Generation X. The MTV Generation. A generation of slackers and cynics. Stereotypes aside, there's one other name given to this generation, and it's the one that might be the most accurate. Generation X, "the forgotten generation."

Now sometimes, when I'm around a group of Gen Xers, we can joke a little bit about them being forgotten, but the reality is that most people in that demographic that I come across really do feel that way – and the question you have to ask is why?

In this Video Blog, you’ll see Mike’s conversation with Jaqueline Cleland. Mike hears all about how a simple desire to get teens in community using their favourite video game turns into one of the deepest dives into Biblical History a youth group has ever done. This conversation reminds us all that not only can God use anything to draw us closer to Him, but we need to make sure we don’t put ministry in a box or make assumptions about how effective something can be.

When Millenials (who are church outsiders) look into the church and see a building, a program, thought process, an approach to its neighbours, a dress code, technology that looks like it hasn't changed since before they were even born, they honestly think – that place isn't for me. That's not a place that understands the current culture. That's not a place that understands what I'm going through.

Every church wants to be relevant - there’s just one thing that usually stands in the way. Most churches don’t take the time to define what “relevant” means.

Before you start talking about restructuring your team or ministries, there are a couple of things that are important to remember. I think if you're here, you already know them, but it's always worth saying them out loud.

A mistake a lot of people make is that they lead the way they think they’re "supposed to lead." So many people in leadership have a sense or an idea of the "right way" to do it because of a book they're read or a leader they follow. But so often, the thing that gets left out of the equation when deciding your leadership style is your team's personality.