Bob's Blog

Reading for me is like sitting down to a plate of chili con carne, papas, and beans - I just can't get enough of it, especially when I'm reading on the topic of Millennials. There are many books out there that focus on the characteristic habits of Millennials, and you can spend countless hours (not to mention money) browsing the bookstores, trying to decide which one is worth your time to read. So, I decided to give you a little help by offering my "best of the best" list of books on Millennials. Here are a few books to get you started.


Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation by Howe & Strauss. Actually, you should grab anything they put out and imediately sit down with a cup of coffee to read it. This book is considered the groundbreaker on Millennials.

Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from Late Teen Years through the Twenties by Jeffery Jensen Arnett. He's done more on revealing the cultural habits of Gen X and Gen Y than MTV, TMZ, and the CW combined. Okay, he's another one I would recommend you buy whatever he puts out.

Mind Your X's and Y's: Satisfying the 10 Cravings of a New Generation of Consumers by Lisa Johnson. I put this book on my list because it gives you a perspective that's different from the others. Millennials are the most marketed generation ever, and they know it. Her Reach Group research makes investing in the book worth it.

Generation Me by Jean Twenge. I threw this one in because not all who follow this generation think they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. The book contains a lot of great insights to potential pitfalls for this generation's future.


In another post, I'll share my "best of the best" on Millennials in the Church. If you have other book suggestions, I'd love to hear about some other great books to read on Gen Y. Remember, reading is power.

Recently, I've been subbing at a Christian school in the history department. Sometimes, I'll open the class by directing their attention to the latest news around our world. My aim is to try to connect history (aka. "Why do we have to learn about old dead people?") to their world. Lately, I've talked about current primaries for each of the major political parties. The students aren't really clear about certain issues but seem to know who the candidates are, even if only because they've heard the pros and cons from their parents.

Most high school students are just beginning to grapple with issues related to government and economics, since they usually start taking these subjects in their senior year. By the time they are heading to college, most have some opinion about politics and some will be a part of the political process, whether through campus organizations or by some other means.

This year's candidates are recruiting heavily among young people, and many are trying to be candidates of "change," which resonates deeply with college age. Understanding how and why a younger generation becomes involved with politics can be a doorway into seeing the social landscape for a future generation. Churches should take note of young people as a whole and not put them into "compartments." We still need to reach and meet spiritual aspirations of younger generations, but this group sees themselves as a connected individual, which makes them a connected community. For Gen Y, such issues as health care, job security, terrorism, and debt make up the whole of who they are, just as much as their spiritual journey.

If you like to read more about Gen Y's thoughts concerning social issues, politics, and the current topics of the day, here are a few articles that a friend sent me. Business Week has a great write up on young adults and what concerns them the most today. Another article on The Hill reports on "Gen X and Gen Y Heading for Congress in November." These young people make up a generation that wants to change the wrongs in their world and is driven by social action. Though they may not picket the streets, they are a generation of doers. How we as the Church tap into this quality of theirs will determine much of what the Church will look like in the 21st Century.

A question that I'm always asked by volunteer workers with college-age ministry is,"Do you know where I can find curriculum?" College-age ministry (normally ages 18-25) is a growing segment within churches that is often run by volunteers. Unlike paid staff, whose jobs allow for them to write their own curriculum, volunteers already work a full time job and don't have the time or the background to write fresh materials for their studies.

Some volunteers have surfed on the web to find their curriculum but have a hard time finding good resources. Most resources they do find are either senior high materials adapted for college-age or are simply not very good curriculum. Videos have been the main staple for teaching this age group, with Rob Bell's Nooma videos being among the best sellers (Rob Bell is the pastor of Mars Hill church in Michigan). The problem with most videos series is that they don't come with extended curriculum beyond the video and often fall short of solid teaching for a group that is looking to be challenged in their faith.

So where can one go to find good curriculum material for college-age ministries? One resource I'm finding to be a tremendous help in this area is a website called http://www.collegeleader.org/, run by Chuck Bomar, who has had years of experience in college ministries. He is a frequent speaker at conferences around the country on college ministries. He has published articles for major youth magazines on college-age issues . He is in the middle of writing his first book on college ministries and is finishing his work as college pastor at Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California. His web site is becoming a resource hub for those who are looking for mentoring (which I am involved in), networking, and resources, especially curriculum. The best part is that many of the materials are either free or cost a dollar to download.

Take the time to check out his website. If you are looking for more resources than what the page offers, feel free to email him to find other places where you can find good, solid curriculum for your college ministry.

Happy New Year everyone. I hope the coming year will bring joy to you and your family. Here's a overview of an article that I read in USA Weekend.

There is no doubt about it. I stink at video games. To prove my point, grade school kids have humbled me repeatedly, showing me no mercy with Xbox, Wii, and any other tech games that require a joystick. The worst part about it is that they mock me after they win, as if I disappointed them by not providing enough of a challenge for them. I say pick on someone your own size! Someday I'll get the hang of it, but not because I want to crush some kids dream of becoming the next Super Mario Galaxy champion. I like to stretch myself and keep learning.

Do you ever think about what it will be like here in America ten years from now? What are kids going to be like? Kids learn differently now than they did in any other previous generation in the U.S. They are a part of the digital age, using interactive games, talking books, and the Internet to learn. Gary Knell, CEO of Sesame Workshop, which addresses children's critical developmental needs through programs like Sesame Street, shared about this new transition in learning when he said,"Adults are immigrants and kids are natives." Other statistics support this. According to Kaiser Family Foundation report, American kids ages 8 to 18 spend on average 44.5 hours in front of a screen (USA Weekend, December 14-16, 2007), and the Entertainment Software Association claims that one third of video game players are under the age of 18.

Some experts in child development are wondering if this is good for children. They believe that the quick, constant stimulus of video media will hurt children's learning skills (Parent Coaching Institute). One study even suggested that Baby Einstein and Baby Genius actually hampered children's language development. Others have a different view, suggesting that a more healthy balance between electronic media and conventional learning is what parents should strive to teach their kids. Lisa Guernesy who authored the book, Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time affects Children from Birth to Age Five, suggests parents remember "the three C's: content, context, and your child." Judging from the concerns many parents have about too much screen time and those who are advocates of technology as a teaching tool, this seems to be the next big battle ground.

For the Church, we must consider another cultural trend. How much will technology play a part in local churches? How is the Internet playing a role for churches today? Are there hurdles that churches will face with younger Millennials? If kids are growing up with shorter attention spans (as some research suggest) but desire to engage in worship service, how will this affect the Sunday morning hour? Many churches are starting to wrestle with some of these questions. There are even conferences that help churches deal with the coming "digital age" nation. Ten years ago, Millennials were in high school and were champions of Nintendo and PlayStation. Now it's their younger cousins in elementary school who are kings of Wii and carry their own cell phones. Times change quickly, and for the Church, a whole new era is on the horizon.