What does the Church Need from Millennials (and anyone else, for that matter)?
If you are clued in to significant discussions among church leaders today, then you know millennials are a hot topic. What are churches supposed to be doing to attract this very attractive group of people?
Let me begin be offering a significant set of caveats. First of all, I am a pastor of a local church. I have served as a pastor since 1983. I have spent my adult life serving local churches as a pastor. So, I have a certain perspective forged by over 30 years of pastoral ministry. Obviously, I am a "local church guy".
Also, I love people. All kinds of people. All ages of people. People from all walks of life. I'm surrounded by people from multiple generations in all facets of my life. I live in a multi-generational home. My parents have lived with us for about 17 years. (My father died six years ago, but my 92-year-old Mother still lives with us.) I have two millennials as children. And, I work in a multi-generational setting. And I am 55 years old -- so, I have personally navigated through several generations myself!
Also, I believe in contextualization. I serve a local church that trains and sends its own people to live cross-culturally across the world. I have spent years studying missiology and cultural adaptation. I have worked for the past 15 years among unreached people groups in remote regions of the world. I know how important contextualization is with respect to the advancement of the Gospel.
Also, I believe in analyzing trends, researching sociological factors and considering cultural shifts as a church leader. Sticking our heads in the sand, digging in our heels and resisting change are not options for church leaders. We have to breathe the air of our day and live in the moment of opportunity. I am a firm believer in embracing one's era without complaint.
Finally, I have greatly benefited from the immense amount of material produced by others about millennials. Thom and Jess Rainer published their research on this significant generation in a book entitled, The Millennials: Connecting to America's Largest Generation (B&H Publishing Group, Nashville, 2011). This book is full of insight about the generation of Americans born between 1980-2000. There are close to 80 million millennials!
I have also enjoyed the insights rendered by people like author/blogger, Rachel Held Evans on the relationship between millennials and the Church. As I have perused the material on this subject, often the resources in print have to do with the reasons millennials are leaving the Church. I have listened to numerous opinions about what our churches need to do in response to this alarming trend. I have heard the challenges from millennials themselves with regard to what they need from the Church.
So, now that I am appropriately covered with caveats, I want to address this topic from a different perspective. As the title of this entry reveals, I want to turn this issue on its head. Here is my question:
What does the Church need from Millennials?
I have given this much thought. As I have already mentioned, I have listened. I have considered and digested what I have heard. And, I am a practitioner. My life is lived in the local church. I serve as pastor to people from multiple generations. Of course I am concerned about any group of folks that seemed to be "turned off" by the Church. We don't want that to be true of any generation of Americans. However, I would note that each generation of Americans has had its own set of issues with the Church. Anyone who lived in the turbulent 1960's knows that local churches struggled in that era to adapt to the sweeping changes that occurred then.
With all that said, let's get back to my question. What are the expectations of the Church from millennials (or anyone else)?
First - give the Church a chance! Local churches are not perfect. They are filled with broken people. They are led by broken people like me. Most local churches that I know really do care about people. They often are at the forefront of benevolent activity in the community. They are populated with people that visit sick folks in hospitals, take food to those who are ill at home, arrange carpools for parents who are temporarily out of commission, take care of the bereaved, call on the elderly and just do a lot of good things. Churches gather regularly to attempt to praise God, give attention to authentic community and study the Bible. Church people are often just trying to figure out how to respond to God's leadership in the midst of a myriad of challenges.
It is easy to take potshots at the Church. Anyone can do that. Anyone can point out the weaknesses and failures of any local church. But -- what if you give the Church a chance to demonstrate what is good and healthy about it? What if you suspend judgment until you more deeply understand the intent of a group of believers who are gathering as the people of God in the attempt to serve His interests in a given time and place?
Second - give yourselves to the Church! The Church needs people who are willing to make serious commitments to the Lord and His work. Local churches are able to accomplish so much because of committed people who are invested in the interests of the Kingdom. Jesus established the Church and left it behind to represent Him on earth. If you are one of His followers, then get involved in what He is doing today! He is working through His Church. He wants you to discover the abundant life that is only available through a dynamic relationship with Him and a purposeful engagement with His people.
Quit viewing the church as a commodity to be consumed and embrace it as an opportunity for you to be used by God in service to Him and others. Years ago I heard a story told by Zan Holmes, legendary Pastor of St. Luke's Methodist Church in Dallas. When he was a child, he returned home from church and told his grandmother that he didn't get much out of the sermon. She asked him, "How much did you put into it?" "What do you mean?" he asked. "I am not the preacher." "Well, did you pray for the pastor this morning? Did you read your Bible this week? When you showed up at church, were you prayed up?" To all of this, Zan answered, "No." She wisely added, "Then, how dare you to expect to get anything out of something that you put nothing into!"
So - yeah, put something in the Church.
Third - help make it better! Every generation has offered unique gifts to the Church. Those gifts have been invested in the midst of a certain context. For example, the early history of the Church was marked by different needs brought on by both internal forces and broader societal factors. The leaders responded appropriately. There was a period of edification -- the theologians responded with writings to meet that need. Later polemical writers addressed the theological distinctions emerging within the Church itself, apologists spoke to the wider culture and systematic theologians arose once the Church was legally established across the Roman Empire.
There have always been generational differences and particular generational needs reflected across the Body of Christ. Each generation of believers has the responsibility to steward its respective influence in ways that are healthy and beneficial to the entire family of God. So - let's continue to answer the bell. Millennials (and anyone else) need to look for ways to assist the Church in transition and adaptation without compromising the integrity of the Gospel witness. We also have to find ways to do this without demanding that the Church bend everything in our generational direction.
Finally - follow The Jesus Way! Here is what I know. If you follow Jesus, He will never lead you out of the Church. He may lead you to a particular local church. But, He will not lead you out of the Church. The Church is His Body. His Bride. His Family. His Army. He loves His Church.
Jesus is not asking you to simply find your way. He is calling you to find your way to His Way! He wants you to know Him and heed His guidance. He wants you to surrender your desires to Him. He wants you to seek His presence in your life and His perspective on your life. You already know your perspective. Seek His. What does He think about the Church? What does He think about your connection to a local body of believers? What does He think about your investment of your life? What does He think about your commitment to His Kingdom interests?
Somehow, every generation of believers prior to our own has figured out how to be the Church for its time. Surely, we can do it as well.
This is a great time to be alive. It is a great time to be in the Church! May God use all of us to reflect His glory through the Church!
With all that said, let's get back to my question. What are the expectations of the Church from millennials (or anyone else)?
First - give the Church a chance! Local churches are not perfect. They are filled with broken people. They are led by broken people like me. Most local churches that I know really do care about people. They often are at the forefront of benevolent activity in the community. They are populated with people that visit sick folks in hospitals, take food to those who are ill at home, arrange carpools for parents who are temporarily out of commission, take care of the bereaved, call on the elderly and just do a lot of good things. Churches gather regularly to attempt to praise God, give attention to authentic community and study the Bible. Church people are often just trying to figure out how to respond to God's leadership in the midst of a myriad of challenges.
It is easy to take potshots at the Church. Anyone can do that. Anyone can point out the weaknesses and failures of any local church. But -- what if you give the Church a chance to demonstrate what is good and healthy about it? What if you suspend judgment until you more deeply understand the intent of a group of believers who are gathering as the people of God in the attempt to serve His interests in a given time and place?
Second - give yourselves to the Church! The Church needs people who are willing to make serious commitments to the Lord and His work. Local churches are able to accomplish so much because of committed people who are invested in the interests of the Kingdom. Jesus established the Church and left it behind to represent Him on earth. If you are one of His followers, then get involved in what He is doing today! He is working through His Church. He wants you to discover the abundant life that is only available through a dynamic relationship with Him and a purposeful engagement with His people.
Quit viewing the church as a commodity to be consumed and embrace it as an opportunity for you to be used by God in service to Him and others. Years ago I heard a story told by Zan Holmes, legendary Pastor of St. Luke's Methodist Church in Dallas. When he was a child, he returned home from church and told his grandmother that he didn't get much out of the sermon. She asked him, "How much did you put into it?" "What do you mean?" he asked. "I am not the preacher." "Well, did you pray for the pastor this morning? Did you read your Bible this week? When you showed up at church, were you prayed up?" To all of this, Zan answered, "No." She wisely added, "Then, how dare you to expect to get anything out of something that you put nothing into!"
So - yeah, put something in the Church.
Third - help make it better! Every generation has offered unique gifts to the Church. Those gifts have been invested in the midst of a certain context. For example, the early history of the Church was marked by different needs brought on by both internal forces and broader societal factors. The leaders responded appropriately. There was a period of edification -- the theologians responded with writings to meet that need. Later polemical writers addressed the theological distinctions emerging within the Church itself, apologists spoke to the wider culture and systematic theologians arose once the Church was legally established across the Roman Empire.
There have always been generational differences and particular generational needs reflected across the Body of Christ. Each generation of believers has the responsibility to steward its respective influence in ways that are healthy and beneficial to the entire family of God. So - let's continue to answer the bell. Millennials (and anyone else) need to look for ways to assist the Church in transition and adaptation without compromising the integrity of the Gospel witness. We also have to find ways to do this without demanding that the Church bend everything in our generational direction.
Finally - follow The Jesus Way! Here is what I know. If you follow Jesus, He will never lead you out of the Church. He may lead you to a particular local church. But, He will not lead you out of the Church. The Church is His Body. His Bride. His Family. His Army. He loves His Church.
Jesus is not asking you to simply find your way. He is calling you to find your way to His Way! He wants you to know Him and heed His guidance. He wants you to surrender your desires to Him. He wants you to seek His presence in your life and His perspective on your life. You already know your perspective. Seek His. What does He think about the Church? What does He think about your connection to a local body of believers? What does He think about your investment of your life? What does He think about your commitment to His Kingdom interests?
Somehow, every generation of believers prior to our own has figured out how to be the Church for its time. Surely, we can do it as well.
This is a great time to be alive. It is a great time to be in the Church! May God use all of us to reflect His glory through the Church!
3 comments:
Finally, a different perspective on this issue, Dr. Wiles, thanks for starting this conversation. You have addressed a lot of great important issues on this subject, but I intend to zero on one thing you said. Let me state, my response is a personal opinion based on how I observed things. You stated that “quit viewing the church as a commodity to be consumed”, rather individuals (millennials) should explore ways to add positively to the church and be of value. I totally agree, however, I found out that it has become a second nature for most millennnials to disassociate from the church not because of the church’s fault but because their lives are structured on a faulty foundation (I say this with all due respect and with no intension to offend anyone). Here’s what I mean:
The scriptures says in Judges 2:10 “After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.” We have new generations of Americans who are being raised devoid from the values, principles and beliefs their parents/grandparents shared. We have fathers who would prefer to go hunting or sport games with their sons on Sunday morning than to get them ready for worship. How about parents that could sleep in on Sunday morning because they are fatigued and could afford to excuse not going to worship the ALMIGHTY GOD but could defy any odds on week day for the almighty dollar? We have youngsters who never see their parents sing aloud or pray or lift up holy hands in worship before the Lord, yet they have witnessed them jumping and screaming and throwing fits at cowboys and Maverick games.
I’m I condemning having a leisure or a sport team to support? Absolutely not, but we have matured Christians with misplaced priorities and until we get our priorities right, the millennials under our roofs are not going start embracing the church. The problem is not the church and not much the millennials either but fathers and mothers who have failed to prioritize the Lord in their lives or have failed to exemplify commitment to the Lord with their own lives.
Thank you, Moses for your comments. I appreciate your fervor and passion for Godly parents be spiritually responsible for their children. I am glad to see how you and your wife model that here in our church. Blessings!
Great message for all generations. Christianity is not a spectator sport and it's not all about us. We are called to engage in Kingdom work, not to show up to be entertained.
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