Who are these “Gen Y” people anyway? How come they are different? How can we get them excited for the gospel?
“Gen Y” describes those born from around 1980 to the mid 1990s. They are currently aged approx. 16-31. They are different from the generations before them (Gen X and The Boomers). They were born into far more prosperous times; they have had a plethora of digital gadgets available to them from an early age; and they generally come from family backgrounds where they are more likely to have been indulged, rather than ignored. The word that describes their world is “instant”; and their motto for life is “lifestyle matters more then everything else”
Many leaders and employers have dismissed this generation as lazy, uncommitted, disloyal, and incapable of planning. Many church leaders have found that their tried and trusted methods have failed to engage this emerging generation. And yet many of us who have worked with this generation for the last 15 years find them to be a beautiful generation who are capable of achieving magnificent things!
Here are 3 things that Gen Ys will respond to:
1. Instant Results
We might have learnt that “Patience is a virtue”. But patience is a learnt behaviour. Babies are not born as patient people! We learn patience by having to wait.
Gen Ys have grown up in a world where they have never had to wait for anything! Instant photos, instant downloads, instant messaging, instant purchases … This has lead to two key questions for Gen Ys:
- Why should I wait?
- Why should I plan?
- The world is changing so rapidly, Gen Ys have no idea where they’ll be in 5 years time. So why plan when things change so rapidly? Most Gen Ys don’t even know where they’ll be this weekend!
- 80% of jobs that will be available in 2020 don’t exist yet because the technology has not yet been invented! How do you plan for that?
We can engage Gen Y’s by:
- Setting short-term goals. Many of our goals are way too long-term!
- Most Gen Ys expect to achieve things quickly. We need to structure things to help them to see some immediate results.
- God’s Kingdom is essentially a long-term deal. As we teach this truth, we also need to show its immediate and tangible benefits.
2. Authentic Relationships
Gen Y’s won’t believe you or trust you because of your position in the hierarchy. It’s your relationship that matters! For Gen Ys, respect is not automatic. It has to be earned – and is always reciprocal. The older generations are often very loyal to institutions – many will stay with the same bank, the same employer and the same church denomination for life. Gen Y are incredibly loyal – but not to organisations- they are intensely loyal to people.
If you want to engage Gen Ys with authentic relationships, then go with the things they love:
- Social connectedness. They need to know that they belong – and that they matter.
- Working in teams. They are far less individualistic than the preceding generations. They are very collaborative and co-operative. We need to adjust our learning environments to reflect this
- Fun environment. Is your church – or your ministry - a fun place to learn and grow?
3. A cause to commit to
How do you motivate Gen Ys to give passionate and wholehearted support to their work or ministry? Simple! They are passionate about having a cause to commit to! Volunteerism amongst Gen Ys is now the highest it has been since “The Builders” Generation (those currently aged 65 plus). Gen Ys have grown up with recycling, fair-trade and multiculturalism – they are the least racist and most accepting of any generation. If you give them a cause that they can commit to – you will have a willing worker who will sacrifice everything for that cause.
The Kingdom of God is the greatest cause ever. A cause worth living and dying for. So don’t just put Gen Ys on a roster. Sit down with them and enlist their support for the greatest cause ever.
I keep finding Gen Y to be a beautiful generation. They have huge potential and hearts of gold. They have much to teach the older generations about life and relationships. The challenge for us is: are we ready to sit down with them – and listen?
Published in Southern Cross, July 2011
Click the link below to download the original article
