Written by: Emily Swanson, Owner/President of Holy Cow! Consulting

For a quick review of our last few posts, starting in early 2019, Holy Cow! Consulting asked responders to the Congregation Assessment Tool (CAT) which generation they are a part of with a given list of choices.  Responders can pick one of the following: 

  • Traditionalist/Silent Generations: Born 1928-1945
  • Baby Boom Generation: Born 1946-1964
  • Generation X: Born 1965-1980
  • Millennial Generation or Generation Y: Born 1981–1996
  • Generation Z or iGen: Born 1997–2012[1]

To read the beginning of this study and the overview please check it out here. In our previous posts, we have talked about worship and connection/hospitality.  In this fourth section, we will address Ministry and Outreach. 

Part 4: Ministry and Outreach 

For this discussion, we need a common understanding of what we mean by ministry and outreach.  Ministry is the act of offering care to one another in Christ’s love.  Ministry can happen within our congregations in care for each other (internal ministry) or for people outside of our congregation (external ministry). Outreach is the act of offering care for those outside of our congregation.  This care can be offered through time (volunteering) or treasures (financial).  

Within the CAT, we ask responders if “on the whole participation in church activities is very meaningful to me.” Over half of responders in each generation clearly agree (strongly agree or agree) with this statement.  However, when Gen Z responded to the question only 54% could clearly agree with this statement.  This contrasts with Baby Boomers who have 63% that clearly agree and Traditionalists who have 62% clear agreeance with this statement.   In between the generations, Millennials have a 59% clear agreeance when asked if the activities were meaningful, and Gen X with 58% clear agreeance. 

Perhaps there is a caution here that a mere decline by a few percentages is not notable enough to indicate a difference in feeling.  However, it is important to think about this within a deeper context. 

We know from studies[2] that Baby Boomers and Traditionalists give their time and financial support when it is a traditional, well-supported organization.  This includes religious organizations.  There is also a strong loyalty for Traditionalists to consistently give to organizations and communities over time.  What is meaningful for these two generations then is the commitment to the church as a known quantity and the established way the congregation does work.  When clear agreeance is over 60% for these two generations that church activities are meaningful, it is within that generational context[3].  

Gen Z finds participation in their churches less meaningful overall.  If we, again, think about this within their generational context, Gen Z is looking for collaborative work where they feel valued, and the work has a measurable impact.  Millennials and Gen X are finding the work more meaningful overall than Gen Z but even with these small incremental percentage changes we have to take note.  

It is consistently shared in meetings with church leadership that older generations are tired and want more engagement from the younger people in congregations. But, it is also consistently a message from these younger generations that the work is not meeting their needs at the same level as the older generations. With this difference in experience, we need to begin addressing how our congregational work is shifting so these younger generations who need to feel something different in the work we do together can find it meaningful and engaging. 

This becomes even clearer when we ask responders to think about how ready their congregation is for ministry.  

We ask responders to think about the following: 

  • Does the church do a good job helping each member understand they are called to ministry? 
  • Does the church prepare people for ministry by helping them discern their gifts? 
  • Does the church provide opportunities to engage in active ministry within the church and the world? 
  • Does the church do a good job supporting persons in ministry by reminding they are making difference? 

Below are the charts for each generation and their benchmarked responses to these questions:

Here, the gap between the generations is evident.  We know the younger generations will engage when they feel they are making a difference but when we ask the questions around the call, equipping, opportunities and ministry support, the scores are lower for those generations.  This indicates that we are missing the mark here.  There is a lack of connectional ministry work that helps onboard the younger generations, so they are invested in the work.  

This often leads, and rightly so, to a question that we hear often which is what do young people want to do? Most importantly, they want to be a part of work that is transparent, connectional, and makes a clear difference.  But there is also a desire to be a part of the lasting impact this work brings to those who are being served.  

Responders under 35 years of age in the CAT, with rare exceptions, list “expanding ministries that provide direct services to those living on the margins of society” as one of the top priorities for their church’s future. For a good portion of Millennials and, overall, for Gen Z this priority is very high.  This priority also aligns with other studies that have broken the younger generations’ connection to giving. 

These priorities are as follows: 

  • The Millennial Donors support nonprofits that work on civil rights/racial discrimination, healthcare, education, and employment.[4]
  • The Gen Z Donors care about poverty, hunger, the environment, human rights and equity. 

This is again an indicator that these younger generations are more motivated around issues, not institutions. It also speaks to a desire to get out and do work that is meaningful. 

Our current social climate has complicated some of this work.  When we are working with congregations, sometimes there is a struggle to talk about these important and impactful ministries if they are deemed “too political” in nature.  The narrative around Biblically mandated ministries and outreach, such as dealing with poverty, hunger, equity, and caring for our environment, have been given societal labels and have been used divisively in a way that makes us often have conditioned reactions.  We then label these things as “too political” and then commit to different outreach or ministries that allow us to avoid those harder conversations.  If we continue to avoid these important conversations around our ministries, then we risk alienating the younger generations who are desperately looking for impactful, meaningful work and community.  

It is important to stop and be creative within this context.  Congregations are not required to do the work of ministry by aligning with the most notable or recognized organization doing the work.  Find an organization that addresses hunger, poverty, racial inequity, or any of these compelling issues, and make sure it works well with your congregation as a whole.  

There are amazing nonprofits across the country.  They are the boots on the ground in your communities and commit to this work day in and day out.  Take the time to assess what is a good match for your congregation and the work ahead. Do not shut down if your congregation chooses not the partner with the most obvious organization within the given ministry context, instead be open to the work itself.  

We might need to pivot in this work as well.  Sometimes, putting up signs or making particular stances on any one issue causes conflict within the congregation.   Instead of making that a sticking point, think about work that the congregation can do that helps address the need the sign or statement is meant to convey.  For example, if a stance on gun control is something your congregation cannot agree on then move away from printing signs or adding statements to your website and find ways to do impactful work directly for victims of gun violence or work to address mental health gaps in your community.  Good work can be done when we are willing to think creatively. 

Congregations also need to think about how we communicate the opportunities once we have committed to ministries that align with who the congregation is today.  We need to move towards a more inclusive communication system that thinks multi-generationally.  

For all the generations, an individual ask is meaningful. Someone approaching you and saying “I think you would be really good at…” or “would you come and do______ with me” is an amazing feeling for both people in the conversation.  This is also how Jesus asked his disciples to join the work. He came upon Peter and Andrew while they were fishing. When he said “come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men”[5] he was really saying I will use the skills you already have but in a different way that will have a deeper meaning.  Having that direct invitation, rooted in gifts you might already have, is important.  

Beyond that, we need to communicate well across various formats. The following are ways we need to think about communicating[6] congregational programming by generation: 

Congregations have the opportunity to look at ministry and outreach in fresh ways that can be compelling for everyone.  If you are a congregation with limited financial resources remember time is just as important and impactful as financial support.   It is also important remember that sometimes our ministries have seasons.  A ministry that has been done for the last 20 years may no longer align with your church’s vision of a preferred future.  This in no way diminishes the good work that the ministry has done.  Take the time to celebrate, share stories about the impact of the ministry and the gifts it has given the congregation, and thank those who have been a part of the ministry.  Then begin anew. 

As congregations think about the future of their ministry and outreach the following questions need to be considered: 

  • Why do we do this ministry? How does it align with who we are today? 
  • What is the Biblical call to do this work?
  • How will we deepen our relationship with Christ and each other in this work? 
  • What is the impact of the work that we can directly see and what are the stories we need to tell around that? 
  • How long-term is the commitment of the work? Will it be doable for people with jobs, school, families, and other commitments? Can the work be shared or handed off when needed? 
  • How do we communicate the available opportunities consistently? 

[1] A portion of the Gen Z population was and is under 16 years of age and therefore not typically eligible to take the CAT assessment.

[2] Nonprofit for Good, Six Generations of Giving; John Hopkins University, The Changing Generational Values

[3] Again, this data is being used broadly within our context of generationally understanding and will not apply to every individual.  

[4] https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/a-new-study-of-150000-millennials-revealed-that-they-have-these-10-surprising-things-in-common.html

[5] Matthew 4:19, NIV

[6] https://www.herosmyth.com/article/75-eye-opening-statistics-how-each-generation-uses-technology