What Church Leaders Can Do To Engage Millennials & Gen Z
There is a massive disconnect between the church and the next generation. I wrote about “Reasons Why Churches Struggle To Minister To Young Adults” in my most recent article. . .
So many times information overload can lead to analysis paralysis. Analysis paralysis can lead to decision fatigue. Decision fatigue leads to a state of indecision. This is why people like Steve Jobs wore the same/similar clothes every day to save mental bandwidth for key decisions. And this is the state of many churches, pastors, and ministry leaders when it comes to the next generation. They are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. If that’s you, here are a few ways to get started:
•Pray urgently and expectantly for young adults.
Henrietta Mears said “I will pray like never before for wisdom and power.” The place to start is to pray like never before. I love that. By the way, Henrietta Mears is a name you should know. She was a young adult Sunday school teacher at Hollywood Presbyterian Church and while her name might not ring a bell, some of the young people she mentored and influenced probably will: Former President Ronald Reagan, Bill Bright (who founded Cru), and Billy Graham.
Something tells me she really did pray for wisdom and power with an urgency and expectancy like few people ever have. Henrietta has since gone to be with the Lord in Heaven, but you and I can pick up her mantle of spiritual leadership for a generation and pray like never before. Fast like never before. Believe like never before.
Urgency means the time to start praying is now. The time to come is limited. The prayers we pray now will impact the limited time to come. Expectantly is referring to the belief and confidence that God will answer and respond to the requests of His children. So when we are praying for more workers of the harvest, trust that more workers of the harvest are on the way. When we pray that it will be hard for young adults in our generation to go to hell, be assured that God will answer. Afterall, Mark Batterson says it so well: “Bold prayers honor God and God honors bold prayers!”
•Pursue personal relationships with the next generation.
One of the only drawbacks about generational research and data is that it’s easy to begin to make generalizations. Generalizing can cause us to project things onto people, and place people into categories instead of seeing them as individuals whom Christ loves. That’s the exact opposite of Jesus' approach to ministry. He found the one and individualized rather than looking at the whole and generalizing.
Personal relationships start with a hello and a smile. Then the next step is learning names. Dale Carnegiesaid, “A person's name is to that person, the sweetest, most important sound in any language.” I think that if business people are going to go out of their way to remember names, the stakes are even higher for us as Christ followers if we want to demonstrate love and care for people! A great way to show interest, care, and love for others is by knowing people’s names.
If a leader wants to have a church that ministers to young adults, one of my first questions to that leader would be: Who do you know that’s a young adult? Have they been to your office? Have you taken time to get to know some of the individuals in your church or congregation who are from a younger generation? Could you invite a group of them to your home for a meal with your family or a backyard bbq?
You could totally say: “but our church has no young people.” Or “it’s been decades since any young people have come to our church.” That might be the case. That’s where pursuit comes in. Jesus left the 99 to find the one. It’s comfortable where 99 are. 99 is the vast majority. With them, it’s safe. It’s familiar. It’s comfortable. It’s what we’ve always done. And yet pursuing the one was a priority for the Prince of Peace. May it be the same way for you and me. It might mean you have to leave the building.
That leads us to one of the best ways to do that. . .
•Position yourself strategically in the places young adults go.
Where do students love to go in your community? If you’re near a college campus, they are likely congregating there. If you’re anywhere by a coffee shop, they probably frequent there. If you’re unsure, just think of where the community is happening. Young people today are lonelier, more isolated, depressed and anxious than at any other time recorded in history.
A wake-up call for every pastor is that according to Barna 2020 research: only ⅓ of 18-30-year old’s say they know an adult believes in them. Your presence as a leader is a gift to those around you! You have the opportunity to repaint Jesus to a generation and believe in them when nobody else in their life does. The work you’re doing absolutely matters and the calling on your life is entirely valid!
There has never been a time like the present. In Ephesians 5:15, Paul admonishes believers in the church to live wisely and make the most of every opportunity. May we be found guilty on both accounts: wise living and stewarding every opportunity as the gift from God that it is. Show up consistently in the lives of young people. Don’t give up on them. Believe in them!
The gospel is all about the go! It’s actually impossible to spell gospel without “go”. Going is at the core of Christianity. Equally important to mention that relationships are built over time and not overnight. Most people don’t propose on the first date and similarly, sharing the gospel without existing relational equity isn’t as effective. It takes putting in the intentional time, the extra effort, and walking the extra mile. As you go, think new thoughts, dream new dreams, and pursue new relationships.
Ways to begin thinking outside the box:
Are you a part of a gym?
Do you go to a certain coffee shop regularly?
Do you have any hobbies, activities?
Can you have any release time to make visits in the community?
Who are your friends outside of your church, your job, your generation? (It’s vital to have people speaking into your life who don’t look like you, dress like you, talk like you, think like you!)
•Pour out your cup intentionally.
Intergenerational community is one of the most powerful aspects of the Kingdom of God. The next generation is drawn to it. Sadie Robertson Huff says “Generation Z is "craving" absolute truth and community in dealing with the world around them.” Young people are filled with inspiration, energy, and passion. The older generation has wisdom, knowledge, and discernment from their life experiences. My wife, Micah, says it best: “You’re never too young to teach, and you’re never too old to learn.” Everyone has a story.
Share what you’ve learned with others! There are so many ways to do this in the context of community. I know of a church in a busy downtown area that offers a “Freshman in the City” experience where they pair a “veteran” to show a group of “rookies” around with everything from laundromats to good eating spots. Jesus modeled this perfectly and powerfully. He sought out 12 teens and twenty-somethings to invest into. He emptied His cup by pouring it out for them. He was the ultimate young adult pastor!
When you think about it this way, God has given you so much. He’s filled your cup to the point of overflowing with goodness, mercy, peace, and grace! Be intentional to seek out opportunities to empty your cup out for others. Just like you reach up to mentors and reach out to friends/family, be willing to reach down to lift the next generation up. This allows you to be a bridge builder among generations like Moses was for the Israelites. Moses had his father-in-law, Jethro as a mentor speaking insight. He had Aaron and Hur — brothers and friends to hold his arms up. He had Joshua to mentor, disciple, and invest into.
Dallas Willard said: “If you don’t have a teacher you can’t have a disciple.” My question is where are the teachers? May you be one of the teachers. The next generation will remain spiritually unaffiliated and orphaned unless someone stands in the gap to adopt them and invest in them. Andy Stanley often says: “Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.” You might not be able to mentor everyone, but you can mentor one!
•Persevere with longevity and stick with it for the long haul.
One of the patterns I see among pastors and next generation leaders is they have the excitement to start something new, and rather than sticking with it when things take longer than expected or unanticipated challenges arise, they move onto the next endeavor. I believe our churches need leaders who are in this for the long haul. Also - I realize that transition is inevitable and not always a negative thing. In the event a leader is called out or released, my framework is who are you raising up to take over?
In a day and age where everyone is always looking for greener grass, what really stands out is consistency. Angela Duckworth says about grit: “Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare.” It’s easy to overestimate what we can do in a year and underestimate what God will do in several.
Things of great cost and great value usually don’t appear overnight. You might not see miraculous growth or transformation overnight. Plant yourself. Remain steadfast. Stay faithful. Stick with it. Develop grit. Don’t give up! In a generation that is so transient, leaders have the opportunity to be Christ-like bedrocks of consistency.
•Pioneer creatively new opportunities for community.
Ministry is relational. The season of life that might be most relational is young adulthood. When you’re a twenty-something, you’re looking to discover who you are. You’re trying to decide where to go to college, what to major in, what job/career is your calling. You’re trying to figure out where you’re going to live. You’re trying to meet that soul mate to do life together. All while attempting to discover yourself in the process.
A framework for cultivating contagious community:
Creating obligation free opportunities
Following Jesus should be fun, and serving in ministry should be enjoyable
Hearing out the ideas of young adults themselves
Empowering the next generation to own ideas and run with them
My challenge and charge to church leaders is to give millennials and gen z a vision that’s God sized. Bold enough to live for. Holy enough to die for. John Maxwell says: “A leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” What does that mean to you? What could that look like in your community or context?
•Prophetically speak to potential.
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” Mother Teresa
Think of how true that is. If you’re anything like me, there’s a few compliments from years ago that still echo in your heart, mind, and soul. They came at just the right time from just the right person. There’s also probably a few pieces of criticism that are a pain point for you because you can’t unhear them and they have an echo, too.
Your voice has a massive impact. The words you speak carry immense weight. Proverbs 18:21 reminds us of the life and death power within our tongues. We need to carefully choose what we speak. Our words have an echo. What do you want to echo into eternity? That determines the words you choose today!
I can think of so many times I have cringed when I hear someone older degrade the younger generation. The same goes for when I hear someone younger dishonor the generations that have gone before us. Many times it’s even been from a pulpit or platform of some sort. We can all do better! Stop talking negatively. Whether it’s online, in person, from the pulpit. Start speaking positively. Start celebrating the stories of life change. Start sharing the steps taken in faith. Speak the truth in love. Connect before you correct. Sow seeds of unity and not division with your words.
Anyone can complain. Anybody can criticize. It’s so easy to normalize the negative. That is completely missing the mission. A new narrative is necessary. One of edification. One of encouragement. One of empowerment. One of equipping. Prophecy builds up, it doesn’t tear down. Prophecy is constructive, not destructive. The next generation may rise to the occasion of destiny or they may lower to the level of demise. A large part of what will determine that outcome comes from the very words that come out of our mouths. Speak life!
I would also love to hear from you… feel free to share this article with others you know. Also be sure to comment anything that stood out to you! If you want more next generation content - check out the youngadultstoday podcast which is all about reaching young adults in our world, today!