Lessons From ETEAM, Truth & Peace,
YET, CTS, and CMP
Keeping Our College Students
By Eddie Moody
Every year, hundreds of Free Will Baptist students participate in programs led by D6 Family Ministry and IM, Inc. Alumni from these programs provide a snapshot of Free Will Baptist youth. The programs include ETEAM, Truth & Peace, Youth Evangelistic Team (YET), Church Training Service (CTS), and the College Missions Program (CMP). We surveyed recent participants of these programs, and the results that follow point to best practices to help youth transition into adulthood.
The Sample
The sample consisted of 160 alumni who responded to a survey invitation. Respondents (see the chart below) can be broken down as follows: ETEAM (54%), Truth and Peace (64%), YET (11%), CTS (36%), and CMP (19%). Many respondents participated in multiple programs. Thirty-one percent were male, and 69% were female. They ranged in age from 17 to 27, with a mean age of 19.66, a mode of 19, and a median of 19. All of the respondents are part of Gen Z.
What Are They Doing Now?
These young adults are engaged in a variety of activities broken down as follows (see the chart below): attending college full-time (55%), working part-time (36%), working full-time (22%), part-time ministry (16%), attending college part-time (8%), full-time ministry (5%), military (1%), and other (mostly attending high school) (14%). Many participants were engaged in more than one activity.
Where Are They Going to College?
Of those attending college, 43% attend a Free Will Baptist college, and 22% attend a non-Free Will Baptist Christian college. Fifteen percent attend a community/junior college, 14% attend a state university, and 1% attend a private, non-Christian college. Four percent of respondents indicated “other.”
Respondents’ classifications can be broken down as follows: freshman (34%), sophomore (28%), junior (16%), senior (18%), and graduate student (3%).
When asked if participation in ETEAM, Truth & Peace, and/or YET influenced college selection decision, 57% said yes, and 43% said no. On a scale of one to five, the top factors influencing college decisions were major (4.11), followed by finances (3.15), student life (3.05), geography (2.82), and legacy (parents attended) (1.87).
What Are Their Majors?
The sample was asked to list their specific college majors (below) , which clustered around the the following areas.
Education Majors 21.2%
Business 15.9%
Nursing 13.78%
Pastoral Ministry, Theology, Youth and Family 9.54%
Intercultural Studies, Missions 9.54%
Psychology 8.48%
Science, Medicine 8.48%
Music and Worship 7.42%
Math 5.3%
Humanities 4.24%
Other: Culinary Arts, General Studies,
Office Studies 5.3%
Church Involvement
We are aware of the sad news regarding youth in the church (or the lack thereof). According to reports, 70% of youth stop attending church and start leaving when they graduate from high school. Only about half of them return to church within ten years. [1] In a recent study, only 15% of recent high school seniors attend church at least once a month. [2] Gen Z is the least churched generation in American history. [3] How does this sample compare?
Are They Going to Church?
When asked about church attendance, 99.25% of the respondents reported regular attendance.
How did they develop their attendance patterns?
Seventy-five percent referred to their parents, family, or being raised to go to church as the reason for their attendance patterns. The sentiment was summed up by one respondent: “I was raised going to church every time the doors opened!” This is consistent with other research that indicates teens tend to take after their parents’ religion. [4]
Where Do They Go to Church?
Respondents attend the following churches: Free Will Baptist (85%), non-denominational (7%), SBC (5%), other denominations (3%).
When asked why they chose the churches they are attending, the following responses were typical: “While I’m away from my home church, I wanted an atmosphere that felt like my home church with sound doctrine and great preaching.”
One respondent not attending a Free Will Baptist church stated, “A Free Will Baptist church was not within a good driving distance from my school, so I knew I would have to search a bit harder for a church. I wanted a church with doctrinal teaching and clear concern for their youth/college students. I also wanted a church active in missions and discipleship. The church I have been attending for nearly three years offered each of these and more.”
It seems a sense of belonging is what attracted most of them to the churches they attend. Here is one example: “My family has attended our church for my entire life. I am to the age where I could go somewhere else if I wanted but I do not want to because I am in a church that truly loves me and teaches the Word of God the correct way.”
Notice, the respondent never considered not going to church (the case with most members of Gen Z) but chose to stay at that church for many reasons, including a sense of belonging. Incidentally, this is consistent with previous research about churches that attract and keep young people. [5]
Are They Ministering in Church?
It is clear these respondents attend church, but are they involved? Yes, 87% reported being involved in church ministry, and most were involved in multiple ministries. The ministry types include children and youth ministry (54.5%), worship (singing, playing) (40.33%), A/V ministries (11.99%), Sunday School/CTS/discipleship (9.81%), preaching/teaching (7.63%), and hospitality/greeting (8.72%).
Consider this typical response: “I run my church social media, make the media for slides/announcements, teach kids class every week, and sing in our worship band every week. I also am part of a weekly discipleship group as well.”
In addition to being involved in their churches, the sample expressed interest in continued involvement in the denomination. Eighty-nine percent reported plans to attend future National Conventions.
How Has ETEAM, Truth & Peace, YET, CTS, and/or CMP Impacted Their Lives?
Students were asked to share ways the programs impacted their lives. The following alumni provided specific examples: ETEAM (71%), Truth and Peace (56%), CTS (37%), CMP (50%), and YET (71%). Some responses are included below:
ETEAM
ETEAM taught me missions isn’t just overseas, opened my eyes to [North American Ministries], and gave me peace about my calling to church planting.
I felt called to youth ministry during one of my ETEAM trips and have now added a missions minor because of CMP.
ETEAM and CMP opened my eyes to the realization this is what God wants me to do. It placed peace in my life that I can do missions overseas. God has placed this passion in me through these opportunities.
Truth & Peace
Truth and Peace changed my life. It really made me come out of my shell and comfort zone. It forced me to realize I was missing out on a lot of what God had planned for me. It’s when He revealed I needed to just stay home for college and start my girls ministry.
Truth and Peace helped me build a good foundation in the FWB denomination and develop in my leadership skills.
ETEAM and Truth & Peace gave me the foundation I need when it came to looking for a church in college!
Truth & Peace showed me I could make a difference in my community. I go to college in my hometown and I felt like because I wasn’t moving away I couldn’t have an impact. However, my experience at Truth & Peace showed me I could be a leader in my church and in my college community. I participate in a weekly Bible study group on campus and have shared my own testimony as well as devotions because of the preparation Truth & Peace gave me.
CTS
CTS itself taught me the importance of memorizing Scripture at a very young age. Passages I memorized when I was in elementary school for Bible competitions I can still to this day recite! For that I am very thankful!
CTS taught me so much Scripture that has stayed in my mind and helped me recall those verses in times of need.
CTS taught me an enormous amount of Bible that has helped me so much in recent years especially going to public school. I believe Bible competition [shows] how vital studying God’s Word is and developing those patterns from a young age.
CTS helped instill a love for studying Scripture.
CMP
CMP has positively impacted my life in so many ways! From this opportunity I learned more about myself and how God is planning to utilize my spiritual gifts for His Kingdom. I was impacted by living with missionaries and seeing their day to day, as it opened my eyes to how to live your life on mission for God. Furthermore, CMP allowed me to fully surrender my future to Christ, so He can use me for His glory.
CMP showed me the need for more missionaries and placed a burden on my heart for the people of the country in which I now serve.
Participating in ETEAM and CMP led me to understanding how important missions is. I learned how it starts at home and in your local church and community and that it isn’t just overseas. It was also eye opening to learn how no matter how I want things to go, God’s timing and plan is greater than my own.
YET
YET taught me to use my talents for the Lord and also showed me that no matter how small your ministry might feel, you’re always making an impact.
YET taught me how to lead others in worship while also worshipping as well.
I’ve continued to serve as part of worship teams.
Specifics Regarding What These Programs Do
Thirty-four percent of the respondents indicated something they had been given from being part of their program. “CTS gave me extra motivation,” and “ETEAM gave me confidence in evangelism.”
Similarly, the word help or helped was used by 25% of respondents. “ETEAM helped me grow closer to God.” “Truth and Peace helped me grow as a leader.” “The program helped me out of my shell.”
Finally, 18% used the word learn or learned, and another 17% used the word taught when describing their experiences. “I learned many ways to minister.” “I learned about God and His goodness.” “They taught me how important it is to have a servant’s heart.”
Conclusions and Implications
What does all this mean? This sample is a true anomaly in America, not unlike the Hebrew youth in the book of Daniel. These students are tied to their families, churches, and denomination. How did it happen? Clearly, the role of parents and their home churches laid the foundation, while these programs built upon that foundation.
Where do we go from here? Currently, only 4.3% of Free Will Baptist churches have students participating in these programs. Last year, we set a 3 for 30 objective to expand the percentage of churches that participate. Additionally, we must highlight the effectiveness of these programs and activities. As we live in a world turned upside down, we must engage in activities that are working. Let us highlight and expand these so we see more of our youth become like this sample.
