Bob's Blog

If you haven't heard already, I'm sure that someone will tell you that Momentum West was a huge success! God truly blessed the time as young Christians gathered together in worship and hearing God's call to reach the lost. For many that participated, this was the first time they had experienced a diverse culture or seen those who call the street their home, or encountered others who believed in another god. I hope you have the chance to talk with those that came to Momentum West and to hear the things that the Lord was revealing to them. If you're thinking about attending Momentum East, I would encourage you to go and be a part of what the Lord is doing through young people.

I came across an article that I think all denominations and other church groups (read Fellowships) would find interesting. The article, entitled Pastors Use Different Approaches to Retain, Woo Baptist, can be accessed at www.whittierdailynews.com.

The article contrasted two pastors within the Southern Baptist denomination. Both are in their 30's with growing congregations and are conservative in their theology, but they are very different in how they lead their ministry. One pastor led his congregation to sell their church and move into a high school. He wears casual clothing when he preaches and is environmentally concerned about our planet. The other pastor leads with hymns, teaches in a suit and tie, and questions the theories of global warming. The article states that this situation reflects the Southern Baptists' struggle with the direction and identity of their denomination, explaining that, "After five decades of growth, membership fell last year...growing numbers of Baptists see apparent lack of relevancy, and they blame not secular America and liberals but themselves for the problem."

The rest of the article talks about what the SBC is doing to turn the tide of dwindling membership and falling numbers of baptisms, but it is the words of their newly elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Rev. Johnny Hunt, that is the key to the article. In 1994, the Rev. Hunt established a pastor's school to recruit younger leadership for the Southern Baptist denomination. He is quoted as saying, "If we think the only ones leading are like us, then we're pretty narrow." He goes on to say, "We've tried to push them into our mold instead of letting them use their own creativity." Pastor Greear, one of the pastors highlighted in the article, shares how he wants the community his church is a part of to see his church as a positive and not a negative. He doesn't want people to see Southern Baptist preacher as "[an] angry guy with coifed hair and out-of-style suit who likes to pick on things." He still believes in the Southern Baptist identity and sees teaching the Scriptures, "...without compromising God's message..." as his duty as a pastor.

This is not an unusual situation for denominational churches. Many are seeking some answers for their diminishing memberships. Some think the answer is to break up denominations or churches that agree to work within a shared theological distinctive. I don't hold to that position. Too many of these churches lead independent congregations that connect with no one except those that meet their own church's need. Still, the facts are glaring: since the Gen X generation, the Church has been decreasing in numbers across denominational landscape, and Christianity is no longer seen as a viable faith among young Americans. The Southern Baptists are looking to fill the future void in leadership by targeting young potential leaders. Hopefully, other Christian denominations and churches that gather under a "fellowship" will follow in their footsteps before young Christians go to other places to find their voice.

Here are some articles and books I've come across the past few weeks that have some great insights and helps on Millennials.


Millennial Makeover: My Space, YouTube, & The Future of American Politics by Morely Winograd and Michael D. Hais

Millennials Incorporated: The Big Business of Recruiting, Managing and Retaining North America's New Generation of Young Professionals by Lisa Orrell

A Brief Guide for Teaching Millennial Learners by J. Bradley Garner

The "Millennials" Are Coming - A segment on the program of 60 Minutes originally aired November 11, 2007 and updated May 23, 2008
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/08/60minutes/main3475210.shtml

American Camp Association - An interview with Neil Howe
www.acacamps.org/campmag/0701howe.php


If you have resources pertaining to Millennials, college-age or twenty-somethings, you can send them my way and I'll post them on this blog for those who are looking for ministry resources with this age group.

Here's the final observation on churches that are Millennial-led. These churches are:

• Consumers - They are very similar to their parents in that they are market-driven. The difference is that their consumerism is also driven by choice. They still expect churches to provide a variety of ministries that will allow them to pick and choose what best suits them and offer the intimacy of close relationships. It's not unusual to see a Millennial-led church dominated by small group ministry and to have a number of traditional ministries (i.e Sunday school, midweek service, outreaches, etc...).
• Artistic - The word design comes to mind when I think about this generation. The arts are not just for the artistic. Being creative is part of the Millennial church. That might come through the look and feel of their place of worship (be it a house, a cafe, a building, etc...), how they express themselves in worship, or how they evaluate life. They see themselves as the Offspring of the Creator, so the arts play a vital role for them.
• Young - I know, this seems pretty obvious, but it is who they are so you've got to know this about them. The oldest are in their mid-twenties with miles to go in front of them. What their church looks like today will not be what it will look like in ten or twenty years.

I'll be looking at twenty-something churches in the next few months, with staff interviews, ministry observations and characteristics of what makes these churches unique.