3. Don’t overdo the programming.
The great thing about millennials is that many of them expect churches to be spiritual. They do not need churches to sing pop songs or talk about movies in order to get their attention. Those things can still serve a purpose in the church, but in themselves they do not make millennials pay attention. If we feel you are trying to perform for us so that you can sell us something, we will quickly lose respect for you. So, be who you honestly are and we will listen!
What causes the disconnect:
Using stunts and gimmicks to get our attention.
We’re the most advertised-to generation in history. We can spot gimmicks very easily. Many contemporary churches will use elements from pop culture, like popular songs or references to major movies, to increase interest in their church service. There is nothing wrong with this on its face, but millennials tend to view this as the church trying to sell them something. And that makes it difficult for us to trust that you’re being honest with us.
What you can do:
Simplify your programming, and focus on spiritual content.
Millennials are well-trained learners. When we have a question, we Google it and have an answer immediately. We want to learn, and if we’re showing up at your church we want to learn about your church and your faith. Teach us about it. Do it in plain language, with an understanding of the world we live in, but don’t feel like you need to mask it with “cool” things. We think honesty is cool.
On a side note, we’ll be interested in what you talk about, and we’ll want to talk about it. Give us space and time to do that. Don’t herd us out of your service like ants. Make spaces where we can hang out and discuss what we just heard.
4. Show us you’re creating meaningful, positive change in your backyard.
The best (and sometimes most annoying) thing about millennials is that we truly believe we can change the world. This type of energy, paired with the mission of the local church, has the potential to actually change the world.
A positive result of this kind of exposure to the world is that millennials are one of the most cause-driven generations in history. Call it altruism or self-branding, either way we are very interested in serving our communities and our world in practical ways. This is the church’s niche! This is an incredible opportunity the church can seize.
What causes the disconnect:
You don’t tell your story in a compelling and actionable way.
Your church is doing good things every day. I’m sure that you’re serving the homeless somewhere, donating money to support a missionary around the world, taking care of the widows in your congregation and more. These are the kinds of things we can immediately celebrate and get behind—we just need to know about it and how we can participate.
What you can do:
Tell us what you’re doing, and make it easy for us to participate and share online.
Yes, share online. Many of us have “social clout,” and pur friends will listen when we tell them about something cool. Make sure that whatever service you want us to do is easy to get involved with, and easy to share about. We’re willing to work hard, give money, raise money and spend our time on things that matter. To communicate with us, be brief, be shareable and be actionable.
And don’t just use digital platforms to invite us to church. Use them to bring attention to your cause. That gets our attention.
Here are a couple of practical ways to get us involved in your cause:
Make it cheap for us to participate. Missions trips are great, but they happen less frequently and cost money that we honestly don’t have. There are things we can do in our own community (serving the poor and homeless, taking care of the elderly, etc.) that are simple and free.
Make it about relationships. We don’t want to feel like a cog in the machine, and we also connect with new people quickly over causes. Whenever and wherever you let us serve, make it possible for us to build relationships in the process. This could mean creating small groups out of a big service project, or planning a lunch or dinner after an event.
Make it frequent. Let us be able to do it often.
Make it simple. It goes a long way if we’re able to communicate exactly what it is, who it serves and how to participate, in 140 characters or less.
As a strong believer in the local church, a church staff member and a millennial, I am optimistic that, just as it has before, the church can and will learn to speak the language of this generation. When that happens, we will not only reach more people who are far from God, but we will also gain the energy and engagement of a big, bright, mobilized generation that can carry the message of hope in Christ into the future.
Kevin Lloyd is the executive pastor at Stevens Creek Church in Augusta, Georgia. This article was originally posted on Lloyd’s blog, LeadBravely.org.
