Diversity for the Ages: Generational Diversity

As God’s people, we have a

mandate to communicate

the good news of Jesus

Christ to all generations –

past, present and future.

Each generation offers a unique challenge for

sharing the Gospel.

Generations

• G.I.’s: (1901 to 1924)

• Silents: (1925 to 1945)

• Boomers: (1946 to 1964)

• Generation X: (1965 to 1983)

• Millennials: (1984 to 2002)

• Homelanders???: (2003 to ?)

Each Generation Has Its Themes

SilentsBaby

Boomers Generation X

“Busters” Millennials

Hard Work

Personal Fulfillment

Uncertainty “What’s Next?”

Duty Optimism Personal Focus On My Terms

Sacrifice Crusading Causes

Live for Today Just

Show Up

Thriftiness Buy Now/Pay Later

Save, Save, Save

Earn to Spend

Work Fast

Work Efficiently

Eliminatethe Task

Do Exactly What’s Asked

Source: Center for Generational Studies

Why Learn about Generations?

• 4 - 5 Generations are worshipping together. People are at the heart of what we do.

• The gap is widening.

• Different values, experiences, styles, and attitudes create . . .

– Misunderstandings

– Frustrations

• Different people, different views on ‘good’ and ‘bad;’ ‘right’ and ‘wrong’

The G.I. Generation

Born between 1901 - 1924

A Civic Personality:

• Believe in cooperation and

public harmony.

• Overcame the Great

Depression and won World

War II.

• Energetic and orderly builders of community.

• Are viewed as good, constructive, and

deserving.

• G.I.’s have much to offer in the areas of skill and

wisdom, but not many remain.

• These are the great grandparents of our youth.

• Patriotic, loyal, “waste not, want not,” faith in

institutions

• Military influenced top-down approach

Key Word: Loyal

Silent GenerationBorn Between 1925 - 1945

Grew up with:

Saturday Night Fights, Mickey Mouse, Wheaties,

Jukeboxes, “The Shadow,” Flash Gordon, Charlie

McCarthy, 8-Track Tapes, Blondie and Dagwood,

Babe Ruth, Tarzan, The Lone Ranger

An Accommodating Personality:

• Don’t like confrontation.

• Seek compromise.

• Trained to be “seen and not heard,” they

have learned to listen to others.

• Made it their cause to “walk in the other

guy’s shoes.”

• Fueled the Civil Rights movement.

• Tried to mold our society to be more

tolerant and inclusive.

Key Word: Accommodating

Boomer GenerationBorn Between 1946 - 1964

Grew up with:

Captain Kangaroo, Fallout Shelters, “Laugh-In,”

Peace Sign, Romper Room, Slinkys, Hula

Hoops, Bell Bottoms, Ed Sullivan, “Mod Squad,”

Tie Dye, TV Dinners, KISS

An Optimistic and Idealistic Personality:

• Perceive themselves to be an authentic

generation, a generation of destiny.

• Exalt individual conscience over duty to

community.

• “Be true to oneself” philosophy.• Idealistic, COMPETITIVE, question authority

• Continue to “search for truth” even as

they grow older.

• Visionary, committed and creative, but

tend to have difficulty achieving

consensus and mobilizing as a unit.

Key Word: Optimistic

Buster / Generation X

Born Between 1965 - 1983

Grew up with:

Brady Bunch, Cabbage Patch Kids,

Pet Rocks, “The Simpsons,” Nike,

Microwaves, MTV, “E.T.”, “Sesame

Street,” Game Boy, VCRs, PCs

A Reactive Personality:

• Know that other generations tend to see them

as “bad”.

• Also called “Generation X” or “13ers”.

• Characteristics - eclectic, resourceful, self-

reliant, distrustful of institutions, highly

adaptive to change and technology

Key Word: Skepticism

• Perhaps the most misunderstood generation of

recent history.

• Received the message: “Grow up fast.”

• Have a powerful survival instinct.

• Need a balance between work and life - Freedom

• Flexible and motivated

• Want to build a portable career

Millennial Generation

Born After 1983

Grew up with:

Barney, Pogs, X Games, Bill Gates, the

Internet, Cell Phones and Laptop Computers,

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, iPods, Jerry

Springer, Pokemon, Britney Spears, Beanie

Babies, Spice Girls, Skateboarders

Millennials: The Next “Good” Generation:

• Have lead our nation into a new century and a new

millennium.

• If the cycle of generations stays true, this will be a civic-

minded generation with a sense of order, cooperation, and

community spirit.

Millennial (not Gen Y!)

• Most racially/ethnically diverse in history

• In comparison with Gen X (1980 vs. 2000)

– White student pop. decreased

– Women increased in influence

– Asian-American % increased

– Overall school enrollments up

– Wealthier students

– More ambitious

Career Goals

Goal

Silents “Build a Legacy”

Baby Boomers “Build a Stellar Career”

Generation X “Build a Portable Career”

Millennials “Build Parallel Careers”

Attitude toward Career Path

Career Path

Silents “Job changing has a stigma”

Baby Boomers “Job changing puts you behind”

Generation X “Job changing is necessary”

Millennials “Train for many jobs”

A Word of Reminder:

• The generational theory is not the only factor

that influences a person.

• Family structure, developmental stage,

economic background, cultural differences,

and religious faith all work together to shape

the lives of each individual.

Generations Impacted by

Their History

And how it impacts the

local church!

G.I. Generation

• Progress was made on the treatment

of diseases, and the life span was

increased dramatically.

• Their parents provided Boy Scouts

and Girl Scouts for them.

• Born in a time of optimism.

• They survived the Great Depression and won World

War II which defined this generation.

• They were successful because they acted as they

had been taught as children: decisively, collectively,

and with loyalty and allegiance to the common goal.

• After the war, they built homes, suburbs,

malls, hospitals, rockets, and interstate

highways.

• They saw most issues in Black & White;

there was no middle ground.

• Always loyal to their institutions – they

moved into retirement with full benefits from

the Social Security system they built.

G.I.’s Impacting the Local Church

• G.I.’s called themselves

“Senior Adults”.

• Remains fiercely loyal, and

prefers the social activity of

groups, but most are gone!

• Were the most loyal financial givers /

tithers in the church, but those left are on a

limited income.

• In Bible Study, they prefer traditional

classes.

• Dislike change, breaking traditions, and too

much self-analysis.

• First question concerning a church proposal:

“How much will this cost?”

• The Great Depression still influences their

thinking in the area of finances.

Silent Generation

• Children should be “seen and not heard.”

• Because their parents were faced with economic

depression and world war, they learned early to

stay out of the way.

• Learned to read the intentions of adults

before being told what to do.

• Reputation of being mediators.

• Invented “Rock and Roll”.

• Life was never “Black & White”, always various

shades of gray.

• Noted for their expertise,

many are doctors and lawyers

and government officials.

• Valued fairness and

inclusion, and fought for Civil

Rights and Women’s

movements.

• Married earlier than any prior

American generation, but they also

divorced in increasing numbers.

• Politically, they have never elected

a president from their generation.

Silents Impacting the Local Church

• Many are leaders in churches today.

• Serve well as committee members.

• Encouraged churches to include divorced and

broken families in ministries.

• Prefer Bible Study groups that allow discussion

with teachers as facilitators.

• Respond to sermons that explore life’s

complexities, avoid extremes, and reflect careful

preparation.

• They hesitate to give a hearty “Amen” or applaud.

• Tend to be generous and consistent.

• Concerning church proposals, Silents will

have many questions:

“Did you get all the bids?

Check all the possibilities?

Consulted all the experts?”

Boomer Generation

• Raised at home under the

care of their mothers (only

2% ever went to daycare).

• As children, “idealized view

of life” (Leave it to Beaver)

with a lot of material things.

• As adults, they rejected

material values (those that

became hippies).

• Also rejected religious

traditionalism – some

became “Jesus Freaks” &

“New Agers”.

• Music became the vehicle

of expression in boomer

youth groups.

• Breaking traditions

characterized this

generations search for

ideals and meaning.

• War in Vietnam defined boomers – they

asked “why?”, values became personal, and

no one could be trusted.

• Boomers married later than the

Silents and delayed having

children even longer.

• Anxious to begin careers.

• Both spouses work in most

households.

• Spent money to pursue the

“look of success”.

• Family life became a shared

experience – birthing process,

“stay-at-home dads.”

• Personal values – they want to know the

benefits of something before they make a

commitment.

• Commitment – redefined in terms of

something’s value to oneself.

• They commit only to things they personally

believe to have great value.

Boomers Impacting the Local Church

• Have been changing church life

in profound ways - becoming

more personal and experiential.

• Applause is as common as

“Amens” were for G.I.’s.

• Pay little attention to

denominational labels.

• Focus on personal

concerns and attend

church where their

concerns are best met.

• Concerned about religious

education for their children.

• Concerning church proposals:

“What is the benefit or value of

this issue for me? My family?”

Generation X

• Do not like to be put into a

mold.

• Resent being in the Boomer’s

shadow.

• Today’s reality generation.

• Grew up as unwanted

latch-key kids in a turbulent

society.

• During college years –

benefits withdrawn and

costs skyrocketed.

• After college, jobs were scarce.

• Became cynical realists.

• Saw phonies in institutions, heroes, and

leaders (Watergate, televangelists, etc.).

• Are down to earth.

• Seen crime, drugs, and sex in their schools.

• Lived and died with AIDS,

the dangers of street life,

and the conflicts of race.

• Tend to marry late, but hope to have

traditional homes and families.

• Have not been reached in large numbers by

the church.

• If they were a country, they would be the

24th largest country in the world – larger than

Canada or South Korea.

Gen X Impact on the Local Church

• Practical in their faith.

• Helping to start new churches.

• “True Love Waits” and mission projects.

• They easily reach alienated people.

• Accept a variety of friends, caring little

about their dress or past.

• Challenge churches to “get real”.

• Want leaders and teachers who are genuine.

• Concerning proposals: Likely not to be at

business meetings to ask questions or vote;

but if they were, they would most likely state,

“Who Cares… for me?”

Do you remember these bumper stickers?

• "Baby on Board,"

• "Have You Hugged Your Child Today?"

• "It Takes A Village To Raise A Child"?

The children those bumper stickers talked

about are now graduating from high school and

entering the work force.

The Millennials

All that attention and good self-esteem, all

those new schools and good teachers our

culture gave to them seems to have paid off.

• Born at time when our country put a real

focus on improving the lives of kids and their

families.

• Family outings and family night dinners

returned.

• Fathers and mothers were older and wiser

and more ready to have children.

• Parents as a whole were more mature.

• Millennials were busy little kids, too.

• Mom and Dad put them in camps,

sports, and gave them lessons in just

about everything.

• More interracial interaction than

any other generation.

• They have seen terror first-hand.

• They witnessed the Oklahoma

City bombing.

• They watched on TV the Columbine

High School killings of their classmates.

• Policemen and firefighters replaced rock

and movie stars, sports heroes and rebels

as a deeper and more substantial kind of

hero.

• As a result the kids

became more patriotic than

any other generation.

On 911 they saw American heroes:

The Millennials even like their

parents, and their parents like

them.

Just how cool are these kids?

• Nine in 10 describe themselves

as "happy," "confident," and

"positive." Teen suicide rates

are now falling for the first time

in decades.

• They're cooperative team players and like

doing community service in groups.

• A recent Roper survey reveals millennial teenagers blame "selfishness" more than anything else when asked, "What is the major cause of problems in this country?"

• By a huge 10-to-one majority, they believe it's their generation -- and not their parents' -- who will do the most to help the environment over the next 25 years.

We need to brag about our kids. People who

put down our young people need to get their

facts straight. The Millennials may very well

become the best generation our democracy

has ever produced.

Key Questions

• G.I.’s – How will you invest in the future of

the younger generations?

• Silents – How will you help each generation

bridge to a new future so that the greatest

possible legacy is provided?

• Boomers – How will you call for spiritual renewal

and what commitments will you personally make

to achieve such renewal?

• Generation X – How will you make faith real to

yourself and to others?

• Millennials – Will you stay faithful to your calling?