If you’ve been to Impact Church then you’ve probably heard the alarming statistics about how disconnected the newest generation of Americans are to the Church, God, Jesus or anything and everything “Christian.” And it’s true—they are. But the remedy for this is not to swing the pendulum toward Millennials (Yes, they have a name) to the exclusion of everyone else.
Surprised?
You shouldn’t be. Truth is, the healthiest possible church is one that is multigenerational. The church is (and ought to be) a multigenerational community. Unfortunately, dominant forces in our society constantly conspire to pull the generations apart. But the gospel has a unique power and ability to bring them back together again! And guess what? The people of Impact are really beginning to see this!
This week I was so proud of our Impactors! I talked to many of them by phone or in person to get a feel for how outreach minded versus inward focused we seemed to be. By far and away, people expressed joy in having the same heart and mission as Christ Jesus who, “came to seek and to save that which was lost.” And they seemed to understand that Millennials are not more important or less important—they’re just more endangered!
So how do we make sure that every generation is ministered to while at the same time keeping a watch over the most desperate generation in the history of America?
And listen, this matters because God has called Impact to be a effective community that grows large AND small at the same time. Large, as we keep bringing in the lost and de-churched of all ages—small, as we purposefully keep our services between 200 – 300 and encourage people to get to know each other, as well as pointing everyone toward Impact Lifegroups. Remember, fellowship and discipleship happens best in smaller groups.
So what’s the best way for each generation to flourish and grow? Find someone from another generation and reach out to them. If you’re a boomer, why not mentor a group of gen Xer’s? If you’re an Xer (it’s a word now!) why not start a Life group for Millennials? There’s wisdom that naturally comes from the longer we have been on this journey with Christ, and those who are older ought to build into those who are younger. Isn’t that what families do?
Sure it is—healthy ones anyway.
Anyway, just a few thoughts that have been rolling around in my head of late. If you want to read more on this, there is an excellent article by blogger George Paul Wood. Here is a brief snippet to get you started:
What are some of the things that make it difficult for churches to become multi-generational?
The first is space. Many people don’t live near their extended families. They are cut off from day-to-day relationships with their grandparents, parents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. Instead, they live in suburban neighborhoods where most of the people are strangers who occupy the same demographic niche as they do.
The second is time. Americans are very busy people. Between working itself and commuting to and from work, many people have little time for leisure. But that’s what multigenerational family time is: leisure time.
The third is desire. Marketing experts spend billions of dollars to create niche markets for their products, especially their media products. In the heyday of primetime television programming, the entire family could sit down to watch Ozzie & Harriet, Little House on the Prairie, or The Cosby Show. Now, however, television shows are narrowly marketed to the generations. Would you really want to watch The OC with your grandmother? [This was originally written in 2007.]
The fourth is style. Different generations dress differently, talk differently, listen to different music, and communicate differently. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, but older adults don’t like loud music, and younger adults can’t seem to go without blaring their car stereos and iPods all day long.
As Christians, we are subject to these social forces as well. But the gospel is a spiritual force around which we can all unite. In 1 John 2:12-14, John addresses all his readers as “children,” but then he distinguishes between them based on their ages as “fathers” and “young men.”
I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father.
I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
Again, there’s more to this complex issue than one or two posts can address, but suffice it to say, ignoring the issue won’t make it go away. Christians need to care enough to hit it head on—with grace, love and understanding for not only what makes us different, but for all we have in common in Christ Jesus. After all, heaven will be a hodgepodge—people from every race and every tongue—from every nation and from every point in history. All with the most important thing in common—Jesus Christ, the Savior of us all!
For more from George Paul Wood on this topic go here.