Who woulda thunk it? I recently happened across a piece on patheos.com where a self proclaimed millennial gave us the key to the kingdom as he saw it… I found it refreshing. I wrote a blog not long ago about how to respond and consider millennials and church. Essentially it came down to “ask them what they think and then shut your yap to listen to what they have to say…” Oddly enough, a fellow by the name of Jonathan Aigner, lays it all out for us as if he’d read my blog. Dear Church: An open letter from one of those millennials you can’t figure out
You should go read it. I did. Twice. And you know what I learned? We should stop trying to water down our sermons. We should stop trying to alter our music. We should stop trying to portray ourselves as something we in fact are not.
All we have to do is stay true to the Gospel and provide it in a manner easy to understand and thorough in Biblical doctrine. Millennials sense there being little or no honesty among the political class. Look at recent elections as the example and the candidates they backed. They have a dim view of western culture. Why wouldn’t they? Whether they realize it or not the post-modernistic progressivism sandwich with a heavy side of multiculturalism isn’t working, and instead is hurting our America. What do millennials need to enjoy church?
I submit to you this. Millennials are the internet age, so give them that. Give them a church site to land on so they can get a really good glimpse into what your church is and isn’t. Pictures and virtual tours are great. This way they know the layout and content within the building. Allow them to download your sermon if they miss it. Keep a section where they can provide feedback whether that be an contact section or possibly review section.
There are a ton of things we can do to accommodate the next generation without tossing out the hymns we grew up on and the content of the sermon that’s so valuable to us all. Let’s just be honest and most importantly let’s show them the result of the hymns and gospel. That’s what this is really about, is it not? I mean, come on folks… The mechanism while dear to us, is important, but the true value is in what the Gospel does. Let’s concentrate on that.
John 8:32 (KJV version)- And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Be salt and light my friends…
