Chuck Bomar, the head of CollegeLeader.org, recently started a discussion about college age adults feeling disconnected from church.  However, before we can figure out how to reverse this trend, we need to define what it means to be connected.

Before we can really begin to explore what it means to be connected, we probably need to discuss things that are that aren’t necessarily indications of being connected.  In a post on his College Ministry Thoughts blog, Chuck suggests four things that are probably not good indicators of being connected:

I don’t think attendance in a church service defines connected. I don’t think being involved in a small group put on by our college ministry defines connected. I don’t think serving in a ministry defines connected. And, I don’t think attending events defines whether or not someone is connected.

Churches often use these, or other things like them, to determine if someone is connected.  But I agree with Chuck that doing one or more of these things doesn’t mean that a person feels connected.

There are many people who attend services or are otherwise involved in a church out of inertia or because they feel like they should.  People can participate in services or activities, and even participate in ministry, but not feel like they are connected.  In fact, I can say that there have been times when I personally have attended services and worked ministry at a church but did not feel connected.

So if these aren’t good measurements of “connectedness,” and I agree with Chuck that they aren’t, then what would be some indications that a person truly is connected?  Any ideas?