Bob's Blog

I came across an article about how teens view having a job to a means of gaining security in their life. John Page, a manager for a market research firm called Youth Insights at Yankelvoich, states, "Teens have a strong sense that they are going to be able to accomplish things in their lifetimes that other generations didn't" (USA Weekend, June 8-10, 2007). Millennials have a positive outlook for their future, which includes the type of career they will have and how that career will bring them wealth and security.

According to a Yankelvoich study:

• 60% of teens believe that they'll be rich someday. They believe that their job (at the present) will be a stepping-stone to a path of success for tomorrow.
• Nearly 70% of 16- to 19- year olds say they work hard to come on top in every situation, vs. 54% of 30- to 39- year olds.
• Of teens ages 16 to 19, over 4 million work part time, almost 2 million work full time, and a little over one million are still looking for work.

How does this affect the Church? Many young Christians need good counseling about how to use what God is providing for them. A study by the VNU Business Media & Harrison Group shows that teens spend most of their cash on clothes, food, cars, movies, and cell phones. One of the things I discovered as a college Resident Director at a Christian school was how uninformed most college students were about finances. Many, and I do mean many, had loans for college but had no idea how much they had to pay back or what the cost for living would be once they left school. So, with the help of some college students, we developed seminars for our senior class. We brought in financial advisers to answer questions about loans. We tapped into our career advisor center to share about the "real world" and what costs were out there. Churches can do the same thing to help young adults in their community. Here are a few ideas:

• Provide financial seminars at your church. You can advertise on your local college campus. You would be amazed at who will come when free financial help is offered.
• Bring a financial advisor into your Sunday school class. Maybe you have someone in your church who is willing to share their expertise with young adults. Many loan companies are more than willing to give their time to help in this area. It's a great contact for them and it meets a need for your people.
• If you have a mentorship program going, do not neglect the area of finances. Mentor relationships are not only for spiritual guidance but also for practical mentoring.

These are just a few ideas, and I'm sure you can come up with more. Remember that Millennials are very focused on their future, and when the Church takes an interest in them, they see the Church as an ally to help them to navigate through life.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 16, 2007 at 5:46 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.