It is well documented that compared to older generations, Millennials have a lack of trust in institutions, including the government and political leaders, banks and financial organizations, and even the news and media.
Read MoreMillennials are often the topic of conversation in business boardrooms and church committee meetings without having much representation in the room. While Millennials make up over one-third of the workforce in the U.S., you probably won’t find them in top leadership positions or executive boardrooms. Instead, the average age for C-suite member roles (CEO, CFO, COO) is 54 years old.
Read MoreIn a recent conversation with this Gen Z Pastor, we discussed what she would like other church leaders to know about reaching members of her generation, along with her own hopes as new pastor.
Read MoreIn their book Growing Young: Six Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church, authors Kara Powell, Brad Griffin, and Jake Mulder studied churches that were highly successful in engaging emerging generations. They define keychain leaders as “pastoral and congregational leaders who are acutely aware of the keys on their keychain; and intentional about entrusting and empowering all generations, including teenagers and emerging adults, with their own set of keys” (53).
Read MoreMany church leaders have great intentions about involving Generation Z college students and teenagers in leadership roles within their churches. However, practically speaking, what does this look like?
Read MoreA recent study by research group Universum looked at the leadership styles and workplace environments preferred by Generations X, Y, and Z. While their conclusions and recommendations were geared more toward a corporate work setting, there are many important insights for churches looking to better engage younger generations in their congregations.
Read MoreMarilyn McEntyre has written a fabulous essay appearing in the Fall 2017 edition of Comment entitled, “Choosing Church.” You can read the article online here. Taking part in a church fellowship is a choice, one that is seldom made among Millennials and Generation Z. Why should one choose to take part in the life of a local body of followers of Christ?
Read MoreFootball season is underway, and now that we’ve kicked off the action we will be sure to hear plenty of clichés from the teams that defy expectations. Athletes will declare “No one believed in us outside of this locker room,” when their team unites, excels, and succeeds beyond where they were picked in the standings. “Us against the world” will become their rallying cry.
Read MoreIf you’re reading this article, you’re probably aware of the generational gap in so many churches. Whether you’re a baby boomer trying to work with a generation that seems challenging to understand, or a millennial trying to earn the favor of an older generation that seems set in their ways, the generational gap is a real thing. And sometimes this gap can act like a language barrier. When you say the following phrases, millennials hear something else. So without further ado:
Read More