Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
In a very short period of time the Millennial generation will be the largest segment of clergy, says Wesley Theological Seminary President David McAllister-Wilson. Therefore, the key question for the church is no longer "How can we attract Millennials?" but rather "What kind of church will Millennials lead?"
As churches of all denominations struggle to turn around their aging congregations, a lot of hope is invested in attracting those born between 1982 and 2002. To some young visitors, an encounter with an old congregation may seem like an ecclesiastical zombie movie — the walking dead grasping for the living to survive. If I were a member of that generation, I’d run screaming.
The millennial generation is itself a disruptive innovation. The challenge for the last act of the retiring baby boomer generation of seminary and church leaders is determining how to enable and empower this generation to disrupt us.
Wesley Seminary has embarked on a major Lilly Endowment–funded research project to learn with faith communities how to build relationships, dream, and create with young adults. Together, teams from these congregations have formed the Wesley Innovation Hub, through which we are exploring not just what Millennials in our neighborhoods value and need but what we can build with Millennials. Because, in a very short period of time, this generation will be the largest segment of clergy. Instead of asking: “How can we attract Millennials?” we are asking “What kind of church will Millennials lead?”1. Millennials are searching for a deep and authentic faith.
Kenda Creasy Dean, a leading researcher in youth and young adult ministry, has drawn some sobering conclusions about youth and young adults in mainline Protestant churches and why we lose them. In her book Almost Christian, she writes, “We’ve successfully convinced teenagers that religious participation is important for moral formation and for making nice people. What we have been less able to convey to young people is faith.”
The current form and practices of the institutional church are not working. It can’t be assumed that the faith Kenda talks about will come in the way it might have for previous generations. Like the second-generation Korean-American students in our seminary, Millennials honor the faith of their fathers and mothers but are looking for a faith that speaks to their hearts.
2. Millennials want to save the world, not the church.
The stereotype of this generation is legions of young college graduates who want to work for nonprofits or international nongovernmental organizations. I’ve seen many come to Washington, DC. But like all generations, Millennials are not all the same. Many enter the military and intelligence agencies with a post-9/11 desire to serve. Millennials are less liberal/progressive than the previous two generations at their same age. Yet some are the energy behind the new civil rights movements, such as Black Lives Matter. Many are the Dreamers, the children of undocumented immigrants. This is the generation of LGBTQ who will not stay in the closet. Millennials are the first generation since World War II who experienced a prolonged period of joblessness. They want to see change yet don’t trust established institutions to deliver. That includes the church.
3. Millennials have moved beyond the faith versus works debate.
The great debate that produced Protestantism was over the question of what is necessary for salvation. Martin Luther took his stand on sola fide, “faith alone.” We hear a distorted modern version of this from many people among my generation and older: “I come to church to be fed spiritually. I don’t want to hear about social issues from the pulpit. It’s fine for the church to do good work, but there are nonprofits that do that kind of thing. The focus of the church should be on building up faith.” But many Millennials don’t differentiate between building faith and doing good work.
Millennials as disruptive innovation
“The church is always just one generation from extinction.” This statement is so ubiquitous in Christianity the original source can’t be determined. But as Millennials rise to leadership they should consider that Christianity has within itself the capacity for its own renewal. Every new movement in Christianity grew as a new shoot on the old vine: from Saint Francis to Luther and Wesley; from the secret worship services of slaves to the church communities in Latin America who lead resistance movements to the cell churches in China. All have drawn from the inherently subversive message of the gospel.
The millennial generation is itself a disruptive innovation. The challenge for the last act of the retiring baby boomer generation of seminary and church leaders is determining how to enable and empower this generation to disrupt us.
This article is adapted from David McAllister-Wilson’s book A New Church and A New Seminary: Theological Education Is the Solution (Abingdon Press, 2018). Used by permission. The book is available at Cokesbury and Amazon.
Related Resource:
- Millennials Seek Larger Framework to Understand God by Chris Folmsbee
- Think Bigger: The Challenge of Reaching Millennials by David McAllister-Wilson
Read more.
Did Jesus Invent the Pyramid Scheme? by Stephanie Remington
While the idea of a pyramid scheme may bring to mind shady dealings and unsavory characters, Stephanie Remington of the Lewis Center staff sees genius in the idea of building influence through friendships. She says utilizing our existing networks is a perfectly natural way to grow the church and identify new leaders -- a method established by Jesus himself.
Ah, the all-too-familiar knock at the door that interrupted our Saturday morning cartoons. My dad could politely reject the vacuum cleaner guy without a flinch. But the Avon lady? My dad didn’t stand a chance. Why?
The vacuum cleaner guy was a stranger. We’d never met him before and we would probably never see him again. But the Avon lady? She was a well-known member of our small community. She banked, retrieved mail, and dined at the same establishments we did. Her children and I went to the same school. Most importantly, she was my mother’s friend. With a rap at the door she marched right into our living room, took her familiar place in the recliner, and opened her Mary Poppins bag. I eagerly plopped myself down at her feet to discover what new thing had come in since her last visit as my mother fetched her a glass of iced tea. She would show us bracelets and necklaces and holiday pins that cleverly opened to reveal perfumed salve for fragrant wrists. She was a little girl’s fairy godmother because she always had a magical way of convincing my mother that she had just the thing we’d both been looking for.
The genius of the Avon lady’s success was not just in the bond of a single friendship. The genius was in the network of relationships that could be formed through one friend. You see, if she could convince my mother to sell the product, they would both receive free and discounted merchandise while at the same time earning commission. And if my mother could convince her friends to sell stuff to their friends, the Avon lady, my mother, and my mother’s other friends would all get more free and reduced products and earn even more commission. And on it goes until one has built an empire. We call this marketing strategy the Pyramid Scheme.
After some quality time of learning from Jesus one of the disciples, Andrew, becomes so inspired he decides he needs to tell somebody about it. The text says, “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’
And he brought him to Jesus.” Now Simon begins to learn the ways of Jesus. Add another layer to the pyramid.
The next day, Jesus ran into Philip and invited him to follow. Philip said, “Okay!” Hello, tier three. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one!” Nathanael was unconvinced, but because of his relationship with Philip he accepted the invitation to check it out anyhow. Despite his skepticism, Jesus reeled him in, too.
A natural way to grow the church
Now tell me Jesus isn’t the author of the pyramid scheme! Because here we are more than 2,000 years later, disciples of disciples of disciples, the ongoing koinonia or fellowship of Jesus continuing the mission of introducing our friends to Jesus.
Utilizing our existing networks to invite others to learn at Jesus’ feet is a perfectly natural way to grow the church and identify leadership for ministry. Christ’s church wasn’t born out of a vacuum; it was built out of relationships of friends who had friends who had friends who knew that Jesus had just what they’d been looking for.
Related Resources:
The Right Question:
Leaders do not need answers. Leaders must have the right questions.
In reflecting on the contemporary meaning of the Protestant Reformation, ethicist Margaret A. Farley challenges us to look for reforms that are needed today. She offers some questions to help.
Now Available --
"Protect, Sustain, Grow: Best Practices for Handling Your Church's Money" Video Tool Kit"
Managing church finances requires skill, dedication, and know-how, but also the heart of a steward. Protect, Sustain, Grow: Best Practices for Handling Your Church's Moneyprovides practical advice, best practices, and resources for pastors, finance committee members, church treasurers, financial secretaries, and bookkeepers -- all those charged with the sacred trust of protecting, sustaining, and growing the resources God has entrusted to your church.
Learn more and watch an introductory video.
50 Ways to Strengthen Ministry with Youth
How can your church help youth claim a vital faith? No question is more critical to the future of the church. Learn effective tips your congregation can use to improve ministry with teens and their families in "50 Ways to Strengthen Ministry with Youth."
Read now and download free.
Quotable Leadership:
Any person who is willing to take personal responsibility, convene a group to work on a tough problem, and persist in the face of resistance is a leader. (Tod Bolsinger)
"More Church Leaders | Stronger Church Leaders" Video Tool Kit
Learn strategies to identify and support new leaders and build and maintain effective ministry teams. More Church Leaders | Stronger Church Leaders helps clergy and lay leaders, in churches both large and small, discover a more synergistic and fruitful way of being in ministry together. The tool kit includes engaging videos, handouts, and supplementary materials.
Learn more and watch videos previews.
LPLI Helps Good Clergy Become Better
LPLI, the Lewis Pastoral Leadership Inventory, is a confidential, online, 360° leadership development instrument. It helps pastoral leaders improve their ministry effectiveness by identifying individual strengths and weaknesses within a three-fold understanding of fruitful leadership encompassing Character, Competence, and Contribution. Users receive a personalized leadership profile report that can be used for self-discovery, gathering feedback from others, setting goals for improvement, identifying continuing education needs, and tracking progress over time. LPLI is customizable for groups, and CEU credit is available.
Learn more now.
While the idea of a pyramid scheme may bring to mind shady dealings and unsavory characters, Stephanie Remington of the Lewis Center staff sees genius in the idea of building influence through friendships. She says utilizing our existing networks is a perfectly natural way to grow the church and identify new leaders -- a method established by Jesus himself.
Ah, the all-too-familiar knock at the door that interrupted our Saturday morning cartoons. My dad could politely reject the vacuum cleaner guy without a flinch. But the Avon lady? My dad didn’t stand a chance. Why?
While we might scoff at the idea of exploiting our friendships to make money or to get free stuff, I’m pretty sure the original pyramid scheme was Jesus’ idea.
Utilizing our existing networks to invite others to learn at Jesus’ feet is a perfectly natural way to grow the church and identify leadership for ministry.
The genius of the Avon ladyThe vacuum cleaner guy was a stranger. We’d never met him before and we would probably never see him again. But the Avon lady? She was a well-known member of our small community. She banked, retrieved mail, and dined at the same establishments we did. Her children and I went to the same school. Most importantly, she was my mother’s friend. With a rap at the door she marched right into our living room, took her familiar place in the recliner, and opened her Mary Poppins bag. I eagerly plopped myself down at her feet to discover what new thing had come in since her last visit as my mother fetched her a glass of iced tea. She would show us bracelets and necklaces and holiday pins that cleverly opened to reveal perfumed salve for fragrant wrists. She was a little girl’s fairy godmother because she always had a magical way of convincing my mother that she had just the thing we’d both been looking for.
The genius of the Avon lady’s success was not just in the bond of a single friendship. The genius was in the network of relationships that could be formed through one friend. You see, if she could convince my mother to sell the product, they would both receive free and discounted merchandise while at the same time earning commission. And if my mother could convince her friends to sell stuff to their friends, the Avon lady, my mother, and my mother’s other friends would all get more free and reduced products and earn even more commission. And on it goes until one has built an empire. We call this marketing strategy the Pyramid Scheme.
Was the original pyramid scheme Jesus’ idea?
While we might scoff at the idea of exploiting our friendships to make money or to get free stuff, I’m pretty sure the original pyramid scheme was Jesus’ idea. Check out John 1: 35-46 (NIV).
The next day John the Baptist was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.
The first friend is the base of the pyramid. Just as the Avon lady had a relationship with my mother, Jesus already had a relationship established with John the Baptist. John sees Jesus walking by and says to two of his own disciples, “Look! The Lamb of God!” Or in my translation, “Look! That’s the one who has just what you’ve been looking for!” So, what do the two disciples do? They follow Jesus and begin to learn his ways. Add a layer to the pyramid.After some quality time of learning from Jesus one of the disciples, Andrew, becomes so inspired he decides he needs to tell somebody about it. The text says, “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’
And he brought him to Jesus.” Now Simon begins to learn the ways of Jesus. Add another layer to the pyramid.
The next day, Jesus ran into Philip and invited him to follow. Philip said, “Okay!” Hello, tier three. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one!” Nathanael was unconvinced, but because of his relationship with Philip he accepted the invitation to check it out anyhow. Despite his skepticism, Jesus reeled him in, too.
A natural way to grow the church
Now tell me Jesus isn’t the author of the pyramid scheme! Because here we are more than 2,000 years later, disciples of disciples of disciples, the ongoing koinonia or fellowship of Jesus continuing the mission of introducing our friends to Jesus.
Utilizing our existing networks to invite others to learn at Jesus’ feet is a perfectly natural way to grow the church and identify leadership for ministry. Christ’s church wasn’t born out of a vacuum; it was built out of relationships of friends who had friends who had friends who knew that Jesus had just what they’d been looking for.
Related Resources:
- More Church Leaders | Stronger Church Leaders Video Tool Kit
- 7 Steps for Making Disciples Through Relational Mentoring by Ken Carter and Audrey Warren
- Leadership Multiplication and the Way of Jesus by Dwight J. Zscheile
The Right Question:
Leaders do not need answers. Leaders must have the right questions.
In reflecting on the contemporary meaning of the Protestant Reformation, ethicist Margaret A. Farley challenges us to look for reforms that are needed today. She offers some questions to help.
- Where is the injury and what are its causes?
- Where is the apathy and what can awaken us?
- Where are the old and the new springs of life and how shall they be released?
"Protect, Sustain, Grow: Best Practices for Handling Your Church's Money" Video Tool Kit"
Managing church finances requires skill, dedication, and know-how, but also the heart of a steward. Protect, Sustain, Grow: Best Practices for Handling Your Church's Moneyprovides practical advice, best practices, and resources for pastors, finance committee members, church treasurers, financial secretaries, and bookkeepers -- all those charged with the sacred trust of protecting, sustaining, and growing the resources God has entrusted to your church.
Learn more and watch an introductory video.
How can your church help youth claim a vital faith? No question is more critical to the future of the church. Learn effective tips your congregation can use to improve ministry with teens and their families in "50 Ways to Strengthen Ministry with Youth."
How can your church help youth claim a vital faith? No question is more critical to the future of the church. Here are 50 Ways your congregation can strength ministry with teens and their families.
Honor the spiritually of youth
- Appreciate and validate youth as persons of sacred worth with legitimate spiritual needs and responses.
- Understand young persons as participants in ministry, not objects of ministry.
- Shake off stereotypes of youth as irreligious, rebellious and difficult.
- Don’t make young people be like you before they can be like Jesus.
- Don’t guess at young people’s needs. Solicit input and feedback from teens themselves, not just parents and adults leaders. Invite them to suggest ways the church can help them grow in faith.
- Appreciate that youth ministry is more than youth group. Encourage youth to be involved in all aspects of church life.
- Advocate for youth.
Equip parents to nurture their children’s faith
- Know that parental influence is the primary factor determining the religious commitment of youth, even for older teens.
- Support faith formation in the parents of youth. Getting parents involved and serious about their own faith is the best way to get youth involved and serious.
- Start a study group for parents of teens aimed at helping them understand how to nurture their teenagers’ spirituality.
- Provide resources for practicing and discussing faith at home — for praying together as a family, for observing Christian holidays, and conversing about faith issues.
- Consider an intergenerational format for Christian education that has youth and parents study together.
- Provide support groups and resources on family concerns and child-raising issues.
- Teach parents the importance of just hanging out with their kids.
“Get real” with Christian Education for youth
- Ask if your youth Sunday School curriculum is seriously addressing the questions kids are really asking.
- Honestly address issues related to sexuality. Offer a first-rate program on human sexuality to which parents would want to send their kids.
- Recognize that discussion and conversation are essential to faith formation.
- Use current events as discussion topics.
- Give teens permission to ask questions and talk about their doubts.
- Empower youth to rewrite hymns and prayers in ways that are meaningful to them.
- Get acquainted with the music kids spend their time listening to. Help youth make connections between their music and faith. Allow them to find their voice and worship God in their own musical languages and styles.
- Articulate the basic tenets of the faith clearly and often.
- Emphasize experience-centered learning. Faith must be experienced before it can be articulated. Experience is often more important than information about faith.
- Provide training in spiritual disciplines — prayer, Scripture reading, acts of mercy. Emphasize the practices of faith.
- Integrate “service learning” into Christian education to teach discipleship. Involve youth in planning and leading mission activities.
Provide excellent adult leadership for youth activities
- Recruit adult leaders for youth activities who are knowledgeable, committed, spiritually mature, and effective in communicating with young people. Don’t assume that a young adult is necessarily best suited for the job.
- Provide training for youth teachers and leaders, especially on discussion and listening skills.
- Perform required background checks for volunteers and staff working with youth. Implement policies and procedures to prevent child abuse.
- Invest in youth ministry. A meaningful commitment to reach youth must be reflected in your budget and staffing decisions and the commitment of the pastor’s time.
Make worship meaningful for young persons
- Give youth meaningful and visible roles as worship participants.
- Make youth worship experience-based. The elements of worship should all connect to a central message that causes the worshiper to make a connection with God.
- Use popular songs, movie clips, or poems to connect the message with the broader culture.
- Have youth write their own liturgies and prayers.
Create a sense of belonging for youth
- Youth ministry is about relationships. Relationships are more important than programs. Young persons are seeking a sense of belonging.
- Strive to integrate youth into the church as a whole. Youth programs should equip and empower youth as congregational participants, not isolate or “ghettoize” them.
- Be present for kids. Listen.
- Kids need and value stability, routines, and ritual, even if they don’t act like it.
- Combat cliquishness. Reinforce inclusiveness and acceptance of peers.
- Build group cohesiveness with retreats and mission trips providing opportunities for sustained interaction.
Cultivate competence in youth
- Build a sense of accomplishment among young persons with challenging music, drama, or service activities. The ability to develop “competence” is one of the hooks connecting kids to church.
- Give youth real responsibilities.
- Extend leadership opportunities to as many youth as possible. Give them an active role in the leadership and decision making of the church.
- Start a youth-led worship service.
Strive for effective Youth Fellowship
- Be consistent with your meeting times and place. Meeting at the church is often preferable to meeting in different homes because it is a well-known location and “neutral” territory.
- Divide junior high and senior high youth if possible. Older teens will tend to fall way from groups with many younger kids.
- Involve the youth in planning all their activities.
- Balance recreation, study, devotion and fellowship.
- Schedule a “big event” every month to make it easy for youth to invite their friends.
- Enlist parents as allies. Their support is critical.
- Have clear policies about behavioral boundaries and discipline.
Download a PDF of this page to share with others.
Read now and download free.Quotable Leadership:
Any person who is willing to take personal responsibility, convene a group to work on a tough problem, and persist in the face of resistance is a leader. (Tod Bolsinger)
Learn strategies to identify and support new leaders and build and maintain effective ministry teams. More Church Leaders | Stronger Church Leaders helps clergy and lay leaders, in churches both large and small, discover a more synergistic and fruitful way of being in ministry together. The tool kit includes engaging videos, handouts, and supplementary materials.
Learn more and watch videos previews.
LPLI, the Lewis Pastoral Leadership Inventory, is a confidential, online, 360° leadership development instrument. It helps pastoral leaders improve their ministry effectiveness by identifying individual strengths and weaknesses within a three-fold understanding of fruitful leadership encompassing Character, Competence, and Contribution. Users receive a personalized leadership profile report that can be used for self-discovery, gathering feedback from others, setting goals for improvement, identifying continuing education needs, and tracking progress over time. LPLI is customizable for groups, and CEU credit is available.
Learn more now.
Editor: Dr. Ann A. Michel
Copyright © 2004-2018 Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary
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