Generational Gaps - Generation X and The Church

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? 

 Why does this entire generation feel like they have been left out of things? 

Well, here's a brief history lesson for you. 

GENERATION X – THE FORGOTTEN ONES 

Gen Xers were born between 1965-1980, which, if you remember, was a time where the world, especially in the west, saw a lot of cultural shifts. 

The war was over, Boomers were getting into the swing of everyday life, and the parents of Gen Xers were starting to commit more to work than they had before.  

 In their book 13th Gen: Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail?, Stauss and Howe talk about how Generation X children grew up in a time where society as a whole was less focused on the family and more focused on adults.   

 This was also a period that saw a rise in divorce rates, the sexual revolution, the emergence of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the moon landing and the Watergate Scandal. We've talked about the technological changes that happened in Millennials' lives, but for Gen Xers, it was a lot more about social changes.  

 And all that change imparted many character traits among Gen Xers. However, one in specific has haunted the church in more than it anticipated, and it's still something they're dealing with today – and that trait is Individualism. 

 And when the ethos of a generation baked into the idea of "Looking out for #1," it's not a mystery why so many of them started to leave the church and never return.  

INDIVIDUALISM 

So, what happens when an entire generation becomes more individualistic? Well, for starters, they start to think a little bit more about themselves, and that's precisely what Generation X began to do.

With more kids coming home to houses after school that were empty because both parents were working and a culture that focused on individual freedoms and finding yourself, this generation X was taught from an early age to think about themselves first. Look no further than the BTO Hit "Looking out for #1" as an example of how the culture started to turn.  

 Every night is a different game

 We got to work for our fortune and fame

 Success is a ladder, take a step at a time

 And the people will remember your name

Yes, I found out all the tricks of the trade

 And that's there's only one way you're gonna get things done

 I found out the only way to the top is looking out for #1

 And that's me, I'm looking out for #1

 Now don't get me wrong. I agree that meeting your needs is important. But here's something else to consider. This cultural shift took a complete 180 from a central Biblical theme.  

 Whether you look in Philippians 2, 1 Corinthians 10, Matthew 6, Mark 10 or countless other places, scripture is clear that we're to be thinking about the needs of others before the needs of ourselves. The whole concept of Love your Neighbour As Yourself was meant to show folks that others should come first.  

 But this isn't the message Generation X got growing up. It's not the one they were shaped with, and therefore, when they hear a different message from the church about prioritizing others first, I would bet that was a little confusing.  

Add in that culture was making some moral decisions the church didn't love, and suddenly, you have a generation that is very easily disenfranchised from the church.

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT TODAY? 

Maybe if this is the first time you've made this connection, acknowledging that is a good start. But there must be something more practical out there, right? What do you do with a generation that grew up to be individualistic and saw the church as something they weren't interested in. Well, I've got one idea, and it's this. 

 As the church, we need to show why individualistic thinking isn't beneficial, not through our words but our actions.

 DON'T ACT LIKE THAT

 I'm not trying to step in it here, but I've noticed a lot, especially lately, that the church can, on occasion, going into self-preservation mode. 

 A Mode that looks very much from the outside, like it only cares about itself. Whether this is how a church manages its budget, prioritizes serving its community, welcomes new guests in, finds itself in the news or shouts about where it's allowed to meet and how many people should be there, churches can often get into the mindset of "we need to look out for ourselves." And unfortunately, over the last year and a half, we've seen that happen a lot more. 

 And here's the problem with that. When a generation that is taught to look after itself sees an institution that is SUPPOSE to look out for someone else, looking after themselves, what is that generation supposed to think other than "they don't care about me, they care about them? So why should I care about them?"

 And I've got to tell you; I don't really blame them. I mean, wouldn't you feel the same way if someone said they cared about you, but you never really saw it in action? 

 So the question is then, what can your church do to change that narrative? How can you show your community that to you, their number one? Well, it's simple, and it's biblical. 

 Start looking out for the least of those in your community. Get outside the four walls and show a generation that was taught to think about themselves first what thinking about others first looks like. 

 Because I'll tell you this, if you look at most of the churches in your area that are growing in that generational demographic, it's always a church that loves its neighbours well and cares about its community before it cares about itself.

Generation X. The Forgotten Ones, The Selfish Ones – but maybe also, the lonely ones.  Take a step in their direction. Fill that Generational Gap by showing your community what caring for others first really looks like, and you might be amazed by what God can do!