Why Many Church Leaders Fail to Reach Millennials (and 5 Things You Can Do About It)

Too many leaders believe there’s nothing they can do to reach millennials.

 

They read the reports of millennials being the least religious generation in America, and that they’re leaving the church in droves, and their failed attempts of outreach have led them to throw up their hands in disbelief.

 

This frustration makes perfect sense.

 

 

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There’s a huge generational gap between the church and millennials. According to The Barna Group, the median age of pastors is 54, yet the largest living generation in the United States are millennials.

 

This gap in age leads to significant differences between many leaders in the church with the millennials in their community. They don’t eat cereal for breakfast. They prefer mobile giving and banking. They’re politically progressive, and they’re less religious.

 

Now, you may not be able to turn the cultural tide single-handedly, but if you believe you’re unable to do anything, then you might be blinded to several things you can do differently to reach millennials in your community.

 

#1. You try to entertain instead of disciple

 

Getting the attention of people in your community isn’t easy. You’re competing against mobile phones, computers and tablets, and an entertainment industry that spent $190 billion dollars on paid advertising in the United States in 2016.

 

If you're trying to compel someone to visit your church with your band, activities, or feel-good messages, then you have your work cut out for you competing against high-quality productions and deep pockets.

 

Disappointed?

 

Don’t be.

 

Millennials may prefer entertaining content in their social media newsfeed, but, when it comes to issues of faith, most Millennials desire truth.

 

For starters, millennials are less attached to religious institutions than older generations, and they tend to be skeptical. They’ve been bombarded with a slew of advertisements, and you can see that their faith has been influenced by a culture of consumerism, which leads many to pick and choose “religious products,” such as prayer, meditation, or spending time with friends.

 

Instead of focusing your efforts on getting millennials through the doors of your church, spend time building long-term relationships. Ask probing questions. Listen to what they have to say. Offer thoughtful responses from a biblical point-of-view.

 

#2. You try to draw a crowd instead of build community

 

Today, there’s a loneliness epidemic.

 

From a variety of studies, Americans lack close friends and are increasingly becoming more isolated. Among those who suffer from a lack of friends, millennials appear to have the greatest struggle of them all.

 

If you think a lack of friends is a trivial matter, don’t.

 

Loneliness is no respecter of persons, and prolonged isolation can lead to health problems, emotional discomfort, and even affect your spiritual health (Heb. 3:1).

 

Here’s what you need to know about millennials: They want to know people and be known by people in your church.

 

In one survey conducted by The Barna Group, they asked millennials to describe their “ideal” church by choosing between two opposing terms. When asked to choose between “community” and “privacy,” the vast majority of millennials (78%) chose community.  

 

So, instead of trying to draw a crowd of people with the latest trend, pop-culture antics, or mind-blowing worship, aim to build long-term relationships with individuals—not acquaintances with a group of people.

 

#3. You try to be relevant instead of transparent

 

Trying to be relevant to millennials is an easy way to become irrelevant. They’ll be able to sniff out your lack of authenticity a mile away.

 

Every day, millennials are swimming in a digital sea of information and entertainment. Produced programs characterize their day-to-day life, and they can easily hide how they feel behind a well-manicured social media presence.

 

When it comes to you and your church, millennials value transparency. According to David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group, “Millennials live in an era of radical transparency, powered by social and digital tools.”

 

They want to be able to share their struggles, and they’d like to be able to do this with someone who is as honest with their life.

 

Have a bad day? Talking about it is okay.

Did you fight with your spouse? Join the club.

Are your kids out of control? That’s nothing new.

 

Millennials aren’t interested in you being perfect. What they're interested in is whether or not you’re willing to share the struggles and temptations you face, and how your faith in Christ influences how you handle these situations.

 

Also, when it comes to transparency, millennials are interested in how your church handles your finances. If you’re not already providing financial updates, aim to talk about your church’s financial well-being regularly. You can provide weekly, monthly, or annual reports, and consider making these reports readily available.

 

Transparency in your church’s finances will go a long way in motivating millennials to give.

 

#4. You try to do everything instead of letting millennials help

 

My wife and I are involved with a church plant in our community, and during these few short months we’ve learned an essential lesson with our five kids: They like feeling needed.

 

Every Sunday, our older children have the opportunity to help out in meaningful ways. From setting up tables and chairs to helping load up at the end, their help is needed and encouraged.

 

The desire to feel needed is true of everyone, and this reality is laid out in detail in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.

 

Now, as for millennials, if you want to reach them, then you need to prioritize their participation. From encouraging millennials to volunteer to developing them for positions of leadership, aim to prioritize millennials in the life of your church.

 

Another way you can get millennials involved in your church is to hire them. I’m not saying go out and offer a job to just any millennial you can find in your church or community, but hiring millennials is one of the best ways you can get their help.

 

Instead of trying to do everything for everyone, open yourself up to allowing more millennials to volunteer and take on staff positions at your church.

#5. You try to convince people to commit instead of participate

 

“The difference between expectations and reality is disappointment.”

 

I’m not sure if the pastor who told me this years ago coined this himself, but I’ve never forgotten these words, and I think they’re relevant when we talk about what it means to commit.

 

In the United States, older generations possess a strong sense of commitment to religious institutions, employers, and political parties. However, millennials don’t have this same level of attachment to institutions, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

 

According to a Gallup report in 2016, millennials “levels of engagement and attachment with traditional political institutions and employers are significantly lower than those among members of older generations.”

 

For older generations, they may feel disappointed in what appears to be a lack of commitment from millennials. Even though millennials may not possess the same level of commitment to organizations, this doesn’t mean that they’re unwilling to commit to your church.

Millennials are eager to support you and your church, but not in the same way as their parents or grandparents.

 

For millennials, they’re open to serving in your church, but they want to know how the part they play fits into the bigger picture of God’s work, and they also want to use the experience and skills they’ve learned to make a meaningful difference.

 

In 2015, The millennial Impact Report found that “77% of millennials said they’re more likely to volunteer when they can use their specific skills or expertise to benefit a cause.” Instead of just filling gaps in your volunteer base, strive to connect millennials to positions that best fit with their passion and skills.

 

Staying true to their tendencies, many millennials prefer to serve in many different ways instead of volunteering in one ongoing position. Don’t be discouraged if you observe a desire among millennials in your church who express an interest in doing something else.

 

Consider asking for short-term commitments, provide opportunities to serve that don’t require additional training, or offer different ways people can serve in the church and your community for a few hours during the week or days in the month.

 

Instead of leading people to commit, invite them to participate in God’s work in and through your church.

 

Your turn …

Now that you know the key elements of reaching and connect with millennials, it’s time to put them into practice. Which one do you think you can start working on this week? Let us know in the comments below.