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Are you ready for a new generation of disciples? Pastors, meet the Millennials. Millennials, meet XYZ church.
Oops, there is a gap here. Most Pastors are not a part of Generation Y (also known as Millennials).
- Generation Y are individuals born in the early 1980s to 2000s. They come after Generation X. Millennials represent an important emerging group of potential disciples as they are also sometimes referred to as “echo boomers”.
- This refers to their size relative to the large group of Baby Boomers. In the US, birth rates peaked in 1990.
- It is helpful to know that Millennials have distinctly different behaviors, values, and attitudes from previous generations as a response to the technological and economic implications of the internet.
Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.
English Standard Version. (2016). (Psalm 48:12–14). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
Society and technology is evolving faster than many churches can adapt. We have to come to grips with the fact that the next generation disciple (member) landscapes are not only changing, they are evolving beyond our grasp. You and your leadership team are not dealing with disciples you know and recognize. You are in fact talking to strangers.
This means that we all need to spend a lot of time understanding what is important to this evolving group of disciples. Why would they want to engage with our ministry? How do they make decisions? Without that level of insight, we can’t create meaningful experiences for this emerging and important disciple. This group is critical to your future members, advocates and donors. This would be the time to start designing experiences based on their interest and behavior.
Here is some information that may be helpful in looking at these strangers known as Gen Y:
- Seventy-three percent have earned and used virtual currency.
- Gen Y will form about 75 percent of the workforce by 2025 and are already actively shaping corporate culture and expectations. Only 11 percent define having a lot of money as a definition of success.
- Sixty-six percent will look up a store if they see a friend check in.
- Start-ups dominate the work force for Gen Y’ers. Only 7 percent work for a Fortune 500 company. They expect large organizations to hear their voice and recognize their contributions. They need an “intrapreneurial” culture.
- They are three times as likely to follow a brand over family members in social networks.
- Millennials watch TV with two or more electronic devices.
- Millennials trust strangers over friends and family when it comes time for purchase decisions. They value user-generated experiences heavily.
- Twenty-nine percent find love through Facebook while 33 percent are dumped via TXT or Wall posts. (I’m not making this up)
- Gen Y’ers believe that other consumers care more about their opinions than companies do. That is why they share their opinions online.
- Most people on Facebook have about 240 friends. Gen Y’ers maintain about 696 friends.
We need to bridge the gap from being strangers to becoming partners with our next generation of Jesus’ disciples.
Here are the key ideas:
- Understand how millennials are different as a group.
- Design Discipleship experiences with a significant digital component
- Recognize that “traditional” church involvement is not important.
oneta hayes said:
Young people love to delve into the supernatural. If they were to hear of a Holy Ghost fire burning in a church they would come to see.
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Michael Wilson said:
Well said. Blessings. Continuing to pray for you.
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scatterwisdom said:
Michael,
The message of your Post has become diluted over time because of free public schools vs. private school tuitions becoming unaffordable or undesirable by parents who never attended a private religious school.
Sad that the news is filled with articles about activists attempts to obtain more money to solve social problems that in my opinion would never occur in the first place if generations had been taught ….in depth, religious beliefs of wisdom and love.
Notice I say …in depth…. because part of religious training is being taught discipline needed in life in hopes to obtain entry into our next life. And as you know from your previous post ‘If I were the devil’, strategy entices ill prepared youth generations,
Frankly, I am still amazed at what I experienced watching a jeopardy TV show and all three super smart contestants did not know the answer to the question.
“What was the name of the Queen who visited King Solomon?”
Sad, they could answer numerous trivial questions they obviously learned in school, universities, TV, Radio, news, but did not know a Bible story of who was considered to be the wisest man in the world.
What does that imply about being taught the story of Jesus Christ teachings of Love?
.
Sad.
Regards and goodwill blogging.
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Michael Wilson said:
Very well said brother. Blessings!
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scatterwisdom said:
Michael,
I linked your post to my thoughts after reading your messsage.
https://rudymartinka.com/2021/11/10/activists-rally-against-wwww-conundrum-
Thanks for the inspiration. Seems when I link your posts, I believe I am obtaining more hits or interest ….for some good reason?
Regards and goodwill blogging.
Re
T
king-solomon-blog/
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Michael Wilson said:
Thanks for the kind comments. Glad the posts are useful. Blessings.
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Wise Hearted said:
God gave enough words to share to any generation in the Bible. There is power when we say, God says, or the Bible says. I follow this young man’s blog because from the very first post I read I could tell he was a seeker. Finally after commenting on what he wrote with, the Bible says, he ask me, where did you start reading the bible, how did it all start with your seeking. The seekers are out there and I arm myself with the only weapon I know to use to help them. It never goes void. Some say that’s not reverent today, but when spoken in love it’s relevant. there is powering each letter, word, sentence, chapter, book.
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SLIMJIM said:
Wow the amount of stats are fascinating; thanks for this article; generational differences seen more clearly with the stats
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