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Millennials, GenZers and MinistryChad Lakies, MDiv, PhD
Associate Professor of Religion
Chair, Religion Department
Concordia University, Portland, OR
GenZers (aka iGen)• Born starting in 2000 – youngest generational cohort,
largest in history
• Beginning College this year (2018)
• Digitally native – online life is how it’s always been
• Progressive socially, politically
• Have seen porn
• 39% identify as “nones” (no religious affiliation, but not non-believers)
• Openness to spirituality via cosmology (but not horoscopes)
• First generation for which faith most poorly transmitted
• What to make a difference in the world
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GenZers (iGen)How do they approach Religion?
• We DON’T KNOW much yet (too young for much survey data)
• Openness to spirituality; still living the faith of their parents (if any)
• Hope to make a difference, be part of something bigger than self
• Riff on what we know about Millennials
What’s Up with Millennials?
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A Caveat: General Warning
about content to come…
Who are the Millennials?
• Roughly 18-38 yrs old (born 1980-2000)
• Children mostly of
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964)
and some GenXers (born 1965-1979)
• They’re often missing from the church
• How many people of this age group are
part of YOUR congregation?
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Millennials: what we know(not exhaustive)
• Secular – willing to consider a variety of views; recognize views are in competition
and vie for truth and allegiance
• Cross-Pressured – the competition of views in our pluralistic culture cause various
kinds of pressure on those who encounter views of people they know, such that they
can see themselves possibly having the very same views as others by putting
themselves “into their shoes”
• Disenchanted – we live in a scientific age, but they still desire an enchanted world
• Concerned about relationships and authenticity –
• Consider: relationships are how each of us came to know Jesus and the church;
authenticity is about the quality of these relationships – humans want to be
known as they are
The Usual Critiquelet’s get this out there, then set it aside
(riff on Phil. 3)
Enemies of the cross
Their end is destruction (they’re going to hell)
Their god is their belly (they’re materialistic)
They glory in their shame (don’t believe in sin)
Their mind is on earthly things (success, stuff)
When will they grow up? (so immature)
What’s their problem? Why so many problems?
Why are they so different from us?
HINT: They’re not
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Church is:
• Anti-science
• Repressive
• Shallow
• Closed off to doubts
and questions
Millennials: Why Aren’t They in Church?
Christian Smith and the NSYR
(National Study on Youth and Religion)
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A new faith emerging…
1. A god exists who created and ordered
the world and watches over human
life on earth.
2. God wants people to be good, nice,
and fair to each other, as taught in the
Bible and by most world religions.
3. The central goal of life is to be happy
and to feel good about oneself.
4. God does not need to be particularly
involved in one's life except when
God is needed to resolve a problem.
5. Good people go to heaven when they
die.
6. See also: http://adam4d.com/glasses/
“Moralistic Therapeutic Deism” (MTD)
“What appears to be the actual dominant
religion among U.S. teenagers is centrally
about feeling good, happy, secure, at
peace. It is about attaining subjective
well-being, being able to resolve
problems, and getting along amiably with
other people.”Soul Searching, 164
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MTD as Tradition
“The vast majority of the teenagers we
interviewed, of whatever religion, said
very plainly that they simply believe what
they were raised to believe; they are
merely following in their family’s
footsteps and that is perfectly fine with
them.”Soul Searching, 120
Millennials as Imitators
“Our religiously conventional adolescents
seem to be merely absorbing and
reflecting religiously what the adult world
is routinely modeling for and inculcating
in its youth.”Soul Searching, 166
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Moralistic Therapeutic DeismMoralistic Therapeutic DeismMoralistic Therapeutic DeismMoralistic Therapeutic Deismis Parasitic uponChristianity, Mormonism, IslamBuddhism, Judaism, etc.MTD is perpetuated via established traditions.
Conclusion: WE are perpetuating MTD.
Perpetuating MTD in the Church
“We have successfully convinced
teenagers,” she writes, “that religious
participation is important for moral
formation and making nice people, which
may explain why American adolescents
harbor no ill will toward religion.”
Almost Christian, 9
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Perpetuating MTD in the Church
“The problem does not seem to be that
churches are teaching young people
badly, but that we are doing an
exceedingly good job of teaching youth
what we really believe: namely, that
Christianity is not a big deal, that God
requires little, and the church is a helpful
social institution filled with nice people
focused primarily on “folks like us”—
which, of course, begs the question of
whether we are really the church at all.”
Almost Christian, 12
The Church as Therapeutic Institution
“What, then, should churchmen do?
The answer returns clearly: become,
avowedly, therapists, administrating a
therapeutic institution—under the
justificatory mandate that Jesus
himself was the first therapeutic.”
The Triumph of the Therapeutic, 215
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The Church as Therapeutic Institution
“the religious institutions have
accommodated themselves to the
moral and therapeutic ‘needs’ of the
individual in his private life. This
manifests itself in the prominence
given to private problems in the
activity and promotion of
contemporary religious institutions-the
emphasis on family and neighborhood
as well as on the psychological ‘needs’
of the private individual.”
The Sacred Canopy, 147
The Church as Therapeutic Institution
“What was once accepted simply as
latent benefits of religion, for example,
personal happiness and spiritual well-
being, we now look upon more as
manifest and, therefore, to be sought
after and judged on the basis of what
they do for us.”
Spiritual Marketplace, 78
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The Church as Therapeutic Institution
The Fostering of “Platitude-ianity”begins in pulpits and in Sunday school classrooms:
God loves you (just as you are).
Don’t worry. God is in control.
It’s okay. Jesus died for your sins.
God must have needed them more in heaven.
God won’t give you more than you can handle.
You’re in my thoughts and prayers.
Everything is gonna be okay.
The Church as Therapeutic Institution
“Such a diagnosis is stunningly accurate. Even so, the therapeutic
shaping of the church in the United States is both more pervasive
and more pernicious than we have wanted to admit. The church’s
captivity to therapy is not just a reflection of the influence of James
Dobson or of M. Scott Peck or of any version of the self-
help/codependent/twelve-step recovery programs. Our deeper
problem is that psychological language and practices have become
more powerful than the language and practices of the gospel, not
only in the culture but within the church. As a result, we have
translated and reduced the gospel into psychological categories.
Such reduction has altered it to be captive to psychology and
psychological accounts of God, the world, and the nature and
purpose of human life.”
Jones, “The Psychological Captivity of the Church in America”
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The Church as Therapeutic Institution
If church = place of therapy, millennials have no reason to get
involved. Better therapy elsewhere.
Millennials need vision, connection, authentic sense of what’s
different about church
Of course, there is the gift of the Gospel. But, that too can come
across merely as words that have no consequence. The Gospel is
not a product or commodity, in other words. The church and its
ministries aren’t marketing to millennials—and they shouldn’t.
Millennials can see through marketing strategies. Rather,
Millennials intuitively sense that the Gospel leads to a particular
kind of life. If they don’t see it, forget about connecting with them.
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For
many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body
to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my
brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Philippians 3:17-4:1
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Discuss with your neighbor:
What convictions and practices do you
want Millennials to imitate?
Connecting with Millennials
The Stats
94% Millennials Respect their Elders
Intergenerational relationships based on respect (of
a mutual sort – you are at different places in life
and see the world differently) promotes a sharing
of wisdom, opportunities for guidance, mentoring,
and widening each other’s perspectives about how
others see life and the world.
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Connecting with Millennials
One example: for Millennials, a diverse
world is the new normal; for older
generations, this was not the case and it’s
still strange
How to connect: find shared
interests/values
Invite Millennials to watch big sporting
events (Superbowl), or celebrate birthdays
Spend time listening (be a human), less
time critiquing
Connecting with Millennials
The Stats
96% Millennials Believe They Can Do
Something Great
Yet, they sense their potential is
untapped. They feel like people don’t
recognize they have something to
offer.
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Connecting with Millennials
Do this:
Construe your service projects as an opportunity
to be part of something bigger than yourselves.
Then, invite Millennials to serve with you in
those projects. Make sure they understand their
role is serving others.
Emphasize Vocation
Why do this?
Because you’re embodying an authentic witness.
Millennials know the Scriptures do not simply
call us to be believers, but doers.
Connecting with Millennials
DON’T Do This
Don’t expect Millennials to “join” your organization; rather, invite
them to participate in the important work of service you do.
Make sure that your service is viewed not simply as for the interior
of the church (its members), but outwardly directed. Millennials
are more “other-centered” than you think.
Don’t treat them like a project. Just invite them. Just befriend
them. Be like Jesus and connect with people because they are
people. Let them meet Jesus in you. When they see him, when
they experience your care, they may want to know more…and
perhaps be open to an invitation to church.
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Connecting with Millennials
DON’T Do This
Once you connect with a Millennial or two, don’t expect them to take over
leadership, or do work you don’t think you should have to do anymore. Don’t obligate
them for anything further. Just be glad they’re present.
Don’t expect that they’ll eventually come around and just “join the grown-ups.”
Don’t expect these ideas to be magical. These aren’t silver bullets. They won’t
address every challenge.
Connecting with Millennials
DO, DO, DO This
DO, do, do value your relationships with Millennials.
Do show genuine interest in them as people.
Do reveal your own humanness; don’t pretend to be pious.