1. Millennials and Ministry

2. Millennial Ministry Values
Shifting priorities for church and ministry
As business
As family
Leaders as bosses
Leaders as parents/friends
Presentation/formality
Intimacy/informality
Programs
People
Success as number of bodies/members
Success as spiritual/personal growth
Buildings
Community/relationships
Budgets
Service/outreach
Ministry/job first
Family/friends first

6. Challenges for Millennials
I do a relatively good job maintaining a ton of relationships and listening to them and then authentically sharing my needs and opportunities. I have done the subtle approach and the direct ask and learned that they both make the other person uncomfortable and I feel like I actually lost friendships because I have asked them if the church they serve in had an application process for new missionaries or if I could attend their missions conference. Honestly, there seems to be this disconnect between Millennials knowing missionaries live by support and feeling responsibility to help them do so. Its like they make you feel selfish for asking them to maintain you in full-time ministry. I have made a personal decision to not invest as much in pursuing Millennial donors until a bit more established as it costs me so much to travel and then have to find transportation, pay for all my own meals and even sometimes pay for hotels to spend a couple of days with 'friends'. Visiting boomers normally I recover at least part of my expenses. I really dont understand and I struggle to not label my entire generation as a bunch of selfish individuals. We like to blame our jobs etc for the fact that we cant give yet I believe it has to do more with an unwillingness to sacrifice.

7. Challenges for Millennials in Ministry
Have not always been taught the skills/stamina needed on the field
Expectations can cause frustration (technology, job description, etc.)
Difficult for Millennials to convince parents that missions is the right decision for their child
Difficult for Millennials to validate decision to become missionary or raise funds with peers who see proselytizing as “intolerant”
Difficult for Millennials to fundraise among peers who do not always give sacrificially
Difficult to make long-term commitment, deny other opportunities

8. Comments from Millennials
Being a “missionary” is outdated
There is a lack of education regarding what missions is among our generation, we must be educating our peers
The idea of exporting Christianity is presumptuous…God is already there, He is not a commodity
I work for a humanitarian agency that serves the isolated vs. I work for a missions agency that serves the unreached
If we want the mission to continue, we have to move from presenting in churches primarily, to presenting more broadly as a humanitarian cause (message doesn’t change, how we present it
“We are all missionaries”
We are going to move towards megachurches supporting missionaries vs. agencies; more joining with global South workers; denominational divisions will be broken down.

9. Challenges for Agencies
Carrying of American cultural perspectives/trends into foreign ministry context (often confusing to long-term missionaries)
Focus on relationships vs. numbers
Prioritization of emerging opportunities vs. established goals
Disregard for strategies, methods and approaches (traditions) that veteran missionaries, agencies or leaders may espouse
Fundraising challenges based on current cultural & economic climate in America (ie. views on religion, non-profit status, etc.)
Habits/attitudes that are incongruent with life on the field

10. On-field Recommendations
Team building
Older, wiser mentor figure on-field for young adults arriving without professional work or ministry experience
System for checking in with members on a regular basis
Communication of clear vision from PSO/team leaders
Intentional cultivation of trust with Goers
Support, coaching, and feedback/communication for Goers
Explanation of leadership philosophy and practice to facilitate clear expectations (servant leadership)
Timely feedback to questions/concerns communicated by Goers
Careful selection of team leaders who have a heart to mentor and develop Goers

11. Challenge to Millennials
"Your generation cannot go in [to what God has for you] based on the price paid by generations before you, you must pay your own price." --Christine Caine  ‪#‎Passion2016‬ ‪#‎Millennials‬ ‪#‎GenZ‬

12. Comments/ Questions?

13. Identify key components of generational differences/conflict related to your role: What are some practical ways to address these dynamics?