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Myth of the Millennial: Connecting Generations in the Church
In Myth of the Millennial, authors Rev. Ted and Chelsey Doering, Millennials themselves, invite churches to stop hitting the panic button and trying anything and everything to get Millennials to stay in or come back to church. Because connecting with the Millennial generation - their generation, their peers - is simpler than it seems. And don't worry, they won't prescribe expensive building renovations or a new wardrobe for your pastor. They do, however, explore common millennial stereotypes in the hopes of helping other generations better understand this lost generation. They also offer ideas on how to build strong intergenerational relationships to better equip Boomers and Gen-Xers to engage a generation that is generally apathetic and disinterested in the Church. Because, ultimately, all this talk about Millennials and generations is not about upping church attendance for the sake of numbers; it’s about one generation leading another to Christ.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 26, 2017
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January 9, 2020
Dear Millennials, Boomers, and Gen Xers who desire to see more Millennials (And Gen Zs) in the church: PICK UP THIS BOOK AND READ IT! Whether you are Lutheran or not, this book offers great insights—both practical and theological—into how we can begin to see more younger generations in the church. However, as the authors themselves warn, the goal of this book and YOUR goal is not solely to bring more youth into the church just for the sake of having more youth in the church. Rather, it is focused on relationship building through authenticity, community, and mentorship, all of which Millennials are eagerly searching for in a church body.
This book does not offer a silver bullet programme. To quote from Ted: silver bullets are for Lone Rangers and werewolves; they're not for the Church. Instead, Ted and Chelsey challenge all generations who read this book to overcome the stereotypes of our generational differences. Although there is some truth to every stereotype, Ted and Chelsey help bring you to begin seeing others as actual people rather than being limited down to stereotypes and statistics. Because whether you are a Millennial, Boomer, or Gen Xer, you are more than the stereotypes people label you with: you are a human being created in the image of God, whom the Father dearly loves. Again, although there is some truth to stereotypes, these stereotypes are not representative of the whole. One of the stereotypes of Millennials they explore, for example, is that all Millennials have an unhealthy sense of entitlement. While this is true for some, it is not true of all Millennials. As a Millennial myself, I don't feel entitled to anything and I have MANY Millennial friends who feel the same.
While Ted and Chelsey challenge you to move past these stereotypes and instead get to know Millennials as unique individuals, they also invite you to see the good our generational differences bring. For example, Millennials have grown up in a highly technological age whereas Boomers and Gen Xers have not. Older generations often highly criticise Millennials for spending a lot of time on their smartphones and social media (even though I often see more Boomers and Gen Xers staring at their smartphones in public settings more than I do Millennials). While this may be true for some Millennials, it is not true for all, and many Millennials have a lot of practical expertise to bring into the Church that will bring the Gospel to the world (remember that thing I said about stereotypes?).
Again, the goal of this book is not to develop some silver bullet programme that will bring more Millennials back into the Church, because there is none. As Ted and Chelsey point out, we Millennials were raised on commercialism, marketing, and programs. The cartoons we grew up watching were all about this. We don't want to be marketed to. We can spot a program from a hundred miles away and we'll stay as far away from it as we can. Rather, the focus is simply on being the Body of Christ. That is, how can YOU, as an individual, develop a mentoring relationship with a Millennial to pass on your wisdom and talents to the next generation? (And how we Millennials can be more intentional with seeking this relationships.) Also, how can YOUR congregation be the best authentic version of you rather than trying to be like the next church down the road? Just as we can spot a program from a hundred miles away, we also know when something is fake as soon as we see it.
The most important thing to keep in mind as you read this book, which Ted and Chelsey bring up right away, is that the problem we're seeing with generations in the church is NOT a generational issue. It is a sin issue. The sins that are common amongst Millennials are the same sins that are common amongst older generations—sins that have been around since the Fall of Man. Also, a common theme Ted and Chelsey have in this book with the practical ways in which the generations lovingly engage with one another is that these ways are simple but hard. It's simple to do these things they cover in the book, but they're hard. That is, the concept is REALLY simple, but actually doing them as we continue our road down sanctification is hard and complex. For example, the concept of building a mentoring relationship with a Millennial is simple, but actually doing it is hard. It will be challenging and it will require a LOT of your stewardship of time.
Yet the Church is in the business of spending time with others for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God's Word does not return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). Jesus is always at work wherever His Word is preached.
What's really great about this book is that Ted and Chelsey provide discussion questions at the end of each chapter as well as a "Do It" section, kind of like a homework assignment to begin putting these things into practice. So, this book can easily be turned into a Bible study/workshop of some sort at your congregation (be sure to have all generations present!). This is something I plan on doing while I'm on vicarage this year and once more when I receive my first call to my first congregation.
This book does not offer a silver bullet programme. To quote from Ted: silver bullets are for Lone Rangers and werewolves; they're not for the Church. Instead, Ted and Chelsey challenge all generations who read this book to overcome the stereotypes of our generational differences. Although there is some truth to every stereotype, Ted and Chelsey help bring you to begin seeing others as actual people rather than being limited down to stereotypes and statistics. Because whether you are a Millennial, Boomer, or Gen Xer, you are more than the stereotypes people label you with: you are a human being created in the image of God, whom the Father dearly loves. Again, although there is some truth to stereotypes, these stereotypes are not representative of the whole. One of the stereotypes of Millennials they explore, for example, is that all Millennials have an unhealthy sense of entitlement. While this is true for some, it is not true of all Millennials. As a Millennial myself, I don't feel entitled to anything and I have MANY Millennial friends who feel the same.
While Ted and Chelsey challenge you to move past these stereotypes and instead get to know Millennials as unique individuals, they also invite you to see the good our generational differences bring. For example, Millennials have grown up in a highly technological age whereas Boomers and Gen Xers have not. Older generations often highly criticise Millennials for spending a lot of time on their smartphones and social media (even though I often see more Boomers and Gen Xers staring at their smartphones in public settings more than I do Millennials). While this may be true for some Millennials, it is not true for all, and many Millennials have a lot of practical expertise to bring into the Church that will bring the Gospel to the world (remember that thing I said about stereotypes?).
Again, the goal of this book is not to develop some silver bullet programme that will bring more Millennials back into the Church, because there is none. As Ted and Chelsey point out, we Millennials were raised on commercialism, marketing, and programs. The cartoons we grew up watching were all about this. We don't want to be marketed to. We can spot a program from a hundred miles away and we'll stay as far away from it as we can. Rather, the focus is simply on being the Body of Christ. That is, how can YOU, as an individual, develop a mentoring relationship with a Millennial to pass on your wisdom and talents to the next generation? (And how we Millennials can be more intentional with seeking this relationships.) Also, how can YOUR congregation be the best authentic version of you rather than trying to be like the next church down the road? Just as we can spot a program from a hundred miles away, we also know when something is fake as soon as we see it.
The most important thing to keep in mind as you read this book, which Ted and Chelsey bring up right away, is that the problem we're seeing with generations in the church is NOT a generational issue. It is a sin issue. The sins that are common amongst Millennials are the same sins that are common amongst older generations—sins that have been around since the Fall of Man. Also, a common theme Ted and Chelsey have in this book with the practical ways in which the generations lovingly engage with one another is that these ways are simple but hard. It's simple to do these things they cover in the book, but they're hard. That is, the concept is REALLY simple, but actually doing them as we continue our road down sanctification is hard and complex. For example, the concept of building a mentoring relationship with a Millennial is simple, but actually doing it is hard. It will be challenging and it will require a LOT of your stewardship of time.
Yet the Church is in the business of spending time with others for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God's Word does not return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11). Jesus is always at work wherever His Word is preached.
What's really great about this book is that Ted and Chelsey provide discussion questions at the end of each chapter as well as a "Do It" section, kind of like a homework assignment to begin putting these things into practice. So, this book can easily be turned into a Bible study/workshop of some sort at your congregation (be sure to have all generations present!). This is something I plan on doing while I'm on vicarage this year and once more when I receive my first call to my first congregation.
August 28, 2018
The book is very insightful and thought provoking. I appreciate the authors' gracious way of critiquing people from different generations: Baby Boomers, of which I am one, and Millennials, of which my child is one. I think this is a book that everyone should read if you truly wish to get along with people of all ages. There is far too much intolerance these days, but this book can lead you from intolerance to a true desire to get along with people who do not necessarily think the way you do - and how to do it with grace and mercy.
July 3, 2018
I LOVE how this book seeks to connect generations to each other instead of dividing them. Ted and Chelsea speak both to millennials and to older generations. I especially loved ch. 10, which talks about what the Lutheran Church has to offer that other churches don’t. It’s really about the endurance of traditions since the church started that attract millennials, and not trying to be hip or relevant!
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