{"id":119,"date":"2011-08-28T14:43:04","date_gmt":"2011-08-29T00:13:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/community\/robertcrosby\/?p=119"},"modified":"2015-03-13T23:25:21","modified_gmt":"2015-03-14T03:25:21","slug":"leading-the-millennials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/robertcrosby\/2011\/08\/leading-the-millennials\/","title":{"rendered":"Leading, the Millennials"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/iframe>\n<\/p><blockquote>The Lord of the Rings Trilogy captured the imaginations of Millennials as it contrasts the challenges of Frodo, the little Hobbit given a great responsibility and destiny.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe Millennial Generation (or the Bridgers, Generation Next, Net Generation, and the Echo Boomer, among other designations) \u2026 or those born from 1982 to the present are the subject of much research and fascination. They represent a smaller number than their parent\u2019s generation, but still a huge portion of the population, some number upwards of 60 million.<\/p>\nOne of the characteristics most frequently and famously attributed to this group is \u201centitled.\u201d Entitled because they were raised by the entrepreneurial Boomers who generally told them they were \u201cspecial.\u201d Their parental weaning on the Disney movies assured them that their dreams would most certainly come true.<\/p>\nSo many changes have transpired that it is virtually impossible for this generation to understand the world of their grandparents. While their grandparents were used to a fairly uniform and predictable approach to their domestic lives, working at the same place, worshipping at the same church and living in the same neighborhood for most of their adult lives \u2013 not so, the Millennials. They have experienced more transitions in their lives than any previous generation, in particularly the challenges of broken marriages and families.<\/p>\nMillennials are less linear in their thought processes than previous generations, preferring to see their lives in more of a mosaic. They value spontaneity and among their fondest compliments for interesting conversation or action is \u2013 \u201cthat\u2019s so random!\u201d<\/p>\nMillennials were raised by parents who were determined to raise their kids \u201cdifferently than their parents did.\u201d In many cases they abandoned the traditional authoritarian approaches they had resented and followed the guidelines of popular advisors such as Dr. Benjamin Spock who urged parents to \u201cspare the rod\u201d and just \u201creason with your children.\u201d As a result, this generation today is often desperately looking for limits, guidelines and boundaries; something they may have found precious little of in their upbringing.<\/p>\nDepression, anxiety and anger have reached new levels of expression among some Millennials. They have become the most medicated generation in American history.<\/p>\nUnlike the previous trendy Boomer and Buster generations, the Millennials prefer adopting a \u201cstyle\u201d of their own. Often non-conformist, they frequently prefer to shop and a thrift store to discover their own fashion style and to select their own Indie band music rather than the Top 40.<\/p>\nSo, how can today\u2019s Christian leader effectively reach the Millennial Generation? A few important steps include:<\/p>\nRemember<\/strong>, many Millennials experienced more physical comforts in their upbringings that they are desperate to experience the challenges of self-sacrifice in compassionate service to others and even in short-term missions overseas.<\/p>\nRemember<\/strong>, the Millennials were raised on a boatload of wishful hopes and promises from their daily dose of Disney. That same group now faces an economy devoid of much promise. Help them sort out solid and Biblical priorities and values.<\/p>\nRemember<\/strong>, while Boomers enjoyed slick three-point sermons replete with PowerPoint presentations, Millennials prefer something raw and unprocessed. Don\u2019t just preach sermons at them, show them how to open up and understand the Bible.<\/p>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nGaLVJ9U52I\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nGaLVJ9U52I<\/a>\n<blockquote>Pay close attention to the lyrics from The Lion King, a 1994 Disney movie enjoyed by so many Millennials as children. It went on to gross $771 million. Does it evoke a sense of \u201centitlement\u201d?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Millennials were raised on a boatload of wishful hopes and promises from their daily dose of Disney. That same group now faces an economy devoid of much promise. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":336,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,22,23],"tags":[39,58,94317,67,69,94319,94324,94325,87,88,130],"class_list":["post-119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-generations","category-leadership","category-millennials","tag-bridgers","tag-echo-boomers","tag-faith","tag-gen-web","tag-generation-y","tag-generations","tag-leadership","tag-millennials","tag-net-gen","tag-net-generation","tag-youth-ministry"],"yoast_head":"\n<title>Leading, the Millennials<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Millennials were raised on a boatload of wishful hopes and promises from their daily dose of Disney. 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