Have you noticed that large numbers of Millennials are leaving the Church? Christian leaders must learn how to connect with Millennials in the church in order to keep this unique generation from being spiritually lost. Millennials are an interesting generation and it’s time they get a much needed “spanking” because they are getting everything handed to them by the click of a button. Churches are losing their Millennial audience and it’s time we take action.
Know Your Audience
Millennials are unique from any other generation because they beat out the 1960 hippies. They have passion in their hearts like no other generation but do not see the point of religion. Sadly, Millennials do not care about tradition, in fact, they have gone to extreme measures to change traditions in the U.S. Traditional church services are becoming rare and warehouses have taken the place of cathedrals. According to Drew Dyck of Aspen Group, “Millennials don’t need a hipper pastor, they need a bigger God.” Dyck points out that present-day churches stress God’s immanence and love but not his holiness and transcendence. Too many Millennials are getting sensitive and sugar-coated preaching when perhaps a Great Awakening Part 3 would provide a stronger crowd of young listeners.
There’s an App for This
Do you ever see a young person without a smartphone in their hand? The impact that social media and internet have made on Millennials is mind-blowing. Social media has caused social-isolation, laziness, low self-esteem, and unhealthy self-obsession. Developing an app for your church will be a breath of fresh air for your Millennial members.
We suggest your app contain the following features:
- Prayer requests. Allow church members to post prayer requests so the church family can pray for one another and begin relationships.
- Daily words of encouragement. Publish daily verses and prayers for your members to feel God’s love and presence before starting their day.
- Curated Christian articles. There are tons of Christian articles that could help educate Millennials on the history of the Bible, scientific facts, or how to live out biblical truth and instruction in their daily walk with Christ.
- Service. Help Millennials become servers to God and His people. Provide volunteer options or ministry and short-term mission trip sign-ups through the app.
Counseling and Relationships
Offering free Christian counseling is very important to the Millennial generation. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among Millennials and their mental health is plummeting at a rapid rate. Millennials are finding it harder to lead an authentic life because they are lacking communication with God and have replaced it with social media. Social Media is considered to be a leading cause of depression in Millennials because it produces the pressure to live the “perfect” lives that they see others living via the various social media platforms. They find it hard to realize that this pseudo-perfection cannot be reached. Not only is perfection unable to obtain, it will never fulfill an individual. Connect with your Millennial members and find a relationship with them. Teach them how to pray because it is the sole communication with God. Inform them that they can hear from God by reading His Word in the Bible. Invite them to dinners, social gatherings or Church-led functions. Get to know them. Millennials can read when someone is not being authentic and that is what turns them away. By offering counseling, Millennials can have a third-party professional advising them with the Word of God and help to lead them down the path God has specifically chosen for them.
Nao Media Helps You Connect with Millennials in Church
Our purpose is to deliver content and digital engagement services and products that help churches and non-profits build better relationships with their community. If you would like to consult our team for more Christ-centered advice on how to connect with Millennials in church, please feel free to contact us today.
