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5 Tips To Reach Millennials For Christ

5 Tips To Reach Millennials For Christ

Last updated on: May 25, 2016 at 10:58 am by Jack Wellman

5 Tips To Reach Millennials For Christ 2016-05-25T10:58:38-05:00 Jack Wellman

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Here are five ways you can reach millennials for Jesus Christ.

Who are the Millennials?

Millennials are those who are the youngest generation today. They are the twenty-somethings and teens of our society. They are sometimes dubbed “Generation Y” and are those who followed “Generation X.” There are actually no precise dates for these young people but they are certainly the youngest generation of today and are more often called millennials or “the millennials.” This refers specifically to those in their twenties and younger but even those who are not yet teenagers, so now that we’ve identified who these millennials are, now what? How can we reach this generation before it’s too late?

Transparency

When we live lives that seem to reflect perfection or total holiness, we know we’re sending the wrong message to our youth. For one thing, none of us are perfect and we all fall far short of God’s glory (Rom 3:23), so how can we be more honest with millennials in the hopes of reaching them? We must be honest with them and ourselves but we must also be transparent about our own lives. Many grow so discouraged after the leave home and live in a world that wants to violently suck them into the whirlpool of wickedness that they just give up. Paul wrote in Romans 7:19 wrote, “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” Isn’t that refreshing to hear from the Apostle Paul, a true spiritual giant? He openly admits that he still does what he knows to be wrong and doesn’t do what he knows to be right. When millennials are given unreasonable expectations about the Christian life, they see how they fall short and then just give it up. They might reason that holiness is the only way to Jesus, but actually, Jesus is the only way to holiness (2nd Cor 5:21). Be honest with these young people. Tell them that we all stumble in many ways (James 3:2), including those of us who are older. Don’t set the bar impossibly high so that they won’t even attempt the jump. Admit we are sinners, still far from perfect, but perfectly forgiven.

Discipleship or Mentoring

I am in my 60’s but I still need a mentor. My mentor is a retired pastor who tells me where I am falling short and rebukes me when and where he sees I need it…and we all do. We never outgrow the need for a mentor but we should also be mentoring others. Just as Timothy needed Paul to mentor him, so too do our youth need mentors who are open and honest enough with them to be unafraid to speak the truth. Even teenagers can mentor those who are younger than they and can help them in their young life of adolescence. Mentoring others is a great way to pass along our experiences (including our failures) in the hopes that they might not repeat the same mistakes. A mentor can also show them that they are not alone in struggling to live the Christian life in this world. It is much harder for the youth today to resist temptation because they’re bombarded by graphic, sexual images, strong language in music that glorifies sin, and by the greed of the culture which is the world’s motivation. Every Timothy needs a Paul, but every Paul needs to be mentoring a Timothy.

Be Authentic

When we are pretending to be someone we’re not, we are turning off the next generation who should be seeking Christ. There is something refreshing about hearing testimony of someone who’s come out of a sinful lifestyle but it’s also refreshing to our youth when we own up to our own mistakes. I think some of the most powerful words in our vocabulary are, “I’m sorry, please forgive me,” and “I made a mistake.” When we are that authentic before others, and not just before youth, people are more attracted to us because of our honesty. Young people can see duplicity a mile away and hypocrisy never helps anyone…except out the door. What better way to help millennials than to show them that you’re the real deal. Even the Bible doesn’t try to cover up the sins of biblical heroes. These men and women of faith are revealed for who they are and what they do; warts and all.

Participation

When we had some church fundraisers a few years ago for mission trips, we had some of the usual fundraising activities but the young people came up with some new ones. One was a car wash for a suggested donation. I think the kids got wetter than the cars did, but they really had fun. They built some memories that will last them a lifetime, but they also bought into the missions fundraising event because they were included. When the youth are participating in church activities, they are more likely to stay plugged into the local church and to ask others to join them. That might mean being an usher, taking up the offerings, and even giving the opening or closing prayer. I also think it’s important that we join in with them…and become part of their work. There are so many ways and activities that the youth can do but it’s more fun (sometimes even hilarious) when the adults join in.

Special Services

We have Bible studies for retired people, we have Sunday school for youth, we offer Saturday night church services for the younger couples, and so why not have a special service just for millennials? These services can be tailor made just for them and addressing issues that are relevant to their lives. These services can also be opportunities for them to participate in services in a broader, more comprehensive nature. One church I know of had a “Children’s Church” service that was taking place at the same time the adults were in worship services. What prevents the youth from doing something similar? When we stress inclusion, we tell our youth that they are important and that they matter…because they do.

Conclusion

It’s important to reach millennials before they leave home because by the time they’ve graduated from school, they’ve most likely already made up their mind about life. They have either decided to break away from the church by then…or to stay in the fold. Whatever you do, remember that it’s not like it was out there for us older folks when we were growing up. It’s “sin city” to be sure. They need all the help they can get and all the encouragement they can receive from us if we are to reach and keep the millennials.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.

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