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- Millennials aren’t giving… and other generational inaccuracies
Millennials aren’t giving… and other generational inaccuracies
Time to kick this major church myth to the curb
According to a recent study by Barna, over half of pastors today are worried about the future of generosity in their church, with 51% reporting being “very concerned” and 43% being “somewhat concerned” regarding the financial support of younger generations.
To take it a step further, 34% of today’s pastors believe older generations are “extremely effective” at showing generosity to the church, while only 5% claim the same for millennials and Gen Z.
But what the data tells us is in stark opposition to those claims.
Maybe it’s time to ask yourself: Are millennials not engaged in church, or are they not engaged with my church?
Let’s dive a little further into the numbers:
The myth: Millenials aren’t giving to the church
This may be surprising, but when looking at the percentage of individuals who give financially to churches, this is how it breaks down:
Boomers: 31%
Gen X: 36%
Millennials: 42%
The data doesn’t lie — millennials are giving at a greater frequency than any other generation. While the amount they give may be lower due to their stage in life, the propensity for giving is there.
So what led to the misconception forming among church leaders in the first place?
Our take: Millenials aren’t giving to your church.
But there’s still time to change that…
Action Items: Fostering generous hearts in the younger crowd
1. Welcome millennials into the leadership fold
Want a church where millennials are generous and involved? You have to start by welcoming them into the leadership fold. This starts with making a mindset shift.
Church leaders have to get comfortable with ideas and mindsets that are different from their own — especially in terms of generational mindsets. You can take the first steps towards encouraging young leaders to start influencing the church by welcoming them into leadership discussions, listening to their viewpoints, and building focus groups to test new ideas.
Before the church of tomorrow can be built, we’ve got to start listening to and respecting the ideas of younger generations.
2. Teach the tough topic of generosity
Generosity and giving can be extremely difficult to teach for a myriad of reasons — but truth is, younger generations want guidance.
According to the same study, 37% of millennials and 40% of Gen Z believe pastors have the responsibility to teach Christians how to be generous.
While a majority of pastors agree with this belief, 58% feel as if they are ill-equipped to model generosity for their congregation.
Generosity won’t flourish until you’re ready to teach, mentor, and approach the subject with conviction and understanding.
3. Understand your church may not look the same tomorrow
The church that best engages millennials and fosters generosity may need to evolve beyond the models we’re using today.
The current expression of the church was popularized by leaders like Bill Hybels and Rick Warren in the 1980s — a church for Boomers, by Boomers. While it’s worked for a long time, the current church expression might not resonate with younger generations.
Instead of expecting millennials to adapt to the existing structure, it may be time to incorporate them into designing tomorrow’s church. This doesn’t require any radical changes, but instead, a thoughtful evolution that better aligns with the goals and values of younger generations while still holding tight to the core values driving your congregation.