The Millennial Church

So, you are part of a church that has recently discovered that you need to start reaching Millennials. Do you want the good news or the bad news first? Let’s start with the bad news. The cultural context in to which our youngest generations are coming of age has shifted dramatically compared to 40 or 50 years ago. There are vast alternatives which are competing for relevance with our early and mid-century mason-esk style churches. And they are winning.

The Boomers with their individual-oriented mindset have left the church and those who have stayed, transfer membership from church to church as they seek to fulfill their needs at different life stages. The Gen-Xers abandoned the church, if they were ever there to begin with, but Gen-Xers are dark brooding sloppy independent types, so who cares, right?* There are strong signs that the Millennials, are like the previous two generations, at risk of leaving the church and never coming back.

That’s the bad news.

A Changing World

When did you discover your calling? I discovered mine 13 years ago when I responded to a little yellow postcard asking for volunteers for the youth program at my church. I met with the youth director where I shared with him that because of my relatively new found faith I was probably best suited to work with senior highers during their fellowship time. I walked away from that meeting assigned to teach Junior High Sunday School. Yikes!

So, on the second Sunday of September 1999, I found myself sitting with my boyfriend, soon to be husband, and two dozen junior highers trying my best to look sure of myself. I was clueless. I certainly never imagined