A Multi-Generational Church
A MULTI-GENERATIONAL CHURCH
Defining our Terms Generation Gap - a difference in attitudes between people of different generations, leading to lack of understanding
Modernism – denial of core beliefs such as: the inerrancy of Scripture, the virgin birth, Christ’s substitutionary atonement, Christ’s bodily resurrection, the authenticity of Christ’s miracles
Definition of Terms (Cont.) Postmodernism – a theory that involves a radical reappraisal of modern assumptions about culture, identity, history, or language Secularization – to convert to or imbue with secularism
Definition of Terms (cont.) Globalization – the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets Individualism – the conception that all values, rights, and duties originate in individuals
Definition of Terms (cont.) Culture – the customs, ideas, and social behavior of a particular people or group
A Shift in Culture
Cultural Emphasis prior to the 1960’s Conformity Stability Social immobility Deference Formality Reserve Seriousness Personal morality Church-going
Cultural Emphasis after the 1960’s Individualism Change Social mobility Questioning authority Informality Emotional expression Humor Social morality Personal belief systems
Taken from http://www.affinity.org.uk/downloads/Table%20Talk/Table-Talk-2013.1-Generational-Differences-in-Church.pdf on Friday, January 9, 2014
Rate a generation accepts change: Years 80
70
60
50
40
Years
30
20
10
0 Telephone
Radio
Television
Internet
Facebook
Twitter
Adapted from several different sources, the data differs slightly (by a year) in a couple of the sources.
Multi-Generational Population Shift
1900
Age: 85+
Age: 85++
50-60
50-60
20-30
20-30
0-10
0-10
1970
2030
Peter Menconi. The Intergenerational Church: Understanding congregations from WWII to www.com. (Littleton, CO: Mt. Sage Publishing, 2010), 10.
2 Peter 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Genesis 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Psalm 22:30-31 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
Psalm 45:17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.
Psalm 71:18 18
Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
Psalm 90:1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Defining our Terms Generation Gap - a difference in attitudes between people of different generations, leading to lack of understanding
Modernism – denial of core beliefs such as: the inerrancy of Scripture, the virgin birth, Christ’s substitutionary atonement, Christ’s bodily resurrection, the authenticity of Christ’s miracles
Definition of Terms (Cont.) Postmodernism – a theory that involves a radical reappraisal of modern assumptions about culture, identity, history, or language Secularization – to convert to or imbue with secularism
Definition of Terms (cont.) Globalization – the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets Individualism – the conception that all values, rights, and duties originate in individuals
Definition of Terms (cont.) Culture – the customs, ideas, and social behavior of a particular people or group
A Shift in Culture
Cultural Emphasis prior to the 1960’s Conformity Stability Social immobility Deference Formality Reserve Seriousness Personal morality Church-going
Cultural Emphasis after the 1960’s Individualism Change Social mobility Questioning authority Informality Emotional expression Humor Social morality Personal belief systems
Taken from http://www.affinity.org.uk/downloads/Table%20Talk/Table-Talk-2013.1-Generational-Differences-in-Church.pdf on Friday, January 9, 2014
Rate a generation accepts change: Years 80
70
60
50
40
Years
30
20
10
0 Telephone
Radio
Television
Internet
Adapted from several different sources, the data differs slightly (by a year) in a couple of the sources.
Multi-Generational Population Shift
1900
Age: 85+
Age: 85++
50-60
50-60
20-30
20-30
0-10
0-10
1970
2030
Peter Menconi. The Intergenerational Church: Understanding congregations from WWII to www.com. (Littleton, CO: Mt. Sage Publishing, 2010), 10.
2 Peter 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Genesis 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Psalm 22:30-31 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
Psalm 45:17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.
Psalm 71:18 18
Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
Psalm 90:1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
