Working With Young Professionals
In the North American Region of The Sword of the Spirit, one of our goals is to equip leaders in our individual Communities to reach and serve Young Professionals as they come into membership in Community. We want to help YP (young professional) leaders throughout the region connect to each other and learn from each other, to have a network of support as they serve their individual Communities.
What Exactly Is a Young Professional, Anyway?
In The Sword of the Spirit, we refer to individuals post high school and not in college as "young professionals." This can cover individuals who upon graduating high school choose to pursue trades or other work, as well as individuals who have gone through college/university. This demographic is defined by "stage" rather than "age," and as such can encompass a wide range of people. When someone has graduated out of being a young professional, it is often due to starting a family or getting to the age where their peers are more so in mid-life stage and/or age.
How Can a Young Professional Outreach Help Your Community?
A dedicated YPO (young professionals outreach) has many benefits, one of which is serving this demographic that by and large is often overlooked by modern churches and other Christian organizations. Christian organizations are often more experienced at reaching kids through high school, college kids, and young families. This leaves a large gap of people that are hungry to belong to a body of believers that need a place to grow as disciples where they aren't an afterthought, but rather, a priority.
A YPO is also a great way to add vibrant growth to a community. YPs are often hungry to serve and be active members of their community, and often have more time available for community life and various commitments than parents or other older community members. YPs also can bring fresh ideas and life into a community that can have a ripple effect for growth and renewal in a community's calling.
What Are The Specific Challenges of Working With This Group?
Since YPs are defined by age and not stage, this means the target audience is not very specific. This also means it can be harder to have a single, simple approach for serving all of them well. One YP may be fairly young and need some additional guidance or upbringing in the Christian life, while another YP may be further along in their faith journey and needs a good outlet to serve. The needs vary between individuals in this range greatly, so having an effective way to serve all of them can be challenging.
YPs are also in a very transient state of life where things like work and relationships are often shifting as they try to discern where to put down roots and ground themselves. This can be both a challenge and an opportunity for communities as we try to invite YPs to plant their roots in community while helping them see the value in doing so. We also have to be okay with serving YPs well with the hope that they will stick around, while accepting the reality that many may not be called to community as a life long member. We should take pride in serving them well while they are with us, however long that may be.
Final Thoughts
Investing time, energy, and resources into establishing and growing a YPO can be a great way to serve young Christians in your local community while also bringing rejuvenation to your Sword of the Spirit community. Through intentionally serving this demographic, your community can live out your evangelistic calling in a tangible way that can result in the upbringing of future community leaders. For more information on how you can invest in developing a successful YPO in your community, visit our young professionals page and connect with our regional leadership for further support and resources.
