1. Stewardship: What’s Age Got to Do With It?
Why and how I got into generations theory …
Westminster, 80% over 65
“That’s the problem with your generation”
“Hey, don’t harsh my gig so hardcore, crustycakes”
Break into small groups, by generation, asking
Karl Travis
Pastor, First Presbyterian Church
Fort Worth, TX

2. Generations Theory 4 types of generations Civic Adaptive Idealist
Reactive
These types of generations have repeated in the same order, with one exception, through U.S. history.
Presentation of basic theory
4 types of generations:
Repeating in near sequence
Shaped early in our lives a we experience same external events at similar developmental stages
By learning the patterns of past, we anticipate the future
Biblically, history is a line, and a circle – a spiral
Standard disclaimer
No attempt to put people in boxes
Some will fit neatly, others not
Fun to see what ways this describes you and your family
Explains groups of people, not individuals
Sociology, history, not psychology
Bibliography

3. Generations Theory 4 types of generations Civic Adaptive Idealist
Reactive
These types of generations have repeated in the same order, with one exception, through U.S. history.
We develop natural ease with those who experience the same formative events at similar developmental stages.
Presentation of basic theory
4 types of generations:
Repeating in near sequence
Shaped early in our lives a we experience same external events at similar developmental stages
By learning the patterns of past, we anticipate the future
Biblically, history is a line, and a circle – a spiral
Standard disclaimer
No attempt to put people in boxes
Some will fit neatly, others not
Fun to see what ways this describes you and your family
Explains groups of people, not individuals
Sociology, history, not psychology
Bibliography

4. Generations Theory 4 types of generations Civic Adaptive Idealist
Reactive
These types of generations have repeated in the same order, with one exception, through U.S. history.
We develop natural ease with those who experience the same formative events at similar developmental stages.
In understanding the past, we anticipate the future.
Presentation of basic theory
4 types of generations:
Repeating in near sequence
Shaped early in our lives a we experience same external events at similar developmental stages
By learning the patterns of past, we anticipate the future
Biblically, history is a line, and a circle – a spiral
Standard disclaimer
No attempt to put people in boxes
Some will fit neatly, others not
Fun to see what ways this describes you and your family
Explains groups of people, not individuals
Sociology, history, not psychology
Bibliography

5. Generations Theory 4 types of generations Civic Adaptive Idealist
Reactive
These types of generations have repeated in the same order, with one exception, through U.S. history.
We develop natural ease with those who experience the same formative events at similar developmental stages.
In understanding the past, we anticipate the future.
Biblically, history is a line, and a circle -- a spiral.
Presentation of basic theory
4 types of generations:
Repeating in near sequence
Shaped early in our lives a we experience same external events at similar developmental stages
By learning the patterns of past, we anticipate the future
Biblically, history is a line, and a circle – a spiral
Standard disclaimer
No attempt to put people in boxes
Some will fit neatly, others not
Fun to see what ways this describes you and your family
Explains groups of people, not individuals
Sociology, history, not psychology
Bibliography

6. The Living Generations
Generation Birth Generation Years Type
GI Generation Civic
Silent Generation Adaptive
Boomer Generation Idealist
Thirteener (Xer) Generation Reactive
Millennial Generation Civic
Upon their return, have each group present their own newsprint. --
This slide can remain up the entirety of the group review …
Neil Howe and Bill Strauss, Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to Quill: New York, 1991.

7. GI and Silent Generations
Early experiences of money and stewardship
Trained from childhood
Nickels/Dimes in the milk box
Fruit Fruits givers
Likeliest to be pledgers
Likeliest to be tithers
Giving is a public responsibility, a necessity

8. GI and Silent Generations
Attitude Toward the Institutional Church
High level of trust and participation
Church mirrored, and symbolized, the established order
Church is repository of inherited faith, entrance into social belonging
Yet, in later years, the church was not above critique

9. GI and Silent Generations
Meaning of Money
money = security
Stewardship Descriptor
GIs: sacrifice
Silents: commitment
Money followed mission

10. GI and Silent Generations
How the church can encourage good stewardship among GIs and Silents
Estate planning
Fear management
Encourage GIs and Silents
to share their experiences and values
to allow a new stewardship conversation

11. Baby Boom and 13er Generations
Early experiences of money
Post war economic boom
Upward mobility
Television advertising (redefined scope of perceived affluence)
Rapid growth of stock market
Growing disparity between rich and poor

12. Baby Boom and 13er Generations
Early experiences of stewardship
Spotty stewardship training in mainline congregations
Many come from unchurched backgrounds, so stewardship is a new conversation
Taught that giving is a personal option, personal possibility, not public necessity

13. Baby Boom and 13er Generations
Boomer Attitude Toward Institutional Church
Distrust, if not disgust
Skeptical of stewardship if presented about the institution’s health. Money does not follow mission, for Boomers
Hold little denominational loyalty

14. Baby Boom and 13er Generations
13er Attitude Toward Institutional Church
Not constitutionally anti-institutional
Will trust a congregation if it “works,” i.e. does what it says it’s going to, and tells the truth
Looking for community, not church, in which to practice spiritual disciplines

15. Baby Boom and 13er Generations
Meaning of Money
Money = tool
Stewardship Descriptor
Boomers: distrust
13ers: ignorance
Mission must follow money

16. Baby Boom and 13er Generations
Making Faithful Boomer & 13er stewards …
Earn trust
Provide control in giving
Provide choice in giving
Educate: many Boomers began faith journey in a time when our congregations didn’t teach stewardship

17. Baby Boom and 13er Generations
Making Faithful Boomer & 13er stewards …
Reinterpret, Reframe stewardship
1. Holistically. It’s about lifestyle.
2. It’s about individual’s need to give, NOT church’s need to receive
3. Stewardship a spiritual discipline, among other disciplines.

18. Baby Boom and 13er Generations
Making Faithful Boomer & 13er stewards …
Challenge the conflation of want and need:
Model sacrifice. The congregation which doesn’t give to mission off the top has no moral right to ask its members to

19. Have we been doing the wrong thing, really well, for the last 30 years?

20. Common Steps in a Stewardship “Campaign”
Session projects coming year’s budget (may be rough draft)
Interprets budget to congregation
Newsletter articles, Minutes for Mission, letters, brochures
Pastor preaches motivational stewardship sermon on single stewardship Sunday
Pledge Cards toward coming year’s budget circulated by
US mail
Available in the Narthex
Pony Express or other house to house system
Pledge Cards returned by due date
Session totals pledge cards, adjusts budget, dedicates pledges in worship
Following year, process repeated

21. Motivates Boomers/ 13ers
“Campaign” for Whom?
Motivates
GIs/ Silents
Motivates Boomers/ 13ers 
Session projects coming year’s budget (may be rough draft)
Interprets budget to congregation
Newsletter articles, Minutes for Mission, letters, brochures
Pastor preaches motivational stewardship sermon on single stewardship Sunday
Pledge Cards toward coming year’s budget circulated by
US mail
Handed out in church
Pony Express or other house to house system
Pledge Cards returned by due date
Session totals pledge cards totaled, adjusts budgets, dedicates pledges in worship
Following year, process repeated       

22. Money Cross Talk for All Generations: ~A Miscellany~
Talk about God, then the believer, then the Church … in that order.
Emphasize individual's need to give, not church's need to receive.
Consider electronic funds transfer, i.e. receiving gifts by debit/credit card payments.
All stewardship rooted in thanks-giving. Gratitude produces generosity.
A word about designation, special offerings, etc. vs. unified budget model.

23. Money Cross Talk for All Generations: ~A Miscellany~
Reverse the budget equation
Pledges produce budget; budget doesn’t attract pledges
Use narrative budgets
Faith first; formulas later
Provide opportunities for faith speaking
Personal faith sharing (Every Member Visitation?)
Testimonials in worship
Earn Trust – walking the walk
PPP: Publicly Promise to Pay mission commitments first
For leaders, especially pastors: share that you give, what you give, and why
Transparent Treasury
Regular financial statements in public places
Systematic reporting of expenditure AND need

24. Money Cross Talk for All Generations: ~A Miscellany~
In the annual stewardship effort, target the message, design the experience
Multiple mailings, generationally specific
Generationally sensitive brochures, letters, and appeals
Include younger members in planning and executing the stewardship effort; many times, younger members have little idea of how much money it takes to run a church!

25. Money Cross Talk for All Generations: ~A Miscellany~
Reframe stewardship to be about all of life, and hence a year round conversatiostewardship more than the dreaded “Stewardship Sunday”
Teach financial resource management
Provide resources n:
Preach on simple living
Center for New American Dream:
The Simple Living Network:
Alternatives for Simple Living:

26. An Exercise for you to try in your congregation …
Divide into groups of Include as many generations as possible in your group.
In five minutes, write a outline for a single sermon which would reach and motivate every generation. Here are some choices of texts:
Matthew 6:25-34 “Seek first …”
Deuteronomy 26:1-15 Giving the first fruits
Matthew 19:23-30 “We have left all ….”
2 Corinthians 8:8-15 Give according to what you have
Psalm 24 The earth is the Lord’s
Luke 12:13-21 Parable of the rich fool
Malachi 3:1-10 Tithing