Talkin Bout My Generation: The Baby Boomers

This week we continue our series on the generations with a group that almost needs no introduction: the Baby Boomers. After all, who isn’t familiar with the generation that invented the hippie, started the cultural revolution, and coined the phrase, “make love, not war”? Even so, let me give a snapshot of this iconic generation and highlight some of their spiritual characteristics.

Boomers were born between 1945 and 1964. As GIs came home from World War II and were eager to settle down and start a family, the result was a population explosion – or “boom” - that gave the Baby Boomers their name. 

Growing up in postwar affluence, the Baby Boomers didn’t have the troubles of WWII and the Great Depression shaping their perspective. As a result, many abandoned their parents’ self-sacrificing, “all for one and one for all” mentality in favor of individualism and personal expression. 

In the mid-60s when the majority of Baby Boomers were hitting their teens and twenties, many dropped out of church in favor of self-discovery. This self-discovery manifested itself in the sexual revolution and experimentation with drugs, both of which were at direct odds with the morality of traditional Christianity. Some retained the traditional Judeo-Christian values of their parents and grandparents while they embarked on their pursuit of happiness, but many were eager to shed the yoke of conformity and discover their own unique brand of self-expression.

As coming-of-age Baby Boomers “turned on, tuned in, and dropped out,” they emerged on the scene as beatniks and hippies, flower children and mods, ready to explore the world beyond the confines of their parents’ tame and domesticated Christendom.

The introduction of television had a profound impact on Boomers as well, providing a more global perspective, broadcasting everything from the Vietnam War, to the moon landing, to the Beatles’ meeting with the Dalai Lama. Suddenly, Christianity became just one more worldview among many. As Ross Douthat noted in his book, Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics, “If you wanted a [new] religion…there was suddenly Buddhism as a viable alternative to Methodism, Transcendental Meditation instead of the ‘Our Father,’ the monasteries of Tibet as a rival to the Union Theological Seminary, the Maharishi as a more exotic guru than the Pope.” Cults and new religious movements flourished, as well as secular humanism and “alternative lifestyles.”

As a result of these outside influences, Baby Boomers were the first generation to make a clear distinction between religion and spirituality. They argued that being spiritual is not equal to going to church, a perspective that eventually led to what today we call the “nones” – those who claim no formal religious affiliation.

Even though Baby Boomers have historically been one of the most unchurched generations in history, some are predicting that they will return to church – and the Christian faith - as they grow older.* Studies show that as people age, they begin to look for deeper meaning through spiritual connections. And it is fascinating to me that the timing of their return might coincide with the church reformation that I and many others are predicting.

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* Such asVern Bengston, author of Families and Faith: How Religion is Passed Down across Generations (Oxford University Press, 2013).

Talkin Bout My Generation

It seems the whole world has caught Millennial fever. Everywhere I go, I hear about the Millennial generation and their impact on our culture. Case in point: just a couple of weeks ago the cover of my British Airways magazine asked, “How Millennial are You?” And I totally felt compelled to read the article and find out.

Indeed, the Millennials are a trend-setting, culture-molding, world-changing generation, a point I made in an earlier post called, “Millennials and the Church.”

But what about the rest of us? Where do we fit it in the grand scheme of things? This is an especially pertinent question as we consider the changes happening in the church, i.e. the erosion of Christendom, the decline of mainline denominations, and the rise of more non-institutional forms. I believe it is important to know who we are and where we have come from as the Body of Christ so we can prepare our collective future together. 

To that end, over the next few weeks I will be doing a fun and hopefully insightful series on the generations, outlining what makes them tick, including some highlights of their spiritual makeup. I will dedicate a week to each of the generational cohorts – Generation X, Baby Boomers, the Silent Generation, and the G.I. Generation – giving a brief snapshot of each one. I will wait until the end of the series to make some concluding remarks about the importance of intergenerational partnering in the church. 

This week we take a quick look at Generation X.

Generation X

Not sure if you’re part of Gen X? Here’s a quiz to help you. Have you ever, in your lifetime:

- Declared your love for someone by creating a mixed tape?

- instructed someone not to "have a cow"?

- slow danced to REO Speedwagon’s, “I Can’t Fight This Feeling”?

- Girls: used hairspray to create “the claw" with your bangs

  Guys:  worn eyeliner and an earring because they made you look “rad”?

- been asked the question, "Do you have VHS or Betamax?"

- Do the names Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood, and Mark Goodman mean anything to you?

Madonna & her epic claw

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are probably part of Generation X. Born between 1965 and 1980, Gen X is also known as the MTV generation and the “slacker” generation. They were the first generation to be tech-savvy, and the first to have computers.

Because Gen X grew up during the economically difficult 1980s, many times both parents worked. In addition, many Gen Xers became victims of a rising divorce rate. As a result, these “latch-key kids” (so called because they came home from school to an empty house while their parents worked) learned to take care of themselves.

Because of their independence and self-sufficiency, Generation X tend to have a distrust of institutions and leaders, and this includes the church. Whereas their Baby Boomer predecessors openly rebelled against their parents, adult Xers exhibit more of a casual disdain for those in authority, probably because they had learned early on that they could make it on their own.

A longitudinal study conducted between 1991-2011 by the Barna Group made some interesting findings about the spiritual health of Generation X:

•      The number of people making a personal commitment to Jesus Christ rose 12% during the time period
•        Bible reading rose 9%
•        Christian volunteerism also rose 9%
•        But the number of people who attend church was down 8% over the same time period.(1)

Other interesting findings included that members of Gen X are less likely to believe that the Bible is totally accurate in all of its teachings (down 11%), and that they are "less indifferent" about the existence of Satan, believing that he is a real entity and not just a symbol of evil.

It is fascinating to me that church attendance is down among Generation X while personal faith and commitment to Jesus Christ is at an all time high. What gives? Could it be a reflection of the fact that Generation X is searching for something beyond the traditional, institutional forms of church?

Stay tuned!

(By the way, this series on the generations is adapted from my upcoming book!)

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(1) Barna Group, “Barna Describes Religious Changes Among Busters, Boomers, and Elders Since 1991,” July 27, 2011.

Creating a Sense of Place

This week the Wall Street Journal published an article titled, “A Church in Big Easy Walking Distance” about a pastor who moved to New Orleans in order to start a Presbyterian church near Tulane University. The church was intentionally designed to be within walking distance of its parishioners, most of whom are in their 20s and 30s.

What fascinated me about the article is why the pastor planted a church where he did: he told the WSJ he wanted to focus “on one geographical area and really minister to that” in order to create “a sense of place.”

A sense of place. Interesting. There’s actually a theological term for it -- theology of place. It’s the idea that God’s connection to His people is often rooted in a specific geographical location.

Justin Timberlake at the
Western Wall
(photo: nydailynews.com)

Take, for example, Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem. This one spot saw lots of action in the Bible: 1) it was the place God instructed Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, 2) then became the site of Solomon’s majestic temple, 3) and then Herod’s temple after that. Today Mt. Moriah is the location of the Western Wall, and an important pilgrimage site for Christians and Jews (as demonstrated last week when Justin Timberlake posted a controversial picture of his visit there).

So why is a theology of place important?

Many believe that in today’s globalized, mobile society we are losing our sense of place and, with that, true community. This is especially true of Millennials who, as research shows, are becoming more and more socially isolated even as they are connected virtually more than ever through social media. One can draw the conclusion that virtual community is no substitute for real, intimate relationships.

That’s why many Christian leaders are starting neighborhood churches like the one in New Orleans. In doing so, they can meet people right where they are, creating a sense of place that is tangible, meaningful, and real Christian community.

Here is an example in London that I think is so cool I’m tempted to hop a plane just to visit it… On a busy street frequented by Millennials, a missional church movement called Fresh Expressions opened a coffee shop that doubles as a church:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLEEh1K_W8g

The result is a trending away from the megachurch model that has dominated evangelical Christianity for the past few decades, which often involves driving far distances in order to attend. Instead, a pastor is choosing one geographic area and planting a church smack dab in the middle of it.

"Love in Motion" Church
across from my home

Here is an example in my own neighborhood:

I live in a young, hip Dallas neighborhood with lots of foot traffic. Just across the street from me a furniture store has starting offering church in their warehouse on Sunday mornings called, “Love in Motion.”

Millennials, if you are hungry for Christian community and the megachurches don’t do it for you, consider finding a neighborhood church such as these.

If you are a church leader, you might consider planting a church in a neighborhood that is lacking Christian community.

And if you are the parent of a Millennial who has fallen away from church, my hope is that this article encourages you. More and more of these neighborhood churches are popping up all over the country, and it may just be a matter of time before your child finds their new sense of place.

Re-post with video link - Ann B. Davis's Legacy of Faith

Photo: Getty Images

Ann B. Davis, the actress who played the lovable housekeeper Alice on The Brady Bunch, passed away this week at the age of 88.

Alice was one of the more memorable characters on television. Perpetually clad in a blue uniform and white apron, she had a cheerful attitude, a big smile, and could whip up a meatloaf in a moment’s notice. If Bobby needed help with his science project, Greg was having girl troubles, or Marsha got hit in the face with a football, Alice was there to save the day -- usually with a plate of cookies and accompanying words of comfort and humor. And all while keeping those bright orange countertops sparkling clean.

In real life, Davis was just as endearing as her TV character, and became known for her strong Christian faith. Although she continued to act after The Brady Bunch ended in 1974, she preferred to instead travel and speak to groups about Christ.

one of my favorite episodes:
Alice weighs in on Jan's new do

One article said, “Davis no doubt drew great crowds when she witnessed to those church groups. Even those unsure of their faith would go to see Alice from The Brady Bunch. After all, she was funny, quick witted, and she had that famous smile that would draw people in–and Davis knew that. Once she had them she shared her strong beliefs with them.”

Davis used her celebrity as a platform for ministry. Because she was a well-known actor people were eager to hear what she had to say, and she leveraged this influence for the furtherance of the gospel.

We may not be full-blown celebrities, but each of us has an area of influence that can be used as a platform for ministry. My mom is a great example: gifted in the areas of decorating and flower arranging, she is often invited by garden clubs and other organizations to come and share her expertise. So she used those gifts to create an Easter program that teaches people about the resurrection through flowers.

And here’s another example: a man in the Dallas area who owns a large aerospace company offers Bible study and even a Sunday morning church service at his huge warehouse. He and his son, who co-owns the company, meet regularly and pray for each of their employees.

These individuals inspire me because they have taken their respective areas of influence and creatively used them as vehicles for sharing the gospel.

The Great Commission in Matthew 28 commands us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” My pastor once said that a more accurate translation of that verse is “As you go.” As we go throughout life just being ourselves, we can take our positions of leadership – a PTA position, board member, team captain, grandparent – and use it as a springboard for ministry.

Ann B. Davis lived out the Great Commission by creatively using her influence for the cause of Christ, and has me thinking about how I might do the same in a more intentional way.

I couldn't resist adding this video...

http://youtu.be/SgqDpLyXsg0

Ann B. Davis's Legacy of Faith

Photo: Getty Images

Ann B. Davis, the actress who played the lovable housekeeper Alice on The Brady Bunch, passed away this week at the age of 88.

Alice was one of the more memorable characters on television. Perpetually clad in a blue uniform and white apron, she had a cheerful attitude, a big smile, and could whip up a meatloaf in a moment’s notice. If Bobby needed help with his science project, Greg was having girl troubles, or Marsha got hit in the face with a football, Alice was there to save the day -- usually with a plate of cookies and accompanying words of comfort and humor. And all while keeping those bright orange countertops sparkling clean.

In real life, Davis was just as endearing as her TV character, and became known for her strong Christian faith. Although she continued to act after The Brady Bunch ended in 1974, she preferred to instead travel and speak to groups about Christ.

one of my favorite episodes:
Alice weighs in on Jan's new do

One article said, “Davis no doubt drew great crowds when she witnessed to those church groups. Even those unsure of their faith would go to see Alice from The Brady Bunch. After all, she was funny, quick witted, and she had that famous smile that would draw people in–and Davis knew that. Once she had them she shared her strong beliefs with them.”

Davis used her celebrity as a platform for ministry. Because she was a well-known actor people were eager to hear what she had to say, and she leveraged this influence for the furtherance of the gospel.

We may not be full-blown celebrities, but each of us has an area of influence that can be used as a platform for ministry. My mom is a great example: gifted in the areas of decorating and flower arranging, she is often invited by garden clubs and other organizations to come and share her expertise. So she used those gifts to create an Easter program that teaches people about the resurrection through flowers.

And here’s another example: a man in the Dallas area who owns a large aerospace company offers Bible study and even a Sunday morning church service at his huge warehouse. He and his son, who co-owns the company, meet regularly and pray for each of their employees.

These individuals inspire me because they have taken their respective areas of influence and creatively used them as vehicles for sharing the gospel.

The Great Commission in Matthew 28 commands us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” My pastor once said that a more accurate translation of that verse is “As you go.” As we go throughout life just being ourselves, we can take our positions of leadership – a PTA position, board member, team captain, grandparent – and use it as a springboard for ministry.

Ann B. Davis lived out the Great Commission by creatively using her influence for the cause of Christ, and has me thinking about how I might do the same in a more intentional way.

I couldn't resist adding this video...