Bowling Alone: What are we going to do about it?

The last 40 years in America have seen drastic changes in the way we engage our communities. On the one hand we've become more isolated (think ipods, long commutes, and cubicles), while on the other innovations in technology have connected us to more people across a wider geographical spectrum than ever before (think texting, facebook, and e-mail). Civic involvement is down, the number of picnics we go on each year is dwindling, volunteer organizations are scrambling for new members, non-profit boards are seeing more and more empty seats that aren't being filled, church attendance is falling--especially among younger generations. In the past it was typical for many to stay away from church during college and into their 20's and then return once they married and had kids. The difference now? They're not coming back. Why is all this happening? The issue is complex and there is not one easy reduction. Best-selling author and Harvard Professor Robert Putnam details these stark realities in his book Bowling Alone and offers some empirical evidence regarding the factors that have led to the fall of our social capital. Among the worst culprits.....TV, more working hours, two-income families, and longer commute times. What, then, are we to do about it? Putnam calls for us, especially younger generations, to come up with fresh and innovative ideas in the way we "do" community. He doesn't call for a return to the "good old days" with no TV's where the father goes to work while the wife stays at home and takes care of the kids. Rather, we must respond to our current situation with creativity and persistent determination. I see Reliant as an opportunity to respond to these questions by being a catalyst for social change. We can't just try to reach out to "our own kind," what Putnam calls bonding capital, but must come up with new avenues that reach out and learn from those who are quite different from ourselves, i.e. bridging capital. What are the concrete ways we're going to do this? I don't really know. One way I see is not isolating ourselves in a myriad of church events but rather being actively involved in our city, working for its improvement, volunteering, meeting people where they are at with no agenda. But in doing this, we also must have a strong Christ-centered community to invite them into. This is why worship and community groups are so vital--they exist through and in Jesus Christ. Without Christ we'll always be isolated and segregated from true community, but with him as our foundation he gathers us into a body of meaning and authenticity. Let's go out and find those that are missing and bring them in too, working with Christ in the reconciliation of all the world.

Jon Graf
jon@reliantchurch.org