Ministering to Millennials

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1 Ministering to Millennials James M. Hein I. Intro to the Millennials A) Why is this important? Why is this important? Diana Butler Bass quote 1

2 Churches in the Southern Baptist Convention, the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church, and the conservative Presbyterian Church in America are reporting losses that resemble declines their mainline counterparts suffered in the 1970s. New megachurches spring up and are successful for a time until they are forced to close down and sell their buildings. Even the Catholic Church has barely maintained its share of the population, mostly because immigrant Catholics offset the massive loss of U.S. born members. (Diana Butler Bass. Christianity After Religion, pgs ) Why is this important? Diana Butler Bass quote The average person in America in recent years is a non-committed Christian Millennials have noticed this, are disgusted, and are opting out across the board I. Intro to the Millennials Who are they? 2

3 Who are they? Age parameters Frequently criticized today Self-identify as discontinuously different from previous generations Cable television entrepreneur Bob Buford said that, in his surveying, when the Elder generation was asked to describe themselves, the most commonly used words/phrases were: World War II and Depression, smarter, honest, work ethic, and values and morals. Boomers described their generation using terms like work ethic, respectful, values and morals, and smarter. Busters (or Gen X) used terms like technology use, work ethic, conservative or traditional, smarter, and respectful. And then he noted Millennials. The phrases they most commonly used? Technology use, music and pop culture, liberal or tolerant, smarter, and clothes. He concluded, Where has respectful gone? Where is work ethic? To me, this shows that the next generation is not just sort of different; they are discontinuously different. (Kinnaman, You Lost Me, pgs ) Who are they? Age parameters Frequently criticized today Self-identify as discontinuously different from previous generations Different due to parent relationships & different levels of access 3

4 DISCUSSION I, A I. Intro to the Millennials B) What is their perception of Christianity and its churches? 4

5 Millennial Perception of Church Too Shallow Bill Hybels on programs Significant drop in participation from teens to twenties They don t see Christianity as delivering the goods when it comes to making life (or the world) better. Millennial Perception of Church Anti-Sexual Churches often perceived as prudish Research suggests that sexual activity of evangelical youth mirrors that of secular youth Homosexuality is cherry-picked as sin Millennial Perception of Church Inability to Express Doubts Good Questions are often criticized as lack of faith Millennials are constantly questioning 5

Millennial Perception of Church Hypocritical Hypocrisy is universally disgusting Gabe Lyons quote from Unchristian Of course, during his time on earth, Jesus experienced criticism too.

6 Millennial Perception of Church Hypocritical Hypocrisy is universally disgusting Gabe Lyons quote from Unchristian Of course, during his time on earth, Jesus experienced criticism too. But the negative perceptions he inspired seem fundamentally different from what we deal with in America today. I imagine Jesus and his early followers were much more likely to be perceived as lunatics, radicals, rebels, and cultists than to be thought of as hypocritical. (Lyons, unchristian, pg. 45 Millennial Perception of Church Judgmental/Exclusive Millennials look for inclusion, not difference What kind of humor is allowed amongst Millennials? If you don t like something, don t criticize, do better 6

7 Millennial Perception of Church Too Political (i.e. using force to get your way) Many Millennials aren t interested in politics, a reaction of disgust over polarization (i.e. fighting and judgment) Millennials LOVED Obama and got him elected NO political party encapsulates the gospel Millennial Perception of Church Bad Attempts at Cool Millennials DO respect their elders Traditional vs. Contemporary? Attempting to look cool is not cool. Attempting to look anything is uncool think hipster. Be you. Millennial Perception of Church Unable to Adapt with Times Choices Changes practical, not doctrinal Willingness to walk 7

8 DISCUSSION I, B II. Refresher on Apologetics What does it mean to believe? We ve lost the meaning What does it mean to believe? We ve lost the meaning. Quote from Diana Butler Bass on original meaning of credo 8

9 Latin used credo, I set my heart upon or I give my loyalty to, as the word to describe religious believing, that is, faith. Thus, in previous centuries, belief had nothing to do with one s weighing of evidence or intellectual choice. Belief was not a doctrinal test. Instead, belief was more like a marriage vow I do as a pledge of faithfulness and loving service to and with the other. (Bass, Christianity After Religion, pg. 117) What does it mean to believe? We ve lost the meaning. Quote from Diana Butler Bass on original meaning of credo. faith in a chair Lexical Definition 9

10 What does it mean to believe? We ve lost the meaning. Quote from Diana Butler Bass on original meaning of credo. EXAMPLE: faith in a chair Lexicon Definition Johannes Andreas Quenstedt Quote knowledge, assent, and confidence (or trust) (TDP, pars IV, cap. VIII, sect. 1, thes. V, p 282) What does it mean to believe? We ve lost the meaning. The Difference Between Faith and Knowledge 10

11 What does it mean to believe? We ve lost the meaning. Faith is based on knowledge, but goes beyond. Science can only measure that which is quantifiably knowable. But this falls short. What does it mean to believe? We ve lost the meaning. We all MUST act on faith in life. We do this thousands of times every day. II. Refresher on Apologetics We re ALL acting in faith. This isn t a matter of proofs. It s a matter of Pointers. 11

12 We re ALL acting on faith. This isn t a matter of proofs. It s a matter of pointers. Cosmological Argument, i.e. everything that has a beginning must have a cause We re ALL acting on faith. This isn t a matter of proofs. It s a matter of pointers. Anthropological Argument, i.e. fine tuning We re ALL acting on faith. This isn t a matter of proofs. It s a matter of pointers. Morality Argument, i.e. from where comes good and evil 12

13 DISCUSSION II III. Common & Unique Struggles of Millennials (and some defeaters) Money (Common) Illustration of Doctor Arthur Brooks Who Really Cares 13

14 Bible is Old-Fashioned (Common) Illustration of Yearbook Picture Illustration of rapidly advancing technology Science is TRUE Authority (Common since 20 th century) Dead Man Walking Illustration Slavery (Unique) Misreading of slavery What caused the West to abolish slavery? 14

15 Ministry Forms (Unique) For the sake of the gospel, be careful about insisting on forms. Sex (Unique) Sex is NOT dirty Sex is powerful Issue of Design Approach to Confrontation (Unique) Keller s idea: Affirm & Reject 15

Our premises must be drawn wholly from the Bible, yet we will always find some things in a culture s beliefs that are roughly true, things on which we can build our critique.

16 Our premises must be drawn wholly from the Bible, yet we will always find some things in a culture s beliefs that are roughly true, things on which we can build our critique. We will communicate something like this: You see this A belief you have? The Bible says the same thing so we agree. However if A is true, then why do you not believe B? The Bible teaches B, and if A is true, then it is not right, fair, or consistent for you to reject B. If you believe this how can you not believe that? We reveal inconsistencies in the cultural beliefs and assumptions about reality. With the authority of the Bible we allow one part of the culture along with the Bible to critique another part. The persuasive force comes from basing our critique on something we can affirm within our culture. (Timothy Keller, Center Church, pg. 125) Spiritual Growth (Unique) Organic growth. Immediate satisfaction? Authority (Unique) Traditional Authority Structures have failed them. FEELINGS become the common denominator of authority Consequently, today, many FEEL justified to stand in judgment of God. 16

17 Morality (Unique) If God and Freud and Nietzsche and Dostoevsky agree, then DISCUSSION III IV. My Top Recommendations Concerning Millennials 17

18 Connect Faith to Life Gospel is NOT Christianity 101; it s EVERYTHING Must push gospel into every corner of lives Reclaim Fellowship as a Positive Thing Negative WELS connotation? Fellowship is beautiful to relational Millennials Church Experience Must Be More Relational Thom Rainer quote 18

The best motivators in the workplace for this generation are relationships. The best connectors in religious institutions are relationships.

19 The best motivators in the workplace for this generation are relationships. The best connectors in religious institutions are relationships. The best way to get a Millennial involved in a service, activity, or ministry is through relationship. (Rainer, The Millennials, pg. 105) Church Experience Must Be More Relational Thom Rainer quote Friend s negative experience Millennials do relationships differently Talk About Sex Positively S-E-X was a dirty word growing up Need proper theology of sex Need to educate about pornography 19

20 Socratic Learning Experience Thus sayeth the Lord doesn t work anymore. Don t tell them. Show them. Connect Service to Evangelism NY Times Quote "We're on the crux of something big, because these Millennials are going to take this spirit of giving and wanting to change communities and they're going to become parents soon. I am very encouraged by what we're seeing. (Wendy Spencer, CEO Corporation of National and Community Service) 20

Connect Service to Evangelism NY Times Quote Rodney Stark quote alien to paganism was the notion that because God loves humanity, Christians cannot please God unless they love one another.

21 Connect Service to Evangelism NY Times Quote Rodney Stark quote alien to paganism was the notion that because God loves humanity, Christians cannot please God unless they love one another. Indeed, as God demonstrates his love through sacrifice, humans must demonstrate their love through sacrifice on behalf of one another. (Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity, pg. 86) Connect Service to Evangelism NY Times Quote Rodney Stark quote Millennials are uniquely calibrated to show genuine love to mankind. 21

22 Be Sensitive To Their Tolerant Disposition Tolerance/Inclusion IS good Tolerance can be bad Affirm what is good, but gently correct what is bad, showing, not just telling Redemption and Renovation, Not Avoidance They re done being bubble-wrapped Let them be Christian ambassadors Importance of Vocation & Illustration of Adam Make Christianity As Dramatic As It Is Millennials seem to care, about everything let them be heroes in an important narrative Christianity is NOT boring Epistle to Diognetus quote 22

23 They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. (Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus) Update Catechism To Include Apologetics Luther s Small Catechism isn t great apologetics resource New Atheism is particularly hostile Don t have to completely reinvent wheel Possess & Demonstrate Willingness To Change The Gospel never changes Everything else not only can, but often must 23

24 DISCUSSION IV V. Final Thoughts 24

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: A Survey Highlighting Christian Perceptions on Criminal Justice

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: A Survey Highlighting Christian Perceptions on Criminal Justice Fielded by Barna for Prison Fellowship in June 2017 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS Overall, practicing, compared to the general