Professional Documents
Culture Documents
By
Jordin Billings
#0653
219-973-8485
jordin.billings@mail.northcentral.edu
Table of Contents
I. Thesis
II. Overview
a. Introduction
b. Modernism VS Postmodernism
c. Millennial Generation
III. Philosophy
a. Summary
b. Modernism
c. Postmodernism
V. Generational Christianity
a. Overview
b. Silent Generation
c. Baby Boomers
d. Generation X
e. Millennials
VII. Conclusion
a. Philosophy compare and contrast
b. Generational compare and contrast
c. Millennial review
3
Thesis
This paper will examine how Millennials are the nonconformist generation by examining
Overview
the departure from modern Christianity and the way the church exists. It is the belief that
nothing can be proven, that everything must be questioned. Millennials are the generation
of people who reached adulthood around the year 2000. This generation has a definitive
difference from the last two generations, generation Y and generation X, as Millennials
have pioneered and lived through the technological boom. This change in the world has
affected every aspect of millennials lives, setting them apart from past generations.
Christianity is the religion being put in practice by this generation. In the counter part to
the main focus of this paper I will explore millennials within Christianity. The tag line in
the title, the nonconformist generation is a reference to the overall idea of the paper that
millennials are truly the nonconformist generation. Taking Christianity they are radically
Before postmodernism came modernism, the belief that everything can be proven.
with creation. Modernism seeks to take modern thought and cultivate a connection to
tradition, creating a line of sense and reason through facts and proof. Modernism segues
into postmodernism; in order to understand one the other must be presented as well.
ideologies; modernism was cultivated out of the questioning of previous methods. With
the change that World War I brought people began to think about why things were the
way that they were and what had led them to the point that they had reached. Universal
5
truths and overall trust in authority figures were being reexamined. The Modernist Era
that were final. In this time Charles Darwin published his book on Darwinism, the theory
of evolution of species by the process of natural selection. Within Christianity this book
acted the final nail in the coffin of Christianity. Modernists took this book as the final say
to whether Christianity, or God, was real or not. Out of this mindset atheism formed.
Darwins work was taken as proof that there could be no higher power that created
humanity as humanity had evolved by itself. The way that modernists viewed Darwin in
relation to Christianity is a great example of the fact based, ultimate truth, and conclusion
reaching patterns of thought that plagued their mindsets. Modernists believed that science
and mathematics were the only factual ways of knowing whether something was true or
whether it was not. Darwin created a book that was full of science and mathematics
proving evolution therefore it must be true. While the focus was taken off of the
leadership telling people what was true or not, people began reaching those conclusions
themselves through the use of science and math. This provided them a way in which to
reach conclusions on their own. The philosophical phrase, I think therefore I am, is a
summation of the modernists views. This summation equates to, I will only believe
what I can prove. With this mindset came the shift from the spiritual into the factual,
During this time Modernist Christians started to become rooted in strict beliefs.
With a factual mindset these believers not only took Gods word as ultimate truth but saw
the Bible as verbatim, the good and the bad. God in the Old Testament was viewed as a
6
righteous and angry God juxtaposed God in the New Testament was viewed as a merciful
and loving God. This stark contrast in Gods character did not deter their faith but instead
drew them to the conclusion that God has many characteristics, both being Gods
relationship with humanity in two different time periods. Modernists in this time period
religion with modern philosophical ideologies. This came about from the modernists
mindset compiled with modernists methods of studying the Bible. The result of this was
the emphasis upon the humanistic aspects within religion. The transcendent nature of
God was then replaced by the immanent nature of God. Overall modernists used a
pragmatic method in relation to prayer, dogma, and traditions. Their revered ways of
thought caused the denial of the authority of the church, as well as the traditional view of
World War II the world had made another cultural shift, this time from modernism into
postmodernism. This mindset alteration has melted down a philosophical balance and
cultivated opposing sides within Christianity. The church either rejected or accepted the
imminent death for the church or the Holy Spirits form of revitalization. The church took
of modernism, it holds the notions of enlightenment and emancipation; these equate the
idea that knowing something inessentially makes you free. While before the ideology that
7
rational thought, concrete facts, and factual evidence were what was important was now
being rejected.
The important question then became, Is there more to life, to religion, than we
can just simply prove? Just as modernism distrusted authority figures the same feature
plagues postmodernism. Postmodernists began to look at all of the rules and standards
that had been set by the factual concrete evidence needing modernists and question it. A
large factor in this question came from the deliberation of the Allies in regards to whether
or not bomb the Auschwitz concentration during World War II. Whether bombing
innocent civilians for the greater good was moral or not caused postmodernists to look at
as well as think about modernist ideals in a different manner. Society looked at those who
had led the world into two world wars and debated if following them was a good idea. At
the same time postmodernists also questioned science. Modernists had believed that
science was supposed to help society, that it was supposed to make the world a better
In the light of rigid modernists postmodernists are very pragmatic. They prefer to
comprehend the world in a sensible and practical way. After society had rejected all
previous manners of thought they were left with the question of what do they believe?
This question made room for an entirely new philosophy within a society. There is no
longer a fixed moral code. An example of this is in modernists time if someone goes
against the culture they would then be shamed, in a postmodernist time if someone goes
against the culture they are told that that is good; they are even encouraged. The moral
code has been abandoned and instead is made up of a society that desires harmony. In
lieu of a straight factual line of thought that enables progression, now lies an empty
8
space, each person searching in a different way. The example of this is exemplified
through fashion, movies, music, any sort of entertainment as each of these are not
producing anything new but are instead repeatedly recycling the old. There is no longer
any progression, it is all hyperreality. The biggest catch within postmodernism is that it is
in no way shape or form factual. Postmodernism is a theory. Whether one person believes
the same thing, as eighty other people do not make it a fact, it just makes it a theory, a
theory of whether or not that belief could be true. The ultimate reality of postmodernism
millennials. The philosophy behind postmodernism, which will be addressed later in this
paper, is the moral compass and the hidden motivator behind the make up of millennials,
of who they are. Since postmodernism is the idea that there are no absolute truths, that
our reality is actually just made up social constructs, millennials are viewing religion,
Following baby boomers, Millennials are roughly any persons born from 1980-
2000. They are the generation that has grown up with the technological boom; they have
never known a life without a cell phone, the Internet, or GPS. This group appreciates
encouraged to thrive out of who they feel they are, no labels have ever been impressed
upon them. They also grew up in a time of customization, from choosing which color will
be on their braces to what their job will be; this generation has never lacked options.
Despite gaining a media bias of being entitled and lazy Millennials are actually hard
workers who value their personal growth within their projects. This is seen through a rise
9
place a high priority upon authentic relationships. Essentially, they desire genuine
connections. With the rise in technology millennials have the world at their fingertips.
With this advanced age they are able to look up information on anyone at anytime, which
through this that they form lasting relationships. While the previous generations were
highly independent Millennials seek deep connections, always looking to learn from each
other as well as grow together. More factors will be introduced later in this paper, but at
the time being it is clear that millennials have been shaped by the philosophical
The tagline of this paper, the non conformist generation is a summation of who
Millennials are overall. While previous generations were under strict authority
Millennials are under the freedom of no authority. This generation runs on individualism
within the postmodern concept. They no longer hold to a set of rules or traditions but
instead reject any form of restraint. Postmodern millennials are cultivating a world where
boundaries no longer exist but are instead replaced by harmony and acceptance.
generation that is following God and doing church in a way that has never been done
before. Compared to generations before them millennials are taking the box that has been
so firmly pressed around Christianity and what it is supposed to look like and are
breaking down the box. No longer sticking to rules or tradition and not believing in
absolute truths provides the space for a reconstructed church. Millennials are refusing to
live by the standards that have been set before them. Instead this generation is turning
10
their backs upon everything their previous generation set in place. Church is no longer a
building, God is no longer a voice in the sky, and religion is no longer a set of practices.
Philosophy
In The God Who is There Francis Schaeffer analyzes the shift of modernity as
beginning with philosophy (Smith 20). Postmodernism is the byproduct of the shift in
culture can curate into a new society there must first be a change within the
time passed and new generations were raised up their physiological changed and
morphed. Through this mindset came the shift from definite to indefinite.
publication of Jean-Franois Lyotards book, The Postmodern Condition in 1979 (in its
the word by saying, The word is in current use on the American continent among
sociologists and critics; it designates the state of our culture following the transformations
which, since the end of the nineteenth century, have altered the game rules for science,
literature, and the arts (Lyotard 1). Through this book the author continuously recites the
game of linguistics with examples such as, makes no claims to being original or even
relation to reality, but strategic value in relation to the questions raised (Lyotard 7).
Through the authors pragmatics of linguistics comes his point of communication. There
is a strict interlinkage between the kind of language called science and the kind called
ethics and politics (Lyotard 8). Lyotard encourages that science is tied to the
government, even more so within the information age. The author proceeds to examine
the infusion of these two, ending with a tie into science and narratives. Science denotes
12
and displaces narrative knowledge, according to the author; it removes the metanarratives
(Lyotard xxiv). The author provides all of this to explain that science has separated itself
so far from philosophy that it is no longer able to legitimize anything. This logic removes
determine, or know anything. This summation is the test basis for future philosophers to
explore postmodernism.
After postmodernism was first introduced many philosophers have come forth to
explore and pertain ideas related to this subject but it was six specific philosophers who
aided Lyotard into the definition of postmodernism that is held today. These six
philosophers are made up of French and Italian, effectively adding different biases,
origins, and overall impressions. For example, the French postmodern philosophy will
form through a lens that has viewed the structuralist revolution in Paris in the 1950s, as
well as the 1960s, from the readings of Freud and Marx. Due to this bias these
philosophers have also been nicknamed poststructuralists. On the other hand the Italians
have the bias of holding onto Benedetto Croce and Giambattista, creating a large room
for aesthetics as well as rhetoric. These two philosophers strongly emphasize history
instead of revolutions; effectively adding continuity and narratives into their bias. While
these five philosophers hold different makeups they all agree that postmodernism is not
historical studies is examined through his 1971 essay, Nietzsche, Genealogy, History. In
this essay Foucault says that genealogy opposes itself to the search for origins
(Foucault 141). What the author is explaining is that genealogy looks at the coincidences
and accidents that occur in histories crucial moments, therefore opening the door for new
ideologies. Foucault explained this by saying, What is found at the historical beginning
of things is not the inviolable identity of their origin; it is the dissension of other things. It
is disparity (Foucault 142). Just as the author explained, he takes the false images of
history that have been identified as the origin and build up of previous ideas and breaks
philosophy in his book The Use of Pleasure. In this work Foucault says, The endeavor to
know how and to what extent it might be possible to think differently, instead of
legitimating what is already known (Foucault 9). The French philosopher is explaining
that people have the ability to bypass the structure of knowledge through using the power
of self. Foucault reached this conclusion through the experimentation of subjectivity. The
ability to use the power of self allows people to create problems regarding their
conditions. Through this ideology Foucault aligns with Lyotard in the promotion of the
combined philosophy with word play Foucault combines philosophy with history, the use
French philosopher Gilles Deleuze encourages the opposite through his work Nietzsche
and Philosophy. Published in 1962 Deleuze introduces the ideology of different not as the
denial or absence of identity but rather as a productive process. He argues that one should
think against reason rather than using the thought process of self-justifying reason by
itself (Deleuze 93). Deleuze, agreeing with Foucaults critique of reason, said that it,
is not justification but a different way of feeling: another sensibility (Deleuze 94).
What the author is saying is that instead of reason being the sole judger, it should be a
matter of sensibility; the place where thought and whatever forces it into motion collide.
Deleuze then continues on to state that reason is in no manner a method but is instead a
culture that has formed through the Nietzschean sense, which is training, discipline,
innovation, and cruelty. As thought is unable to condemn itself as thinking it must first
endure violence in order to be awoken and begin processing. This violence enables
term actually represents that there are specific strategies for the reading and the writing of
texts. First introduced into philosophy in 1967, this term came about through literatures
French philosopher Jacques Derrida. With his books being published one after another
Derrida quickly shot up as a key figure within the postmodernism movement. Unlike his
philosopher brothers, Derrida is often associated with deconstruction but refuses to use
that word and, in fact, refuses the term postmodernism as well. Any term relating to the
sorts, anything ending with ism, cannot be found in his vocabulary. Despite not using
15
the actual term in his vocabulary Derrida introduces it, as well as explains it, in Of
Grammatology. Alongside laying out the foundation for deconstruction this work also
holds modern language theories along with the non-presence of being, coined by
metaphysics of presence but Derrida combats this by saying, reading, and therefore
writing, the text were for Nietzsche originary operations (Derrida 19). This comment is
writing as a only a piece that pairs to his other writings, also pieces, creating one full
Derridas main function as a postmodern philosopher stems from his belief that it
is better to have the liberation of functionality rather than the knowledge of meaning. In
relation to metaphysics, a branch of philosophy that deals with the first principal of
things, the author recognizes the need for the other side of the coin. Believing his view as
superior, Derrida poses that it is vital to see the opposite end of the spectrum in order to
properly and fully encompass the side that is well favored. He encompasses this by
to have a science of the origin of presence itself, that is to say of a certain non-origin
The shift in philosophy was aided by the shift in the technological boom. Out of
this innovation and cultural change came the idea of hyperreality. This term is a closely
representation. French Philosopher, Jean Baudrillard studied this in his 1976 book
Symbolic Exchange and Death. In his work Baudrillard first examines this concept
through looking at the Lacans ideas of the symbolic and imaginary that he used to attack
orthodoxies that were opposite of politics. The author then took Lacans highlights of
power, production, desire, society, and political legitimacy and argued that all of these
are not separate original entities but are instead images combined into a symbolic
hyperreality. Once his patent examination is completed, and through this his foundation
continues this by arguing that hyperreality has become a terminal stage within simulation.
In reference to images he says that they have come to hold no relation to reality but are
now its own pure simulacrum (Baudrillard 6). There is no longer any real but is only
now symbolic. Now images are generated, coded, and processed before anyone ever even
views them. Technology has taken the place of productive roles, a Kantian ideology. The
author continues his point by saying, From now on signs are exchanged against each
other rather than against the real (Baudrillard 7). Therefore images are producing other
images and signs producing other signs. There is no longer anything real, anything
original but in its place lies hyperreality. That of which it is possible provide an
equivalent reproduction being the original and, that which is always already
upon interpretation. Italian philosopher Gianni Vattimo dives into this difference in his
1988 book entitled, The End of Modernity. While the French philosophers made their
17
Vattimo uses ontology: the philosophical study of the nature of being, becoming, or
existence, which fits into hermeneutics: creating a connection with the present and the
past. This creation is meant to act as unity among meaning versus repetition of structure.
meaning of being. The difference among the studies lies in the fact that Heidegger places
hermeneutics within Nietzsches limit of metaphysics. Vattimo takes that view and
and historicism in turn with eternal return. Vattimo also states that Nietzsche and
nihilism through active nihilism and Heidegger uses overcoming metaphysics through
Nietzsche can be interpreted through each other (Vattimo 176). Vattimo addresses this
though saying, Both philosophers find themselves obliged, on the one hand, to take up
critical distance from Western thought insofar as it is foundational; on the other hand,
however, they find themselves unable to criticize Western thought in the name of
another, and truer, foundation (Vattimo 2). With both views paralleled, overcoming
modernity must come through distorting it rather than progressing beyond it.
The ability to share experience through activities that require participation as well
as imitation comes rhetoric and aesthetics. In a postmodern world sharing the differences
that lie between the old and new is how rhetoric and aesthetic are practiced. Examples of
this include life and death or even natural and artificial. Mario Perniola, an Italian, is the
philosopher credited with this postmodern thought. Just as his fellow Italian philosopher
18
Vattimo believed that postmodernity must not separate from modernity, Perniola believes
this as well. He says this in his 1995 book Enigmas by explaining, the relationship
between thought and reality that the Enlightenment, idealism, and Marxism have
embodied must not be broken (Perniola 43). Perniola bases this logic upon the fact that
modernity is still in society today, whether that philosophy is in the background it is the
As for the aesthetic side of rhetoric and aesthesis Perniola aims to unify opposing
the rest of Enigmas Perniola repeatedly uses the example of Romanism and how the
Roman religion is based upon myth as his proof for the need of aesthetic (Perniola 81).
in turn was before it was a culture. Each counterpart cannot exist without the other. While
many more are out there, seven philosophers comprised of French and Italian are credited
Deleuze, Derrida, Baudrillard, Vattimo, and Perniola. With the combined effort of these
seven postmodernism has taken shape through their efforts within coining the phrase,
defining it, and putting into action. Each philosopher has offered up views that cover
foundation within this philosophy. If any of these philosophers were absent it would turn
postmodernism into a theory but instead through their separate yet combined works the
Literary Review
Millennials in Ministry by Jolene Cassellius Erlacher the book that inspired this
paper. It only took a glance at the title of this book sitting on a library self to spark the
passion inside for millennials. This work examines who are millennials, what makes them
the way they are, and what exactly their role within Christian ministry is. Erlacher not
only speaks to non-millennials but also speaks directly to millennials in their own
personal sections at the end of each chapter. After a brief foreword and introduction,
Erlacher immediately dives into millennialism within the 21st Century in a compilation of
intergenerational ministry expert. With a BA, a MA, and a doctorate from St. Thomas
University Dr. Erlacher founded Leading Tomorrow in 2013 with the goal of equipping
constantly changing culture. Out of her previous leadership roles, as well as growing up
with missionary parents, Erlachers passion emerged. This eventually led to her publish
Theological Seminary, the reader is given a light introduction into Erlachers work. This
entails a brief overview into who Millennials are, the generation born roughly between
1980-1995. The author continues to highlight millennials by giving glimpses into where
this generation differs from those who came before it, the silent and the baby boomers.
Marshall reveals Erlachers thesis as well as lays out millennials in one sentence by
20
saying, Millennials, of course, are products of contemporary culture, but they also are
able to pierce the surface to interpret the holy longings at work in forms of
ends the foreword by restating Erlachers purpose in writing this book as well as
persuading the reader to take into consideration the authors meaning and purpose.
The introduction provides the reader with the details of Erlachers study. Instead
of just being a book on her own opinions and personal objectives Erlacher reveals that
this this book does pertain her personal research and perspective but that it is coupled
with an in-depth qualitative study that spanned two-and-a-half years. This study focused
on millennials who were born between 1980-1990 and were aged between 22 and 32 at
the time the study was conducted. Erlacher studied those who had served or were
currently serving in vocational ministry. The millennials being interviewed and studied
spanned ten different denominations and missions agencies as well as were serving in
five different countries and ten different states. This included everything from vocations
within rural to urban settings. The churches, or organizations, were sized from 30 all the
way up to 4,500 congregations. Each of the ministry vocations included children, youth,
and family work; music and worship ministry; senior pastoring; adult ministries;
teaching; administration; prayer ministry; missions; and community and relief work
(Erlacher xii). Alongside these positions each participant had remained in their roles three
months to six years. For those who were no longer in ministry they had all worked in
their previous ministry position for more than nine months. The majority of the
participants had ministry training through Christian university, seminary and had degrees
in ministerial or theology majors. After the breakdown of her study Erlacher then runs
21
are those with ministry degrees no longer going into ministry or why those desiring to do
ministry are baristas, doing freelance work, etc. The introduction sets up the reader with
Erlacher begins this by enlightening the reader on what exactly intergenerational means
and what leadership looks like within that context. She explains that five generations are
coexisting in the world. These five include those who had served in World War II when
the radio was first used world wide all the way to the generation after Millennials, which
does not have a name yet, who have never known a life without technology such as the
internet and cell phones. Each generation is given a summary of who they are and what
they experienced. The chapter begins to wind down with Biblical proof that the church is
called to multigenerational ministry and then ends with a note directly to millennials on
why they should care and do research upon their own generation.
within churches. Erlacher explains her past experiences listening to millennials explain
their frustration and dissatisfaction with the local church. Most local churches hold a high
attendance with the younger generation but when it comes to membership classes,
business meetings, etc. these seem to only attract the older generations such as the Silents
and Baby Boomers. With this issue the author offers the explanation that Millennials,
unlike any previous generation, have grown up with the ability of choice. This means that
they have been given so many options that it has resulted in a lowered satisfaction to the
22
outcome. With so many options being presented on every front, think education, finances,
religion, etc., these decisions can lead to decision paralysis (Erlacher 11). Essentially
this results in the generation no longer believing in fundamental truths or set doctrine but
instead they face those once believe hard truths as optional. This chapter also touches on
religion versus spirituality. The Pew Research Center did a study that revealed Americans
aged 18 to 29 are notably not as religious as older Americans. One in four Millennials is
associated with any certain faith, proving that millennials are less likely to decide on a
across the board. The chapter ends with a look into cross-cultural experience through
studying vision and purpose, authenticity versus formality, and meeting needs. Erlacher
keeps up the pattern of ending the chapter by speaking directly to millennials on these
subjects.
millennials. The author pushes that it is not that Millennials are unmotivated or lazy; it is
that they are either all or nothing. Millennials either highly invest or they do not want to
participate. This has been a gap between generations as before Millennials entered the
workforce it was Silents, Baby Boomers, and Gen-Xers that all hold to a strong work
ethic. A look into the self-esteem movement is also introduced and how that has affected
the way Millennials are connected. This section ends with viewing the relationship
maturational theory, marriage, and overall environmental change. This chapter also digs
into modernism and postmodernism and how that plays into the history, environment, and
23
mindsets that Millennials adopt and/or hold. Erlacher implements a chart opposing these
philosophies. Millennials are born being told that they are special. This connotation
reveals more about a Millennials makeup than a study can even prove. Once again, the
Relating back to the previous notion of Millennials frustration within ministry the point is
emphasized again, this time in relationship to older generations running church as if they
were businesses. Money, numbers, marketing, and pastors acting as CEOs only add to
their dissatisfaction. The author touches on each of these chapters and ends it in the usual
fashion.
relationships above politics, career, and religion (Erlacher 59). This plays into the type
of job that they look for and would commit to. This generation is looking for their boss or
supervisor to act as a mentor versus as commanding officer. Alongside this notion is how
Millennials place family before anything, including their jobs. The rest of this section
focuses on being married in ministry versus being single in ministry accompanied by the
with ambiguity. Erlacher tells the story of Sean and how this came out in his own life
when he disagreed with his older generation senior pastor by saying, I know for him,
things are just black and white, but for me, theres just a lot of gray, and theres a lot of
personal judgment and personal taste and personal conviction. For him, everything is
black and white and for me, its just not (Erlacher 69). This passage exemplifies the rest
24
of the chapter as the author finishes by speaking on how to facilitate a family beyond the
Part III Ministry Needs and Expectations begins with Chapter 8 The Call to
Ministry. Erlacher draws attention to the stories of the studies participants when they felt
called into ministry. The rest of the chapter follows this theme but touches on what is a
calling, how Millennials have felt it, whether there was confirmation or not, and the value
of it. The author is very particular in making sure that Millennials are not entering
vocational ministry under the terms of it being a family business but instead only doing it
if God has specifically called them. In the Millennial endnote this is repeated but on a
personal level.
covered in Chapter 9. This chapter describes what makes a good leader. These qualities
include accessibility, support and trust, empowerment and freedom, friendship and
personal connection, as well as mentors, role models, colleagues, and teams. Erlacher
ends her Millennial note by expressing the importance of gaining a mentor that desires to
Chapter 10 entitled, Communication of Vision and Value speaks on the need this
generation has for gaining and then giving a clear vision. Erlacher pushes that they need
feedback coupled with affirmation. A relationship and response is crucial in their lives
and can be achieved through servant leadership. Per tradition, the book ends with the
After reading about the need for affirmation Chapter 11, Fulfillment and
Effectiveness in Role, quickly follows. Starting off with a story of a student who was in
25
the mission field but did not have good communication or a clear vision from her
leadership team this Millennial found fulfillment through the success within her role. The
author follows this by speaking on each individuals personal gifts and how those play
into what God has called them to do, once again ending in the typical manner.
The final part in this book, Part IV Practical Applications starts off with Chapter
12, A Word to Millennials. In chapters one through eleven Erlacher was predominantly
speaking to non-millennials but in chapter twelve the author flips the script and writes
directly to the millennial reader. Beginning with the story of Joseph in Genesis 37 then
transitioning into practical advice the author shares her heart for Millennials to be humble
and open to God, encouraging them to follow their calling while holding an appreciation
The script is flipped once more in Chapter 13, A Word to Leaders of Millennials.
While the previous chapter was Erlacher speaking to Millennials this time she is
approaching those who are currently, or will, lead Millennials. She goes over the
frustrations that the older generations have when attempting to lead the new generation
but breaks it down as why, and how, it is biblical and beneficial to mentor them, training
The final chapter, Chapter 14 Putting It into Practice is Erlachers last nod to her
experience. Before, everything was all talk, it was all just scripture and advice, but in this
chapter the author is able to dig into how to do vocational ministry as a Millennial with
examples like, knowing their valued, being collaborative, staying connected, etc. She
ends the work saying, My hope in writing, training, and coaching on the topic of
26
144).
generations as well as the generation being written about. Erlacher excels at providing
relevant information that relates to both generations while simultaneously adopting each
chapter into two perspectives in order to properly communicate across the board. It
comes as no surprise that the author is extremely educated in this area as her insights
provide an entirely new meaning to the knowledge she gives the reader.
Alongside facts and the authors insights this book is relational through sharing
stories and perspectives from other Millennials. These snippets within the book hold
great importance as in the book Erlacher explains how they are relational focused and
centered by using stories from their own peers and generation. The author effectively puts
experiences of those within the same age group as me. It is harder to relate to a story that
did not take place in your time, especially if that person holds a different way of thought
and life because of being in a different generation. I personally found it effective and
While reading through this work not only was I able to gain a deeper insight into
my generation through my peers experiences and their own insights, but I was also able
the non-millennials juxtaposed Millennials. The chapters were geared towards non-
millennials but she in no way shrugged at or pushed aside Millennials, in fact, she gave
27
them their own personal note at the end of each chapter. This was empowering for myself
as I truly felt that the author definitively knows what she was saying but that she knows
the importance in relaying information directly to the source. Even in the introduction
Erlacher reveals her heart for millennials to read this as well and after reading it is
obvious why; this work is geared towards everyone. It is not just a rebellion letter to the
older generations telling them how they are wrong for negatively stereotyping
Millennials but instead encourages and pushes them to not adapt to their ways but to
allow God the room to move through the new generations style of thought, action, and
vision.
Just as she encouraged the older generation to be open to the new generation
Erlacher implores millennials to be willing with the older generations, the Silents, Baby
Boomers, and Gen-Xers. Ideologies such as relational motivation, mentors and role
models, as well as connectedness are brought forth but turned to that Millennials are
understanding that because that is how they function and operate that they need to be
willing to function and operate that way with the older generation, not just their peers. It
can be easy as a Millennial to tune out the older generations due to a stigma that they will
not ever listen, they are too set in their ways, etc. but instead of tuning them out Erlacher
encourages Millennials to reach out to them. Millennials are pushed to form bonds with
the older generations, whether that means having one as a mentor or simply being
coached by one.
The author does a great job of connecting every generation of reader to her points.
This was seen when Erlacher relied on her knowledge and qualifications to reach the
older generations, her use of her own words in action with the newer generation, and her
28
two tones within each chapter. The greatest asset from this book was not necessarily one
certain piece of information or another but the fact that Erlacher is able to take her own
personal experiences and knowledge and put them into action through the form of the
The area that this book lacks is depth. It is understood that Erlacher took two and
a half years to conduct the qualitative study but the depth of the work as a whole seems
knee deep. The author has a bad habit of bring up outside studies but never giving any
actual statics. An example of this is in Chapter 4, More than a Generation Gap. Erlacher
provides statistics by explain that a study was done in 2002 and then compares that
study to a study done in 1990 but never provides an actual statistic. She instead uses
words such as larger and older. These ambiguous pronouns provide no actual sense
of record and leaves the reader wondering if the surveys were real or if they were just
brought up to make her points sound better. Without an actual statistic to accompany an
introductory thought the author leaves the reader feeling conflicted and confused with no
This book excels at reaching both generations but fails in its practicalities. While
going through the book the reader is able to pick up nuggets of wisdom and gain
meaningful insight. The end of the book leaves the reader with no real practicality. Even
with two chapters addressed specifically to the Millennials and to the leaders of the
made known but is not accompanied by an action plan there is no option for growth. At
times the book seems to highlight everything that is being done wrong and what needs to
be done instead but yet it never provides the reader with the bridge to get there. Stating a
29
problem and then giving what the answer needs to be does not give any leeway or room
for the reader to establish personal growth. Erlacher does a great job of bringing issues or
main factors to light but fails in lending practical steps to obtain the solution.
perspectives, and providing personal stories alongside facts proves her thesis true.
Failure to invest in Millennials and prepare them for effective and enduring leadership
deprives the kingdom of God of leaders desperately needed to guide churches and
Jolene Cassellius Erlacher states the obvious and the hidden notions about millennials
while simultaneously emphasizing that these differences are not only God called but are
needed for the current day and age. Ministry would fail on every attempt without
Generational Christianity
The silent generation, or Traditionalists, is children that were born between 1925-
1950. This generation grew up in a time of war, strife, and economic downturn. During
their era they experienced the likes of the Great Depression (1929-1939), World War II
(1939-1945), and the beginning of the Cold War (1947-1991). This population of 55
million made up the largest voting population as well as largest population to go to war.
Despite going through the largest economic crisis this generation remained one of the
wealthiest. Out of this era came the Civil Rights Movement as well as the popular phrase
A unique generation, the Silents were born too late to have been World War II
heroes but yet too early to be a part of the new-age revolution. Their early lives began
with crises, World War II and the Great Depression. They discreetly made their way into
society as adults in a time of post-crises, a time when no one was looking to disturb social
order. The Silents never looked to change the system but instead they sought to work
within it. They held a high regard for their integrity and sought no issues on their
permanent records. Also living during the McCarthy period (a period of paranoia within
the United States of America) caused the Silents to become just that, silent. It was
because of this that Time Magazine gave them their nickname, the Silents in a 1951 essay
A large difference among the Silents juxtaposed the generations to come lies in
their motivation. While their parents and grandparents suffered under a collapsing
economy this generation was on the cusp of an economic breakthrough. Being forward
31
focused this generation was marrying younger and having children younger. During their
interviews this generation was likely to have their first question pertain to their pensions.
These young adults were making more by the age of 30 than the average wage of those in
the same profession. Due to their being a small birth rate this generation benefitted from
job opportunities that they would have no had if their generation had been larger. They
were hardworking and rigid in their belief that working within the system is what is best.
The Silent generation were not strong leaders but were the wisest.
During the Silents lifetime there was resurgence within the church. Families were
suffering from the failing economy during the Great Depression which turned them to
faith. Before this crisis church attendance and membership was falling into alarming
rates, but with the need for hope these numbers began to climb by 5% (Haraldsson 1).
The majority of churchgoers during this time were made up of middle age women. There
was a high religious piety among the young adults, causing the Silents to be the ones
It was during this time that many churchgoers began to view the Great Depression
as an act of God in order to get people back to Christianity. It was also during this era that
radio Christianity became popular. Just as televangelism today is a large ministry radio
was the Silents choice of evangelism. Their style of sharing Christ was beginning to shift
It was also in this era that Pentecostals emerged. Despite the failing conditions
surrounding their every day life Silents grew up hearing about radical and emotional
conversions from sinners to Jesus Christ. This belief led them to seek the presence of the
32
Holy Spirit and become filled, speaking in tongues. The Assemblies of God, the
Nazarenes, and the Holiness churches stemmed as well as grew from this time period.
The Silent generation also gave rise to fundamentalism. In the 1940s, when
Silents were teenagers and young adults, there was a rise in youth rallies such as Youth
for Christ which held rallies in New York, Washington D.C., St. Louis, and
Indianapolis. These rallies split Christians in half. One half was pleased; they had been
hoping that a movement like this would occur. Time Magazine quoted Baptist Torrey
Johnson, pastor of Chicagos Midwest Bible Church as saying, This is what I hoped
would happen in America (Religion: Youth for Christ 1). The other half was not
pleased. Time Magazine then continued on to say, But not all Americans are so sure.
Some view with alarm the pious trumpeting of the Heart press on Y.F.C.s behalf, also
the support of rightish, rabble-rousing nationalists like Gerald L.K. Smith (Religion:
Youth for Christ 1). Smith was an early American exceptionalist who led the Share Our
Wealth movement, the Christian Nationalist Crusade, and founded the America First
Party. With his counterarguments to the youth rallies and open opinions against the
Another popular leader was Charles Coughlin, an anti-Semite as well as Catholic priest.
Coughlin caused a large uproar within the Christian community the 1930s through his
treatment of President Roosevelt. A great example of his treatment was his continuous
fundamentalists from the 1940s have been found mainly in the south as well as rural
areas. They have also been found to hold extremist political views alongside
33
The Cold War has often been cited with producing people who have capitalized
on fundamentalists and political conservatives, with those who were a part of the anti-
would be a true patriot, then become a loyal Christian (McLoughlin 482). This
movement aimed to take those aligned with communism, whether that was in secret or
not, and change their heart from communism to Christ. When discussing the communism
paranoia that triggered religious movements Smith explained, In the popular mind, the
interpretation. That Christians on this account often ignored the economic facts of
international life in their preoccupation with the so-called battle for the minds of men
does not diminish the significance of this factor in the current wave of religious concern
(Smith 18).
The Silents young adult time in Christianity was made up of a wide scale of
beliefs. They entered into an era of rebirth within the church to them no longer believing
because their mothers did but now believed on their own. They then entered into a time
of big precessions such as youth rallies, centered on bringing their generation into
passionate and emotional encounters with God. Their time also held radio evangelism,
which changed the game completely in terms of evangelism. Towards the end of their
prime fundamentalism began to take shape, forcing them into a rigid and righteous
mindset in regards to their faith. This gave them a confusing perspective of Christianity
34
and an unsure conscious when it came to the actions of believers. The Silent Generation
entered into a rich religious experience but ended during a time of piety and solidarity.
After the Silent generation came the Baby Boomers. With World War II over,
husbands back home, and families growing came this generation. Born between 1946-
1964 these babies grew up and naturally distinguished themselves into two groups. The
first group is those who were big into the hippy movement, they took part in the save-the-
world revolution. The second group consisted of the partiers; they were the yuppies
(young upwardly mobile professionals) of the generation. This era saw the likes of
divorce, both parents working; change the world mentality, and youth culture.
Laying out Baby Boomers and their parents, the Silent generation, the contrast is
stark. In their parents time life was simple, there was no television, divorce, or separation
from government. When the Boomers began to get older they ventured down a very
different route from their parents. With the new era came new technology, the television.
This allowed the new generation to consume media at an incredibly quick rate. With the
news broadcasted daily the Baby Boomers view of the world expanded further than any
generation before them, creating a shift in mindset. No longer did they see the world as a
rigid strict environment but began to question the government and think in a new wave
Not only were new technological advances now possible but this new generation
was also made available to recreational drugs, political activism, and a disinterest in the
church as a result to all of the previously mentioned. Alongside these factors this
generation saw the death of very influential people such as President Kennedy, Bobby
Kennedy, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. During this time came the Vietnam War,
35
Watergate scandal, and many protests. Each of these events curated into the mindset that
With no one to trust Boomers began to turn to religion. With the 1970s came the
rise in Eastern religions. Long gone were the days of Sunday morning church services,
these young adults were now on street corners chanting Hara Krishna (Bell 25).
Following the likes of George Harrison, inner-peace, and Maharaj Ji, this generation was
surely seeking enlightenment. Turning from Christianity these new age leaders
abandoned their mothers Christianity and sought to discover themselves through Yoga,
The 1960s and 1970s saw the rise of theologians who were attempting to mold
Bonheoffer realized that society had begun to live etsi Deus, non daretur (Bell 25).
Translated this means as though God did not exist. Following this notion many
quickly failed and instead many adopted religion without God also known as secular
Christianity. In this religion there was no higher power but instead it was all about one
coming to oneself, man coming of age. Essentially what this generation was doing was
taking the piety and dogma that was plaguing Christianity and stripping it away so that it
was no longer a hindrance on faith. Throughout the 1970s Americans spent millions of
dollars on seminars, tapes, and workshops in order to discover their inner self (Bell 26).
This led the generation further into the self-centered ideologies that would entrap them
This new radical theological movement ended up cultivating the death of God
theology. This new movement attempted to market God in a manner that was more
pleasing to society. While not necessarily atheism, theologians did not attempt to answer
the question of whether or not God was actually dead. Instead what they said was that
God was an absentee God, they advocated that God had created then abandoned
humanity. This new theology quickly caught wind and began spreading. Time Magazine
even covered it in an issue with the headline GOD IS DEAD as well as a funeral
theologian. Cox published The Secular City and in this work he emphasized that
Christians should view God as alive but in the manner of architecture. In this image he
describes a city with high rises that dwarf churches. Cox encourages his readers that God
dwells among the buildings; that God dwells among their secular world. Therefore he is
asking his readers to reject the false lie belief that God is separate from the secular world.
Instead he urges Christians to view God as who he truly is, human and divine. In order to
do this Cox claims that the church must stop talking about God for the time being and
instead join those who are similar in their mindsets and who desire to better the world.
Despite intentions, both dogmas created a culture full of false theology and
ideologies. Neither view encouraged Christians to be the body of Christ in a manner that
builds up the kingdom of God. Instead these theologies encouraged those to better the
world. The issue lies in that bettering the world and building up the kingdom of God are
not necessarily one but instead can be two separate entities. Also, neither view
This is especially vital as Baby Boomers were the first to grow up with the television.
They were the first to hear doctrine and propaganda on a daily basis. Each of these issues
Coming to faith in a modernist world cultivated the way the Baby Boomers
thought, taught, and practiced. The philosophy of modernism, that everything must be
proven and factual, was at its pinnacle, as the Boomers were becoming Christians.
Essentially, this stands that Baby Boomers hold a well thought out faith, one that boils
down to conductive reasoning. Intellectual clarity was the center of their doctrine as well
as the aim for their preaching and teaching. Avid learning was applied to their faith in
order to draw clear and concise conclusions. This intellect allowed Baby Boomers the
ability to simplify their doctrine and in turn simplifies their beliefs, making them easier to
Another large factor in how Baby Boomers do church is their centric focus upon
church programing. This generation is largely known today for being church planters. An
ode to that success falls on their ability to program their churches well. They hold the
strong desire to be effective, once again pointing back to modernism, using their ability to
budget and plan according to their churches needs as well as desires and dreams. Their
churches are often times strong in each area across the board. These areas include:
preaching, childrens ministry, youth ministry, worship, and outreach. They view the
church as being the focal point for their outreach; in order to effectively impact those for
God they must first be stable in themselves. A great example of this would be the senior
pastors of Hillsong church, Brian and Bobbie Houston. Both happen to fall under the
Baby Boomer generation. They are church planters, and effective ones at that with
38
campuses across the globe. They have cultivated a mega church with hundreds of
campuses, congregations in the thousands if not millions, and place a large focus on their
churches programming. The majority of their success can be credited to their ability to
effectively plan and execute a church service, which in turn, has drawn thousands to
Christ.
The Baby Boomers are a unique generation. They were raised with the mentality
of their culture, which was passed down from their parents, but instead of growing in a
similar fashion to the Silents they instead grew into a new sense of self. This sense led
them to begin revolutions, ask questions, and seek new discoveries. They gained the
advancement of the television but rejected previous teachings. Boomers sought out new
enlightenments all while retaining the old in the back of their minds, only to return to
them later. They experimented and in that helped advance society for the generations to
Once the Baby Boomers grew up and had children came Generation X. Born
between 1965-1980 Generation X, or commonly named Gen Xers or Baby Busters. This
group is often looked over. Sitting at around 65 million, they are situated right between
two large groups with the Baby Boomers (77 million) behind them and the Millennials
(83 million) to come. With a shorter span of only 16 years to the generation, there was
much difficulty in the naming process. World War II photographer Robert Capa first used
the term Generation x but it was not until author Douglas Coupland wrote Generation X:
Tales for an Accelerated Culture that the term stuck (Taylor 1).
39
40
Known as one of the most opinionated generations, the Gen-Xers have touched
upon political, social, and religious values. During their time they also had to deal with an
economic and crisis left to them from the previous generation. The graph above, done by
Pew Research Center, represents four areas that by large cover the Baby Busters:
religious affiliation, married, religious unaffiliated, and those with a high school diploma.
It is seen that Gen-Xers held religion as a primary factor in their lives as well as
education but little were married young. These areas are a large part in the definition of
These results can be concluded as to the way they were raised. While Baby
Boomers were getting divorces and creating a culture that revolved around them, Baby
Busters began a journey of self-discovery. They no longer had two parents in their home
raising them but instead saw an influx of separation as well as their parents bringing
home new partners. With the statistic of Generation Xers who got married between the
ages of 18-32 it comes at no shock that it was only 36%. With the example that their
parents had set before them this generation did not hold a strong belief for marriage or
saw much of the benefits from that. Their parents were living in self-indulgence and at
times emotionally neglecting their children therefore this generation would grow with an
innate desire for acceptance and attention. Naturally this was found through religious
lazy, aimless, and unfocused. The media consistently pulled them over the coals, at one
point using the shows such as F.r.i.e.n.d.s and MTV in order to cultivate the image they
were attempting to portray. It was not until the Baby Busters grew into adults that the
41
media began to retract their statements, revealing that Gen-Xers were starting
technological start up companies and creating small businesses. This group went from
being pitied to being envied. Self-employed and prosperous they have been dubbed the
entrepreneurship generation by the Harvard Business Review (Taylor 1). This group
started up companies that are still running today and helped to boost their economy, the
high tech world was created during this time. This includes Apple, Google, Amazon, and
YouTube.
Despite their initiative within themselves Gen-Xers are largely known for their
lack of involvement. They grew up hearing the daily news through their television yet
never paid any attention. When of age they were able to vote but instead chose not to.
Instead of working for established corporations they decided to start their own.
Lewinsky Scandal all happened within their time of growth. Through this came the
apart from the downfall of those previously listed so instead they turned to themselves.
The shift into postmodernism actually began with the Baby Busters, although it
was never solidified within their generation. The idea and possibly that there is no
absolute truth started to take shape. Gen-Xers decided to become more tolerant, more
open, and more understanding. This led to a rise in pro-choice, in regards to abortion, as
well as pro-life, in regards to animals and wildlife. Coupled with this mindset came the
notion of fear. They grew during an era of distrust. With distrust came the mindset that
every single thing around them was broken. This included their government, education,
42
and even their families. No longer was the Earth pure because people were killing trees,
no longer was sex fun because of the outbreak of AIDS, and no longer was marriage
sacred because everyones parents were divorced. Even their generation nickname, Baby
hold a positive and hopeful outlook. This generation sought to create a world they never
had. This happened through humanitarian efforts, civil rights movements, and creating
their own corporations. Overall they decided that since they could not change their past
Holding a new outlook gave religion within this generation a boost. They were
searching for transcendent meaning, meaning they were spiritually hungry. They were
looking for meaning from other than science and the empirical method (the belief that
science alone can solve problems). They began to see that the world was not a good place
and wanted to help change that through the spiritual world. This desire made them
susceptible to revivals.
period of time. When the Baby Busters arrived on the church scene they changed the way
that evangelism was done. No longer did evangelism happen by attending church for a
long time but instead it happened through pushing small groups or designated ministries.
The idea of relational evangelism was also introduced during this time. Gen-Xers realized
that if there was no relationship outside of just church services or ministries then they
were not effectively communicating the Gospel. The idea of reaching secular people on
43
their own home turf was introduced and the Baby Busters began to leave the church in
abortion, talked about but instead ministries that were able to aid in that area were
presented. Through this the notion of the church as a corporation began to diminish and
the rise of personal ministries took its place. Leadership rose, with the previous
stereotype of Busters being lazy fading into the background. Christianity began to form
of these nicknames stands for one generation that has seemed to have more talk, media,
posts, and primetime than any generation before them, the Millennial generation.
Millennials, while not the newest (i.e. Generation Z), are the generation that is in their
prime within the world right now. They are anyone born between 1980-2000, which
dollars), 53% are already parents (which is 1 in 4 Millennials), 46% have over 200
Facebook friends (compared to 19% of non-millennials with the same number), 56% are
the first to try new technology, and 75% want to travel abroad (Millennials Infographic
1). This is a generation unlike the rest, a generation that is refusing to conform to
Unlike the previous generations, Millennials have grown up in a day and age that
is ruled by rapid change. This has given them the default of different priorities as well as
44
different expectations that are vesting unique and different in comparison to history. In
history the largest generation was the Baby Boomers who sat at 77 million. The
Millennial generation has taken that place with 92 million (Millennials Infographic 1).
Not every countrys group of Millennials are the exact same but with the aid of the
internet, social media platforms, the expansion of Western thought and culture, as well as
globalization Millennials across the globe are significantly more similar than older
generations within just their nation. This has helped to cultivate a unified mindset as well
and their demands being met at their will, because of this Millennials have cultivated a
greater is me mindset. This means that they are reliant on themselves to the point of
ignorance. 40% of Millennials believe that they should receive a promotion every two
years, no matter what their performance is. The National Study of Youth and Religion
found that the guiding morality of 60% of Millennials is that they will just know
whether something is right or not, that they will be able to feel it (qtd. in Stein 1). The
rise of social media platforms and celebrities have no aided in this problem. In a 2007
study it was found that three times more middle school aged girls desire to work for a
famous person than as many who want to be a Senator. This study also found that four
times as many would choose the famous job over being a CEO of a corporation (qtd. in
Stein 1). Millennials desire a better platform rather than a better foundation.
around three times higher for Millennials in their 20s than for those who are currently 65
45
and above. This study also found that 58% of college students scored higher on the
narcissism scale in 2009 than those who took it in 1982. This issue does not like just
within the upper class but is also a problem within the middle and lower classes curating
Adults reported that more Millennials in the United States of America ages 18-29 live
with their parents rather than live with a spouse (qtd. in Stein 1). Pew Research Center
found that American men ages 18-34 are living with their parents 35% of the time and
only with their spouse 28% of the time. As for women 35% are living with a spouse and
only 29% are living with their parents (Domonoske 1). It has also been found that the less
educated the person is the more likely that they will live with their parents rather than the
Another dub that has been added onto the Millennials long list of descriptors is
the me, me, me generation. Comparing the 1950s household to a 2016 household the
makeup and even decorations will greatly differ and not because of styling preferences
but because of cultural shifts. In the 1950s one was likely to find a photograph of a
wedding or perhaps even a military photo. In 2016 homes are full of photographs of the
owners themselves, on average a middle class family walks past 85 photos of themselves
when walking through their home. Millennials have grown up with and adopted this
mindset ten-fold. The average Millennial has devices that record their number of steps
daily, an app that track their location daily, and a program that rapidly provides options
whether that is food, clothing, or recreational activities. This generation is living with
endless options that all cater to Millennials, making it all about them.
46
The largest reason behind the me, me, me attitude, as well as expectation,
within Millennials stems from the 1970s. In the 70s there was surge in desire for
improving childrens success rates through advancing their self-esteem. When asked
about this Roy Baumeister, a psychology professor and author said, The early findings
showed that, indeed, kids with high self-esteem did better in school and were less likely
to be in various kinds of trouble. Its just that weve learned later that self-esteem is a
result, not a cause (qtd. in Stein 1). The issue revolves around that when attempting to
excel an individuals self-esteem it can cause narcissism instead. Growing up and being
told that they are special and perfect only sets up that individual for failure as when they
get older and the world refuses to affirm them it leads to disappointment. Confirming this
the Millennial Generation said, This generation has the highest likelihood of having
unmet expectations with respect to their careers and the lowest levels of satisfaction with
they should receive a promotion every two years, no matter what their performance, only
exemplifies this behavior. The basis of this mindset relies on the fact that Millennials
have held prolonged life stages. Each life stage has not always be recognized or named.
The term teenager did not even exist until the 1920s. Before that teenagers held no
education but instead went straight to work therefore never holding the culture of a
teenager. Fast-forward to 2016 and Millennials are living there teenage years long past
47
18, instead their teenage years are lasting until they become young adults, a term that did
While everything previously given about Millennials is the typical drone of older
generations and the media, what has failed to be seen are all of the good that Millennials
are doing. For example, narcissism and entitlement are not necessarily bad qualities
within the Millennials; instead they are their adaptation to their environments. These
negative stereotypes are only given to them because the ones giving those titles do not
understand the environment that Millennials grew up and currently live in. They may
have a narcissistic sense of humor but Millennials are more accepting than ever before.
This generation has opened its arms to women, minorities, immigrants, and the LGBTQ+
community. On the other front, they are not negative and self-absorbed but are instead
adapting to the world of abundance. Millennials have the luxury of putting off decisions,
which was not an option for the previous generations. They also obtain the ability to gain
knowledge at their fingertips, making them smarter and faster than anyone before them.
Millennials are the most innovative generation due to the world at their fingertips. All of
this has definitely effected and changed the world around them, especially within the
church world.
Commonly referred to, as the lost generation Millennials are the largest non-
conducted a study where they surveyed over 1,300 Millennials. In this study they asked
them basic evangelistic questions. In their results they found that only four out of 100
Millennials were able to describe anything even resembling a salvation experience (Botts
1). Another research done by Barna reveals that nearly six in ten (59%) young people
48
grow up in Christian churches end up walking away from either their faith or from the
institutional church at some point in their first decade of adult life (5 Reasons
Millennials 1). The study also continued on to prove that unchurched Millennials have
seen a surge in the past ten years, ranging from 44% up to 52%, this shows that there is a
cultural shift away from churchgoing (5 Reasons Millennials 1). Author of You Lost Me
David Kinnaman said, Millennials are rethinking most of the institutions that arbitrate
life, from marriage and media to government and church. They have grown up in a
culture and among peers who are often neutral or resistant to the gospel. And life feels
accelerated compared with 15 years agothe ubiquity of information makes it harder for
many to find meaning in institutions that feel out of step with the times. Millennials often
describe church, for instance, as not relevant or say that attending worship services
feels like a boring duty (qtd. in Martinez 1). These studies and quote only further the
proof that Millennials are walking away from the church; that they are rejecting what it
stands for.
There are three possible deductions as to why Millennials are leaving the church.
The first is spiritual nomads. These are Christians who have abandoned the church
community but still consider themselves to be Christian. The second are prodigals.
Prodigals are those have lost their faith. They are typically known for saying that they are
no longer Christians. The last type to leave the church is the exiles. These are
Christians that are still engaged and bound in their faith but are struggling between their
faith and the current culture. While there are other possible Millennials who are
unchurched that could fall into subcategories these are the main three that are most
commonly seen.
49
A large portion of Millennial Christians does not, and will not, define themselves
themselves as spiritual. Only 20% of them say that going to church is important, 30%
say church isnt important at all, with the other 50% completely ambivalent toward the
idea of going to church (Botts 1). Alongside of these statistics lie the fact that 35% of
Millennials are not currently attending church and do not feel that church is even
relevant. 17% believe that they do not need church because they are able to teach
themselves everything that they need to know (Botts 1). Once again, pointing to the fact
that a large portion of this generation holds no interest in church and does not believe it to
be beneficial.
What is the church doing to reach Millennials? This has been the question that has
plagued the church for the last decade. The main answer to this question is that the
church has a strong resistance to change. The Millenials are unlike any other generation
before them. In order to effectively reach this generation, who does not hold value to
traditions like past generations have done, the church needs to, for lack of better words,
get with the times. If this generation does not value traditions in such a high regard then it
is time for the church to loosen the reigns on traditions and grab hold up the new hope set
before them. Millennials are likely disengaged from church because they have been shot
down when attempting to effect change or have just simply never seen it happen. When a
church is unable to update and improve upon programs, actives, or itself as a church it
will not be able to reach anyone from the present and onward. Millennials are a
generation that seeks adventure, new experiences, and overall amazement. When a
ministry repeats itself over and over to the point that it becomes mundane then they have
50
already lost the interest in those who they are trying to reach. The church should not
conform by any means but it should be able to adapt in order to effectively evangelize
and reach those, past, present, and future, for the kingdom of God.
On the other side of the Millennial Generation are those who are currently
attending and actively engaged in church. Countless studies have proven that this
generation is the least religious generations in history. Automatically this seems like a
bad factor but it could instead be a golden opportunity. While around three in 10
Millennials (around 29%) hold no religious affiliation there is still 86% that claim to
believe in God (Francke 1). In the grand scheme this does not seem, in the slightest, to be
saying that the Millennial Generation are atheists. In fact, this statistic only deepens the
reason why Millennials are hopeful for their futures but yet distrust society in general. It
is why Millennials are disengaged from the church but are still professing personal faith.
Looking at individualism through a Christian context proves that, while being most
notably known as negative, it is not necessarily a bad thing. The Bible repeatedly (i.e. see
but it also reveals the importance of personal faith. The greatest example to this is Jesus.
Jesus was continuously in community with his disciples as well as evangelizing, but also
spent a lot of time away from them in order to pray and seek God. A mixture of
community and individualism could prove successful through such a unique generation
as the Millennials.
51
Millennials question everything. Part of their postmodern mindsets is that they are
constantly worrying, questioning, and distrusting. Another nickname of this generation is,
Why? Accurate and fitting, this nickname sums up the mentality that Millennials have.
Their consistent re-examining and contemplative attitudes allow this generation to seek
the truth or what it is supposed to be, not just what is being served to them. A large issue
within church history is the confusion that has built up over years of misunderstanding
and misconstrued information. This has stemmed from ministers misinterpreting the
Bible and then teaching that misunderstanding to the congregation, and so on. Millennials
have come like a fresh wave to this. They are coming into the church taking a second
look at things that were never relooked at and, in turn, figuring out what is true and what
is not. This could be highly beneficial for the church, especially in the long run.
There is statistics to prove that Millenials are the least faith based generation but
does that stand for the entirety? There are also statistics that prove that Millennials who
are dedicated, committed, and engaged in Christianity take their faith seriously. David
Kinnaman, the president of Barna Group, said that there is real evidence that those who
are staying connected in the churches and connected into their faith are taking matters of
faith even more seriously than do previous generations of Christians (Hanbury 1).
Kinnaman continues on to explain that Millennials actually hold a higher standard for
themselves within their faith. This generation is more interested in the Bible, what it
teaches, and overall hold a larger understanding on the importance of theology than those
who came before them. Millennials realize that Christianity is meant to be a life long
commitment, not just a phase or a trial run. Barna Group ran another study that revealed
96% of Millennials believe the Bible to be the actual and inspired word of God. Compare
52
that to the 56% of the general population and it reveals that Millennials are placing a
higher importance on the Word of God (Hanbury 1). Barna Group ran this study in
different countries, such as Scotland, and found the exact same results among the
millennial generation there. The trend of Millennialism Christianity holding onto a firmer
generations of faith. Gone are pews, Sunday morning services, and church potlucks. This
unique generation holds no value in old recycled church traditions but instead seeks deep
rich fulfillment within personal faith. Statistics show that Millennials are abandoning
church but not abandoning faith. Defining themselves as spiritual rather than
manner that has never been done before; a manner that refuses to conform.
53
Postmodernism is the mindset and the philosophy that Millennials hold. Within
this context it is vital that one must first examine and understand postmodernism in
Dubbed emerging churches, these new church movements are happening through
churches that are embracing postmodernism theology. Where postmodernity says that
there can be no absolute truth, the church definitively believes in truth. This paradox has
raised red flags within the church but has also helped to surge the church into the forward
thinking movement.
Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior, who was born as a human, crucified and died,
and rose again. These are absolute undisputed truths within Christianity. The evidence for
these truths can be found in verses such as John 1:14, And the Word became flesh and
dwelt among us, Matthew 27:32-56 where Jesus is crucified and dies, and in Luke 24:6,
He is not here; he has risen! (Fire Bible, John 1.14, Matt. 27.32-56, Luke 24.6). These
absolute truths seem as if they would counteract postmodernism but the church is not
viewing postmodernism in the same fashion that the non-religious, or secular, world is
viewing it.
the existence of truth but rather is based in a denial of humanities ability to understand
the certainty of truth. Essentially emerging churches postmodernism mindsets are in the
belief of objective truth but they reject the notion that one is able to know the certainty of
their objective truth. The church is weary of the acceptance or denial of truth and
54
recognizes that they must know that are limitations. An example of this is the ideology
of, Here is what we believe but who is to even say that we are right. The philosophical
background of this new movement is not the denial of truth itself but is instead the ability
to know truth. An example of this is that the postmodern church believes that Jesus left
his divinity in favor of humanity in order to die for everyone. With this truth comes the
flip side that that is a truth to them but the mechanics of that truth are disputable. The
church then wrestles with the notions of defining exactly who Jesus is in his entirety as
well as what exactly he needs from each one of them. They recognize the truth but also
The limitations upon the emerging church are due to their current time period,
overall situation, and culture. These are the restraints that bind them from being able to
access the full truth. Postmodernism within the emerging church has stripped away any
distinctions that first divided the church. The many different denominations are a result of
those differences. The theology and beliefs within the differentiating denominations have
left many Christians beguiled and confused due to their modernists mindsets, that there
are absolute truths. Since postmodernism has come about, and as a result shifted culture,
themselves due to differentiating beliefs but are now opening the possibility that they
could be wrong. This in turn is welcoming an entirely new group of people into
Christianity, Millennials.
church took up this theology it was most commonly seen in the Eastern Orthodox
55
Church. The main point of this theology centers on the idea of mystery. Bible verses such
as Job 11:7 which says, Can you discover the depths of God? Can you discover the
limits of the Almighty? as well as Daniel 2:28, However, there is a God in heaven who
reveals mysteries are only a few of the many verses in the Bible which entail that
there is more to God than humanity could ever know (Fire Bible, Job 11.7, Dan. 2.28).
The new generation of churches have adopted this theology and made it the summation of
their beliefs. Unlike previous generations they are no longer seeking to define God but
instead to stand in awe of their lack of understanding. The church stands by the idea that
they do not go to church to learn about God but instead go to church to worship him. Or
that they do not go to church to be able to articulate and defend their beliefs but instead
ultimate goal is no longer confirming their beliefs but is now deconstructing them.
but seeks to be open. They desire a connection to God that is not stemmed through rigid
knowledge and factual information; instead they desire to connect with God through the
means of worship, community, and mystery. The emerging church holds fast to the
postmodern notion that the only thing that they can be certain of is that they are
uncertain.
Different can be scary and seemingly negative. The emerging church has received
a lot of flack from the remaining modernists churches who have failed to recognize that
churches that are moving into a postmodernist philosophy are not necessarily bad. They
are following Pauls command. In 1 Corinthians 13:12 Paul says, For now we see in a
mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I
56
also have been fully known (Fire Bible, 1 Cor. 13.12). What Paul is encouraging is
growth in the ability to reform. The principle of semper reformana (always reforming)
allows Christians the ability to grow and learn more about God than where they
previously were or what they previously knew, growing further than past generations.
churches believe in absolute truths their absolute truths were discovered and figured out
years ago, this means that these churches have been recycling passed down beliefs for
years without actually digging into any of the theology themselves. With the rise of the
including the recycled beliefs. From their viewpoints they are deconstructing beliefs that
are not rooted in proper theology, therefore allowing them the room to create theology for
their own. This focus has reopened fundamentalism and revealed all of the issues within
the belief. Fundamentalism has become pharisaic through its rule and regulations such as
not to smoke, drink, dance, etc. It took strict policies and limited Christians, making them
believe that that was what Christianity was about. Postmodernists have deconstructed
fundamentalism and allowed room for rebellion against old traditions as well as room for
Postmodernist churches are effectively reaching Millennials but are still failing to
reach a portion of them. This portion of Millennials, around 29%, claims no religious
affiliation of any kind (Drake 1). Out of this 29% there are two divided schools of
thought. The first school of thought is atheism. Atheism is a theological belief that there
is no God. This belief can be further broken down into there being no creator, no ultimate
judge for mans actions, or no supernatural being. This theology is the basis for Secular
57
unbelievable, as have the autonomous self and the meaning of history (Goldblatt 57-65).
What Vanhoozer is saying is that atheism holds its own downfall; in order to deny
something you must first recognize the possibility of its existence. Every key postmodern
Baudrillard, etc. While speaking at a convention in 2002 Derrida was asked why he does
not classify himself as an atheist, why instead he claims that he might pass for one, he
responded, Maybe Im not an atheist (Barrow 1). In his book, The Future of Religion,
Richard Rorty goes on to say that atheism is not the evidence for the nonexistence of God
but is instead the objective evidence for the existence of God (Rorty 8). The idea that
secular postmodern Millennials are atheists is not that they are actually denying the
existence of God; instead they are truly denying the modernist view that there is proof of
the existence of God. This opens up an entirely new market of individuals that emerging
Through the downward filtration of the unenlightened, the notion that one does
not have to be public with their beliefs has become a common quota for many religiously
affiliated, especially within Millennials. Religious pluralism is the belief that one should
be tolerant of any and all religious beliefs. Combine that belief with postmodern theology
and it turns into no one specific religion can be true. This has cultivated into the idea that
ones spiritual or religious beliefs should remain private in order to live in harmony. This
is why countless Millennials have bumper stickers that encourage religious harmony or
58
why they will not publically speak on their beliefs. Just as postmodernism says that there
are no absolute truths, this notion of religious harmony echoes that. Another example of
this is seen between the new surge of peace between Christianity and Islam. Both sides
are saying that there is no point in arguing or partaking in hatred because they both
worship the same God they just view him differently. This is not true as seen through
studying the names of God. God takes his name seriously, so seriously that one of the
Ten Commandments is to not take the Gods name in vain. God reveals himself through
specific names in the Bible that Islam does not use, such as heavenly father. The issue
within religious pluralism among Millennials is that religious claims are being made
based up preferences rather than on their objective standards. With the emerging
churches using objective standards as their rule of thumb this could combat this issue all
Atheism and Religious Plurality are plaguing the 29% of Millennial Christians
today but other 71% are leading Christianity through their thoughts, actions, and plans.
Despite being the least religiously affiliated generation Millennials are the most likely to
believe the Bible came from God and read it multiple times a week more than any other
generation by 87% (Zylstra 1). The way that Millennials are engaging with the Bible
looks similar to their parents generation, only in higher numbers. Gleanings did a study
where they surveyed Millennials, Gen-Xers, and Baby Boomers in 2016; the graph below
reveals the findings on Bible engagement among all of the generations (Zylstra 1).
59
60
Alongside this study Gleanings also found who held the best definition of
the Bible in which Millennials had the second highest number of 30% believing that the
Bible is the inspired word of God (Zylstra 1). Barna Group found that this generation is
one of the most likely to believe that the Bible pertains to every aspect of their lives. 96%
believe that the Bible holds the key to living a meaningful life (Millennials and the
Bible 1). Each of these studies reveals a common theme: Millennials may not view the
Bible in the same manner as the generations before them but they are still viewing it as
Millennials not only believe differently but also are also doing the fundamentals
Christianity back to the basics. Through this they have reopened the fundamentals of
faith, deepened theology, and also brought forth doctrinal roots. Paired alongside the
emerging church, Millennials are operating the church differently than ever before.
emphasize the large story of the Bible rather than metanarratives individually. They
understand that Christians need to be grounded within the foundation of the narrative of
Scripture. In order to effectively communicate this they use resources from the
chronological Bible, to reading plans, to even childrens Bibles. Church leaders eyes have
been opened to the need of theological education and through this have catered their
The return of theology has vastly changed the church dynamic. Millennial led
study groups are popping up all over the country. These study groups are typically
meeting weekly and are a safe place to study the Bible through asking questions in hopes
of cultivating sound theology. Through this an increase has risen within theological
One of the most talked about and largest differences between Millennial led
services and non-millennial led services are the worship services. This generation is
changing the way worship is led by saying that it is not so much about the style of music
but is instead about the content of the music. In a typical Millennial led worship service
one can find hymns alongside current music. Another factor into their worship services
are not only the content of the music of the content of the entire service. This generation
62
desires authenticity over anything else. This includes the music, the leader, and even the
congregation. This attitudinal viewpoint determines whether they will join in or not.
Whether all of this is through content or authenticity Millennials are challenging the older
generations to review and revise their current styles of worship (Millennials and
Worship Style).
The last largest difference within the church is the way that Millennials are using
technology to advance their churches and ministries. Gone are libraries on campuses and
in their place are digital libraries. Many emerging churches have separate sections on
their fresh and updated websites where a congregant can search books, reading plans, and
other educational or sermon related material. Alongside the reading lists are the sermons.
Most pastors now place their sermons on their websites as well as live audio. The church
is also seeing a rise in live video sermons being streamed. This has driven a surge of
Leading through authenticity, content, and foundational teachings have been the
mark of Millennials within ministerial leadership. These fresh groups of leaders have not
only challenged the older generations but have shifted the direction of the church as a
whole and sailed it into a new wave of thought. Theological bible studies, authentic
worship services, and an online presence has aided in directing the church into the
Conclusion
Looking at all of the information in total, each topic is related. For example, in
understand Millennials one must first understand the Silents, Baby Boomers, and Gen-
Xers. Then, in order to even understand the generations one must first understand
subjects. Philosophy and the generations go together as they are equivalent. One cannot
understand one without understanding the other just as one cannot explain one without
explaining the other. The most interwoven out of the previously listed are modernism and
postmodernism.
metanarratives, etc. Each factor feeds into and drives the next factor. For example, each
metanarratives one single narrative is not complete and therefore is not an actual
philosophy. A great way to view philosophy is to view it as a cell. Within a cell is the
membrane, nucleus, etc. If the cell were missing just one piece then it would be missing a
function and therefore would not be able to function at all; modernism and
reasoning, factual evidence, and proof. It typically deals within Neo-Classical and
explanations and beliefs, in this sense reasoning and freedom are intertwined. Modernists
believe that freedom can only happen through a factual, or scientific, understanding. This
philosophical view has been the running force behind government, education, and the
church since World War II, although it is dated back to the French Revolution in 1789 as
well as Communism in 1989 (Krejcir 1). Due to this long history modernism has been the
philosophy behind generations such as the Silents, Baby Boomers, and around half of the
Gen-Xers.
On the other side of the coin is postmodernism. Summed up, postmodernism deals
examines modernism and completely deconstructs it. This philosophy is also the cause of
rebellion against the government, educational system, and the church. This mindset shift,
and as a byproduct cultural shift, came around the last half of Gen-Xers generation but
with the previous generations; they have two separate philosophies that contradict each
other. It is also the reason as to why Millennials are set apart when it comes to
technology, consumerism, and overall beliefs. When looking at any statistic the chances
are that Millennials will either have an extremely higher or an extremely lower
percentage on that scale simply due to the change in mindsets. This has caused a split
between the generations as well as another split within the older generations. Millennials
and the generations before them are already divided due to their separate philosophies,
but with the rise of the Millennials the older generations had to quickly decide whether
they were going to embrace the new generation or reject it. They did not have the option
65
of keeping with a modernist mindset. Postmodernism has begun to take over and it is
Modernism versus postmodernism creates a large gap among the Millennials from
the Silents, Baby Boomers, and Gen-Xers but they are not completely separated. Within a
secular and religious context Millennials are a lot closer to their ancestors than most
would believe. From everything such as the economy all the way down to how much they
often they read the bible is in a similar fashion to those before them.
seem large. The Silents held strong affiliations with the government, religion, and
Millennials are challenging the government, have the lowest numbers of any generation
of being unaffiliated with religion, and are regularly in relationships without ever getting
married. The shift between these generations comes not just through their philosophy but
also through the world around them. Since the Silents there has been a rise in the racial
and ethnic DNA of the country as well women becoming work independent.
Even though there are definite differences between the two, the Silent Generation
and the Millennial Generation still hold more in common than typically thought. A large
similarity between the two furthest removed generations is their economic situations. The
Silents grew up in a time of economic crisis as well have Millennials. Instead of the Great
Depression they grew up in the Great Recession. Both generations understand what it
means to gain an entry level job that does not cover the cost of living, neither have or will
likely ever experience financial security. Accompanying this factor both generations
married later than either the Baby Boomers or the Gen-Xers just for the fact of the cost. It
66
was more experience to get married and start a family for these two generations than the
other two; therefore they put off getting married in hopes of holding a stronger financial
situation than they would if there were to marry and start families younger. The similar
Adding a Christian lens to their similarities Silents and Millennials are in a similar
situation here as they were with the economy crises. Just how in the Silents day they were
faithful Christians because of their tough financial situations it is the same with the
Millennials, although they would use the word spiritual in place of Christian.
Another similar factor is that Silents were the generation who saw the beginning of the
revival movements within Pentecostalism. It has been posed over and over again that the
their similar situations as well as their more charismatic beliefs due to desiring miracles
for their rough life situations. All of these things are parallel to where the Silents were
The Baby Boomers and the Millennials are often pinned against each other. The
media places the bias that these generations are too far removed from each other due to
things such as technology and work ethic. The workforce is mainly made up of half
Boomers and half Millennials. With two generations colliding it can be seen where the
stereotype of the two generations corralling comes from. While Millennials are
technologically advanced Boomers hold a dislike as well as disinterest for the use of it.
Work ethic divides the two as Millennials are largely laid back and prefer to use
technology to their aid whereas Boomers are very work driven, constantly having
meetings and checking off their to-do lists, all without technology.
67
Millennials and Baby Boomers hold many vast differences but where they are the
same they stand close. Baby Boomers were the first generation to grow up with advanced
technology in their homes. Follow that years later and Millennials are having the same
experience. Both understand what it is like to have the daily news and entertainment at
revolutions. While Baby Boomers were seeking personal freedom from society and the
man Millennials have been seeking the same freedom. There has been a rise in feminism
If the word Christianity was never mentioned while comparing the way Baby
Boomers and Millennials practiced and experienced religion then one would never see
the differences. Both generations sought, and are seeking, personal enlightenment. The
only difference being Boomers turned to Eastern religions while Millennials have
returned to Christianity. These two refused to affiliate with a church or denomination and
preferred to keep their faiths to themselves but at the same time were experiencing
specific ministry phenomenons. The Boomers saw rallies such as Youth for Christ while
Millennials are seeing the likes of mega churches such as Hillsong. Both professed
Generation X and Millennials, parents and their children, hold their differences
and similarities not in their actions but through their characteristics. Born in the closest
time periods to each other these two generations differ more in how they think and
respond. Gen-Xers are generally lazy and cynical; on the other hand Millennials are
optimistic and are often idealists. Another characteristic difference is that overall Gen-
Xers have proven to be angry, ignore leadership, and desire to be free agents. Millennials
68
are on the opposite end; they are positive, enjoy team dynamics, and desire to work in
cohesive environments alongside colleagues. Their descriptors are the biggest differences
The greatest similarities lie in their backgrounds. Generation X saw the rise in
technology, media influence, and times of distrust just as Millennials did. Both saw
technology boom and consumers beginning to cater to them. They both also grew up
during hard times. Gen-Xers experienced events such as Watergate and increased divorce
rates whereas Millennials saw 9/11 as well high divorce rates. Both learned that there is
argued that Millennials do not attend church because their parents did it boils down more
meaning that their values have been the most similar. Millennials and Gen-Xers both
value faith without the church establishment. Their view of the Bible is also the most
similar. Pew Research Center conducted a survey, the graph below, and found that out of
all of the generations Millennials and Generation X hold the most similar view of the
Bible. Their view being that it is Gods inspired word (Millennials: A portrait 99).
69
70
Millennials are a generation unlike the rest. Even when compared to their
predecessors this generation stands alone. This is a generation that grew up during the
Great Recession but who are also the most educated, resulting in a large quantity of debt.
6 in 10 have bachelors degrees, 1 in 10 have masters or a PhD, and 1 in 4 are full time
students at a university. They are the most ethnically and racially diverse generation.
Environmental concerns and equal pay are the two most important issues in their society.
Millennials are also living through prolonged life stages as well as spending half their
income on rent alone. 1 in 10 are self-employed with 55% holding a full-time job. They
themselves from the rest. Despite prolonged marriage this generation is still committed,
crisis should derail them but instead Millennials remain optimistic and are still chasing
their dream jobs. Knowing they will rack up a good amount of debt has not stepped this
generation, as they are still educationally motivated. Statistically, the world is against this
generation but despite the facts and the numbers the Millennials have risen above and
pressed forward unlike the generations before them who never even tried.
Just like they are in the secular world, Millennials separate themselves within
Christianity. Instead of Sunday morning services with the same humdrum this generation
has chosen to not partake. Despite having the lowest numbers across the board for
anything religious Millennials are taking Christianity and molding it into a new practice.
Gone are typical Sunday morning services, they have replaced by weekly theology Bible
studies, instead of outdated worship services they are seeking authentic experiences, and
71
no longer are evangelism efforts recycled but they are practicing relational evangelism.
Millennials are refusing to practice Christianity the way that it has always been done.
They fight the serotypes of what should be as well as peer pressure from older
generations and continue forward. From their viewpoint advancing the world as they go.
They refuse to eat from the spoon fed to the masses. Instead of even looking at the spoon
they are out creating their own. Refusing to rely on those before them they instead have
chosen to rely on each other. Marching to the beat of their own drums Millennials are
taking over government, education, and religion, making each of those better than they
previously were, this time under a new philosophy. Millennials truly are the non-
conformist generation.
72
Bibliography
Aeschliman, Gordon. "Generation X: Will the Church Be in Their Future?" Prism (1994):
12-16.
Atwood, Dennis. "Jesus and Generation X." The Ivy Jungle Report (1995): 7.
Barnagroup. "5 Reasons Millennials Stay Connected to Church - Barna Group." Barna
Barnagroup. "Millennials and the Bible: 3 Surprising Insights - Barna Group." Barna
Barrow, Simon. "Simon Barrow - Derrida Among The Theologians." Simon Barrow -
Derrida Among The Theologians. Faith in Society, 2004. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.
Baudrillard, Jean, 1976, Symbolic Exchange and Death, Ian Hamilton Grant (trans.),
Bell, James. Bridge over Troubled Water: Ministry to Baby Boomers: A Generation
Blomberg, Fran, et al. "Generational Socio-cultural Shifts in the Post-Modern Age: From
Botts, Marc. "The Lost Generation." Church Central. Church Central, 19 June 2003.
Campus, Greg Witto is director of, and Immanuel Lutheran Church. "A Huge Mission
FieldThe Millennials."
Caputo, John D., and Michael J. Scanlon. "Introduction: Apology for the impossible:
Religion and postmodernism." God, the Gift, and Postmodernism (1999): 1-19.
Caputo, John D. What Would Jesus Deconstruct? (The Church and Postmodern Culture):
The Good News of Postmodernism for the Church. Baker Academic, 2007.
Comaroff, Jean, and John L. Comaroff. "Millennial capitalism: First thoughts on a second
Deanne, Joel. "A Brief History of Generation X." On Being (1994): 22-27.
Deleuze, Gilles, 1983 [1962], Nietzsche and Philosophy, Hugh Tomlinson (trans.), New
Dever, John P. "As the Church Moves into the Twenty-First Century: Some Extended
Dittmer, Terry. "Ministry Among the Generations: Challenges and Opportunities." Issues
Domonoske, Camila. "For First Time In 130 Years, More Young Adults Live With
Parents Than With Partners." NPR. NPR, 24 May 2016. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.
Drake, Bruce. "6 New Findings about Millennials." Pew Research Center RSS. N.p., 07
Evans, Rachel Held. "Why millennials are leaving the church." CNN Belief Blog (2013).
Francke, Tyler. "6 Reasons Millennial Christians Will Change Everything." RELEVANT
Getty, Keith. "Millennials and Worship Style." Interview. Audio blog post.
Goetz, David. "The Riddle of Our Culture: What is Postmodernism?" Leadership (1997):
52- 56.
Haas, Rebecca. "Introducing Those of Generation X.." New Hampshire Weekly (1991).
Hamman, Jaco. "The Millennial Generation and the Church: Doing it Differently."
Jo Hanbury, Aaron Cline. "Do Millennial Christians Have the Strongest Faith of
Any Generation?" RELEVANT Magazine. N.p., 22 Sept. 2015. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.
Harrold, Philip. "Deconversion in the emerging church." International Journal for the
Haraldson, Hrafnkell. "The Rising Tide of American Fundamentalism in the 1940s and
50s." PoliticusUSAs Archives. Hrafnkell Haraldsson, 8 Aug. 2011. Web. 11 Nov. 2016.
Heidegger, Martin, and David Farrell. Krell. Nietzsche: Volume I: The Will to Power as
Art: Volume II: The Eternal Recurrence of the Same. San Francisco:
Heidegger, Martin, and David Farrell. Krell. Nietzsche: Volume III: The Will to Power as
Henig, Robin Marantz., and Samantha Henig. Twentysomething: Why Do Young Adults
Iliffe, James. "Searching for Reality in a Postmodern Age" On Being (1996): 34-38.
Jenkin, Clint, and A. Allan Martin. "Engaging Adventist millennials: A church embracing
Jorgenson, Dave. "11 Unexpected Ways That Millennials Are Wayyyy Different from
Other Generations." Independent Journal Review. N.p., 27 Jan. 2015. Web. 14 Nov.
2016.
Kenneson, Philip. "Theres no such thing as objective truth, and its a good thing too."
Lakies, Chad. "Candy Machine God, or, Going to Church without Going to Church:
Millennials and the Future of the Christian Faith." Missio Apostolica (2013): 14.
Macunovich, Diane. The Baby Boomers. Rep. Ed. David Ekerdt. Barnard College,
The Baby Boomers. Macmillan Encyclopedia of Aging, Oct. 2000. Web. 3 Oct.
2016.
Martinez, Jessica. Sep 20, 2013. "Study: Millennials Stay in Churches Focused on Being
McCrindle, Mark. "Generations Defined." The ABC of XYZ (2011): 1-15. McCrindle.
Miller, Jon D. Generation X Report. Rep. no. 1. Longitudinal Study of American Youth,
Perniola, Mario, 1995 [1990], Enigmas: The Egyptian Moment in Society and Art,
Paulin, Geoffrey, and Brian Riordon. "Baby Boom Meets Generation X." Bureau of
Oct. 2016.
Peace, Richard. "Reaching the X-Generation Through Small Groups." National Small
of Generation next (2010): 1-113. Pew Research Center. Pew Research Center, Feb.
Penner, Myron B. Christianity and the postmodern turn: Six views. Brazos Press, 2005.
78
Rainer, Thom S., and Jess W. Rainer. The millennials: connecting to America's largest
Raschke, Carl. The next reformation: Why evangelicals must embrace postmodernity.
Rorty, Richard, Gianni Vattimo, and Santiago Zabala. The Future of Religion. New York:
Profile."
Stamps, Donald C., and Carey Huffman. Fire Bible: New International Version.
Stein, Joel. "Millennials: The Me Me Me Generation." Time. Time, 20 May 2013. Web.
13 Nov. 2016.
Taylor, Paul, and George Gao. "Generation X: America's Neglected 'middle Child'" Pew
Research Center RSS. Pew Research Center, 05 June 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2016.
Tittley, Mark. "Ministry and the Millennial Generation." The Next Wave (1999).
Vattimo, Gianni, 1988 [1985], The End of Modernity: Nihilism and Hermeneutics in
Press.
79
Vowels, Mark C. "Millennials: why the next generation will change the way we do
Press, 2005.
West, Kelsey. Chaco Christianity: How millennials redefine and reinforce religion in
Zimmerman, John C. "Leadership across the gaps between generations." Crux 31.2
(1995): 42-54.
Zylstra, Sarah E. "What the Latest Bible Research Reveals About Millennials."