millennials, genzers & ministry · 2018-10-12 · if church = place of therapy, millennials...

10/10/2018

1

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

10/10/2018

2

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?

10/10/2018

3

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?

10/10/2018

4

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

10/10/2018

5

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)

10/10/2018

6

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

10/10/2018

7

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

10/10/2018

8

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

10/10/2018

9

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

10/10/2018

10


“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


“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

10/10/2018

11


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.


“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”

10/10/2018

12


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

10/10/2018

13

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.

10/10/2018

14


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


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.

10/10/2018

15


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.


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.

10/10/2018

16


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.


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.

millennials, genzers & ministry · 2018-10-12 · if church = place of therapy, millennials...

Documents