Bikemovement the Documentary:

A Young Adult Perspective on Church

This documentary follows BikeMovement, a group of young adults who rode bicycles across the USA from July 10 to August 25, 2006 as an initiative to engage in open conversation regarding their perspectives on and visions for the church.

The documentary summarizes conversations that took place both within the BikeMovement group and with over twenty church communities they visited along the way. A common question asked in many of these church conversations was “Why are many young adults who grew up in the church not returning?” The BikeMovement group discovered in their own conversations and in conversations with other young adults that there is no single answer to this question; everyone has their own unique experience. The documentary, however, attempts to identify common threads and offer suggestions to create safe places where generations can come together and better understand each other.

Topics covered in the BikeMovement documentary include: examining what it means to live in a tight-knit community while inviting people in; asking tough questions; exploring ways to create intergenerational dialogue despite language and other generational differences; and responding to the other unique challenges young adults face in connecting with a traditional church setting.

The documentary also includes a 1-5 session study guide with activities and questions to initiate discussion and aid groups in working through the various issues together.

To help continue this conversation on global level, all proceeds from the sale of the documentary will go to AMIGOS to assist young adults from all over the world in attending the next Mennonite World Conference in Paraguay in 2009.

See further reflections in a special issue of Missio Dei.

(1-5 sessions)