Fear of Missing Out, a.k.a. FOMO: a pervasive apprehension that others are having more rewarding experiences.
While FOMO often has negative connotations, it is a phenomenon we can turn to our advantage in attracting young people to our groups and ultimately giving them the opportunity to hear about Jesus. Many young people (and indeed adults) are nervous about sharing the fact that they go to church, are part of a Christian group, or are followers of Jesus.
While we want to help our young people become effective witnesses and equip them with the tools to do so with confidence, there are subtler ways they can spark curiosity about faith among their peers. One obvious way is demonstrating their faith in word and deed. But there’s another way: making their friends feel like they are missing out. We know the power of invitations, and we should always encourage our young people to invite their friends to our groups. However, the chances of their friends saying “yes” are much higher if those friends are already curious or feel they are missing out on something.
In Luke 19:1–10, we read the story of Zacchaeus, who had heard about Jesus and “desperately wanted to see him” to the extent that he climbed a tree to see over the crowd. A classic case of FOMO, which resulted in him meeting Jesus and receiving salvation.
Even if our young people aren’t particularly confident in sharing their faith with their friends, talking about (and maybe posting of social medai) the fun they have at group meetings, the discussions they have had, and the trips or residentials they have attended can spark curiosity among their peers and lay the foundation for successful invitations. If we believe that following Jesus helps us live “life to the full,” then our faith should be attractive and make others feel like they are missing out.