Returning to the Front Porch: Hospitable Community over a photo of a house with a front porch.

Equip 2019

I was asked to lead at Alabama WMU’s leadership conference sharing on generations and what could be done to reach them. Research pointed me to the idea that the younger generations were ripe for incorporating into genuine community.

  • Slide 1 of Returning to the Front Porch: Returning to the Front Porch: Hospitable Community
  • Slide 2 of Returning to the Front Porch: Outline: What are we going to learn?
  • Slide 3 of Returning to the Front Porch: Outline 1. Introduction 2. Millennials 3. Generation Z 4. American Culture 5. Evangelism 6. Why the porch? 7. Build your porch
  • Slide 4 of Returning to the Front Porch: Introduction Digital Media Specialist – Alabama WMU A Millennial MSM – Marketing Masters of Divinity – NOBTS Mitchell Bruce
  • Slide 5 of Returning to the Front Porch: Generation Studies
  • Slide 6 of Returning to the Front Porch: Who are millennials?
  • Slide 7 of Returning to the Front Porch: Millennials Characteristics: Ages 25-40 Career First Socially Engaged Large Income Separation Idealistic Why’s Technologically adept and diverse
  • Slide 8 of Returning to the Front Porch: Millennials Myths: Narcissistic No Work Ethic/Lazy Unprepared Poor Family Relationships
  • Slide 9 of Returning to the Front Porch: Who is Gen Z?
  • Slide 10 of Returning to the Front Porch: Generation Z Characteristics: Ages 4-24 Increasingly Less Religious Increasingly Diverse Entrepreneurial, but Risk Averse Pragmatic Value Authenticity Short Attention
  • Slide 11 of Returning to the Front Porch: Generation Y & Z Recession effect Impact of 9/11, the War on Terror Increasing income inequality/poverty Separation/Gen Z - loneliness
  • Slide 12 of Returning to the Front Porch: American Culture (reaching everyone else)
  • Slide 13 of Returning to the Front Porch: American Culture Individualistic American Dream – raise yourself from poverty Uncertainty Avoidance Relative Truth Short-Term Unwilling to make long term sacrifices
  • Slide 14 of Returning to the Front Porch: Evangelism
  • Slide 15 of Returning to the Front Porch: Evangelism What is it? Sharing God’s glory – demonstrated in the Gospel Declaring God’s impact – how God’s glory changes you Living Discipleship - helping and encouraging people to…
  • Slide 16 of Returning to the Front Porch: Evangelism Core elements for successful Evangelism: Differentiation from the World An aroma – 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 Unity and Holiness – Hebrews 12:14 Salt and Light – Matthew…
  • Slide 17 of Returning to the Front Porch: What does the front porch have to do with this?
  • Slide 18 of Returning to the Front Porch: Who here spent/spends time on the front porch? Describe.
  • Slide 19 of Returning to the Front Porch: Why the Porch? What is a Porch? A place of reprieve Public Community Gathering What happened to it?
  • Slide 20 of Returning to the Front Porch: Why the Porch? The porch is an analogy for effective evangelism in today’s time: Open home = Community Outside the home = Truth Your life on display (Public) = Authenticity
  • Slide 21 of Returning to the Front Porch: Evangelism Going back to the porch mentality is going opposite of the culture: American Culture vs The Front Porch Individual vs Community– open your home/give time Silence vs…
  • Slide 22 of Returning to the Front Porch: Evangelism Why Y and Z will respond to a Front Porch Approach: Lonely – church community Need – serving the younger generations Authenticity – see your personal life Safety –…
  • Slide 23 of Returning to the Front Porch: Evangelism The Front Porch Mentality = Gospel Opportunity
  • Slide 24 of Returning to the Front Porch: Build a Porch! (figuratively)
  • Slide 25 of Returning to the Front Porch: Acts 2:42-47 42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of…
  • Slide 26 of Returning to the Front Porch: Evangelism – Front Porch Style Koinonia (fellowship) “association, communion, fellowship, close relationship” Appears only here in this way of all Luke-Acts Coming together to eat,…
  • Slide 27 of Returning to the Front Porch: Building a front porch lifestyle How can we do this in our personal lives? Downgrading Hobbies/Interests Morning/Afternoon Discipleship Time Community Meals/Group Meals…
  • Slide 28 of Returning to the Front Porch: Building a front porch (at your church)
  • Slide 29 of Returning to the Front Porch: Building a front porch church How can we do this in our churches? “Becoming a Welcoming Church – Thom Rainer” Guest Procedures Signage Greeters Website/Other Information
  • Slide 30 of Returning to the Front Porch: 1) Live like your always on your front porch 2) Open up your life to opportunities to build community/discipleship 3) Be Vulnerable and Humble Application Summary
  • Slide 31 of Returning to the Front Porch: Revisit the Past to Impact the Future The Front Porch Mentality = Gospel Opportunity
  • Slide 32 of Returning to the Front Porch: Questions? Comments?

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