How to tap into this generation and hold its attention remains somewhat of a mystery, but using technology seems the most likely way to make a connection.

Lakeway’s demographics are skewing toward the younger ages as more and more young families with younger children move to the area, and The Lakeway Church is counting on its new tech-laden Student & Children’s Center to link to their way of worshipping.

The church celebrated the grand opening of the two-story, 14,000-square-foot center Jan. 10 with a ribbon cutting and tours of the building.
“This has been a fulfillment of the dreams of so many people,” Senior Pastor Ron Kelling said.
Plans for the youth center originated three years ago when church leaders sought to address the shift in demographics.
“We realized that there are more young families with children and teen-agers and youth coming into our community and that’s who we want to reach out to. This building was designed to do that,” Kelling said.
Originally, the church had planned for strictly a children’s building projected to cost $10 million to $11 million. However, the church’s initial fund-raising efforts netted about $3 million, which forced planners to alter the scope of their vision.
“We had to re-think the project,” Building Committee Chairman Wayne Seime said.
The building committee recommended dedicating one floor to a children’s area serving grades 1-5 but adding a second floor for a youth area to serve grades 6-12.
Before opening the center, both children’s and youth programs were crowded into the church’s Fellowship Center, gym or other smaller spaces.
“We really didn’t have adequate facilities for the children and the youth. We were all sandwiched into the Fellowship Center here,” Seime said.
He praised congregation members for seeing the center through to completion.
“The congregation has been very supportive. It was truly a team effort. I can’t begin to name all the individuals and groups that participated and were responsible for this [center],” Seime said.
The $4 million center is decked out with projection screens, flat screen monitors, video game controls, wireless connectivity and two music stages complete with lighting and sound equipment to not only enhance its services and programs but also offer a place where youth can enjoy fellowship and downtime whether tackling homework in a learning center, chilling out in a lounge or watching movies in a theater.
“You can tell with this worship space that it’s a little different from the rest of the church. It’s geared for a younger generation and how they can relate,” Student Pastor Lee Rutter said.
These areas incorporate technology to illustrate the church’s message to a wired generation.
“This generation very much lives out their lives in the public space and through media, and that’s how they relate to each other. So, we just try to show that they can relate to God through that,” Rutter said.
He said the center will aid him in serving a rapidly growing segment of Lakeway Church’s congregation.
“We aren’t going to fill this space out now, but in the next five to 10 years they are coming, so we built it knowing they are coming,” he said.
Director of Children’s Ministries Sean Reece and children’s teachers will be the first to experience the wave of new congregation members from 4 years old to fifth-grade age. They are averaging 80 to 100 children each week at Sunday school services and programs, but expect that number to grow considerably.
On the center’s first floor, Reece will oversee five brightly-colored classrooms for small break out groups as well as a large assembly area, craft storage area, teacher resource area, prop room and costume area and kitchenette.
“It’s very colorful and a lot more flexible for the ministries that will use the building,” he said.
As attendance grows, Reece said two end rooms can accommodate an overflow of children.
He noted that the building is much more than four walls and a roof.
“This [center] establishes a great resource and tool for us to use, but it’s the leaders and the teachers that we have that are going to continue to grow our body of Christ in our younger kids,” he said.