Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - July/91

Contributor - Dave King

Title - Reaching a Lost Generation

Topic -Ministering

An essential task for the church of the '90's is to reach the generation of those who were born between 1946 and 1964, the generation known as the Baby Boomers. Nearly one third of all North Americans now fall into that age bracket, making it easily the dominant group within our culture. It is probably self-evident that the values and goals of boomers have found their way onto centre stage in our society and nearly as evident that churches have, for the most part, reacted poorly to the new order. Most of our attempts to catch up with the culture and to communicate the gospel in ways that this generation can understand have been five to ten years behind the times. We have left the impression that the church is out-of-date and has little to say to serious minded people who are attempting to understand what life is all about in a world where constant change is a given and where excellence is the bench mark of credibility. While the church may be out of date in the way we attempt to reach our culture, the message of the gospel is vitally relevant and desperately needed. Who will bring the gospel to the lost generation known as the thirty-somethings?

Every generation has its folk culture; its heroes, its music, its fads, its historical landmarks. The boomers, most of whom reached adolescence in the sixties and early seventies, have an especially rich folk culture. This was a generation whose rebellion against the older order seemingly knew no bounds, but whose search for new values and a new order has been largely frustrating and empty. As evidence for this conclusion, witness the numerous lead articles and front cover stories in American news magazines describing the return of boomers to the church and to Christian beliefs. The vacant spirituality of the sixties and seventies has left a great many boomers looking for something more solid on which to base their lives and especially to help them raise their children. Their search has led many to look to the church, to reassess their earlier rejection of the church and to see if it could help them to face their past and meet their needs in the present and future. Such a renewed interest in spiritual things among this very large subculture ought to be cause for great optimism among church leaders, but, cautions Christian researcher George Barna, such optimism needs to be tempered with some brave realism. "The '90's are a pivotal decade . . .

It is a time in which the church will either explode with new growth or quietly fade into a colourless thread in the fabric of a secular culture."' He and other trend- watchers are saying that the return of boomers to the church may be short-lived because of the kinds of expectations that this generation has and the reluctance of traditional churches to alter their priorities to meet the challenge of embracing the "prodigal boomers."

What are those expectations? Doug Murren, in his excellent book, The Baby Boomerang, lists many of the factors which lead the thirty-something generation to think that the church is not relevant to them in their search of spiritual values, for answers to their kids' questions about God and the purpose for their existence. 2 Among them is the perception that the church does not take the needs of singles seriously; that all of its music was written before the twentieth century; that the sermons they are likely to hear there have nothing to do the Monday to Friday living; that women in the church are treated as second-class citizens; that the church is more interested in money and in membership than in people and their participation in ministry; that the church preaches a negative message about sin but has nothing positive to say about how to live life; and perhaps most importantly, that the church represents a "foreign culture," that walking through the doors of a church means walking into a totally unfamiliar environment without a guide book or a road map. I believe that all of these are legitimate concerns and that we can respond to them with grace and good will to help reach a generation that has gone missing, is currently in view again, but which may not be back for long. My conviction is inspired by the apostle Paul who, in I Cor. 9:19-23 describes his willingness to become all things to all men in order to win some to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here are some ideas for getting started in making the church a place where the baby boom generation can feel at home:

1. Make the church facility user friendly.

Post attractive signs in obvious places, telling visitors where to find information, washrooms and Sunday School classes. Have literature available for them which outlines the various programs of the church and answers questions which most visitors are likely to ask. Make sure that greeters or ushers welcome guests warmly and help them to find their way around the facility.

2. Make the worship service user friendly.

Tell people when to stand up or sit down, although those who have been part of the church for years already know all that. Explain things that might seem unusual to the unchurched, like why you celebrate the Lord's Supper and why you do it the way you do. Imagine yourself in the shoes of someone who has never been in a church before and think of ways to make the experience understandable.

3. Be a quality control advocate.

Boomers appreciate excellence. They see it every day in their workplace and have come to be suspicious of things that are done in a shoddy or haphazard way. Look carefully at your nursery and ask if a first time mother in her late twenties or early thirties will feel confident about leaving her child there. Is it well-lit, clean, brightly decorated, secure and staffed with competent, mature care-givers? Boomers are, as a whole, very concerned about their children. In fact, it is often their children's questions and needs that have brought this generation back to the church. If we look at our programs for children, from nursery to Senior High, and "Well, they're not high quality, but our church families have grown up with something similar and have come out okay," then we are saying that we have chosen not to concern ourselves with reaching this particular generation. Look for quality in your sound system, all aspects of music ministry (including vocals) and in any printed materials that you use to promote the church or to communicate within the church family.

4. Take a Practical Approach to Life.

Baby boomers are looking for practical coping and living skills. They are not interested in theological disputations on the finer points of complex doctrinal issues. 'Mere a place for that, but it is not in the pulpit. Sermons that reach boomers will be practical oriented towards living in the Monday to Friday world and come complete with some sol id take home advice. In addition, this generation both needs and appreciates a church that deals helpfully with the many expressions of dysfunctional life in our society. Support groups for adult children of alcoholics, for addicts and their enablers or for victims of family violence will be seen as positive and caring input into a very damaged social order.

5. Be an Innovator.

We live in a world where change is a constant. While the truth of the gospel never changes the ways in which that truth can be presented are many. Incorporate variety into church services and programs through creative use of drama, through use of new music and through changing the order of service. Think of ways in which your church can benefit from the many new and exciting technical innovations on the market today.

6. Be Culturally Sensitive.

This is a catch-all phrase to say, "Be aware of the values and idealism of the generation you are trying to reach, and see if there are not ways of improving your communication." To the preachers, be aware that nearly 50% of adults in North America are single and watch that you do not exclude them in the way you preach. Be aware as well that the majority of new businesses in our country are being started by women, that as business organization moves from the "management/control" model to the "leadership/motivation" model, women will be on equal footing with men as far as opportunities to lead are concerned. Therefore boomers visiting a church that does not have women in leadership will find that offensive. Being culturally sensitive will also involve rethinking church membership (boomers are not belongers, but they like to participate), adopting a more relaxed style, building strong relationships within the local church and communicating a clear message of grace, of healing and of hope for the future.

Perhaps not every church needs to be a "boomer church", but I cannot help but wonder who will lead the churches in the next 25-35 years if we miss this rather unique and bewildering group known as the thirty-somethings. Paul's willingness to be "all things to all men" must have some relevant application for us as we face the tremendous challenge of bringing hope to a generation that lost its way in a confusion of rebellion and misplaced idealism and is still looking for the way home.

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