What I’m learning about Twenty-Somethings…

Here are some things I’m learning as I build relationships with, and coax honesty out of, twenty-somethings. I invite you to add to, contend with and converse on these ideas:

1. There is a lot of despair among them. A general sense of insecurity, jadedness and instability can often lead to seasons of lonely despair that robs hope and joy. This generation has only known a life of terrorism, corporate scandal, governmental paralysis, disingenuous Christianity and bad-news-overload. They need to find places of stability, people of honesty, stories of perseverance, and times of celebration to remind them that good exists in the world and that purposeful living is worth pursuing.

2. Their menu of life-options is overwhelming. Because of the global awareness that exists, and due to our cultural obsession with being busy and entertained, the options for living out the moments of life are so numerous they are almost paralyzing. Choices for how to spend the evening, how to invest energy and passion, and how to choose an occupation, fly directly at this generation like a flock of birds. Catching just one or two is so tough that it is almost easier to not try to catch any at all. Too many choices can end up in a temptation to shut down or jump off.

3. Commitment is tough for them. See Points #1 and #2. This is not a lazy or ambivalent generation, but feelings of hopelessness blended with impossibly numerous life-options have made commitment overwhelming and frightening. Questions that are asked internally are “By committing to one option, what am I missing from another option?” or “Will I commit to this just to be let down?” or “What if I fail in my part of the commitment?” A softer approach to commitment might need to be employed where young adults are allowed to be involved in relationships, organizations and initiatives for longer periods of time, at lower levels, before commitment is invited.

4. Christian philosophies and perspectives are shifting. The conventions of evangelicalism are not being automatically embraced by this generation. The traditional stands on the interminglings of Christianity with corporatism, environmentalism, patriotism, ethics, morality, finances and globalism are being challenged. This “Why” Generation engages in a healthy questioning of past interpretations of Christian thought, lifestyle and expression and is trying to look through others’ interpretations to adopt those that are pure and based on the original as they understand scripture. A greener, more relational, more global, less legalistic, more expressive, less patriotic, more organic Christian culture is emerging.

5. They want to be directly involved in making a difference. There is a strong desire to be able to see tangible results of their giving and to be hands-on in serving. Right or wrong, there is a strong desire to give money and time to efforts that allow them to connect with those that are being served, and with the results that occur as a result of their giving. Groups and causes that are best at depicting the stories and realities of the people in need of support are having the most success with this generation. Those causes that use a “give-and-trust-us-to-know-what-to-do-with-your-money” aren’t cutting it with this group. This includes many local church budgets wherein a clear giving-to-results path is not seen in a tangible way.

6. They see the world as a global community. Because of the access to the whole world through technology, media, and travel, the world has become much smaller. Events, plights and movements anywhere in the world are as real as those going on next door. Issues with worldwide or continental impact get more attention than in the past. See points #4 and #5. Young adults have real propensities to help those in need who are beyond the local church/civic community. World issues and events are occupying a much higher proportion of young adults’ conversation and concern.

7. Leadership is defined differently. The hierarchical authoritative leadership forms have lost much relevance with young adults. First, effective leadership is seen as coming from within a group, not from above it. Leadership is more of the “team captain” model than the “manager” model. Credibility and authority are earned by doing and by being among the group instead of by education and title. Leaders are often seen as those who have an idea or calling and that gather a team for a temporary season. This is in contrast with the more traditional view that leaders can lead anything and that they can be assigned to initiatives, callings or organizations purely because they are leaders. This really affects the way leaders are identified, mentored, sustained, supported etc.

8. They need to be parented. Young-adulthood is the new adolescence. This group has had a lot handed to them as far as material things, but they are lacking the parental stability and involvement that used to be taken for granted. They have been very insulated, in many ways, from the realities of the world, delaying their coming-of-age to early to mid-twenties. As they are jumping into the real world, they need parental figures to help them with the all of the details and pit-falls.

9. They want to be passionate about something. This generation is looking to invest all of themselves into a purpose that is worthy of every part of them. They are hesitant to open themselves to something that appears to be benign or that only engages a part of their being. The true message and purpose of Christ holds appeal for this generation beyond any we’ve seen in our Modern history. The challenge is that young adults have to see that followers of Christ believe what they espouse and are willing to dive headfirst into the Movement. This means that, where Christianity seems passive, inert, or compartmentalized, young adults will probably either seek other passions or will adopt the inertia they see around them. This is a great reason for any community of Christians to check their own calling and passions and expressions to see if they can live them out with authenticity (See Point #4).

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This entry was posted on July 05th, 2007 and is filed under Doug Cooper. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or Trackback from your own site.