Finally, back in the groove and starting the year with a new podcast. It follows up on a post from last year about the Crystal Cathedral going bankrupt and being sold after being one of the Boomer flagships of the megachurch movement. Now its dead and people are fighting over the corpse. Its sad in one sense and its a sign of the times if you look beyond into the world of politics and economics. We are in the midst of a generational shift and Boomers are not handling it well. As a generation defined as the “Me Generation”, their legacy is increasing defined by what they lost or misused for future generation – the economy, job markets, working governments, and declining churches – all co-opted by Boomer values. The pushback now from GenXers and Millenials is largely an abandonment of Boomer ways for something new and its a different future for everyone, including the church.
Its my first podcast with my new microphone and overall I’m pleased with it. However, there is a rubbing sound from my collar that I’ll try and avoid next time. Also, forgive my weird pronunciation of “Cartman” at the end of the podcast. Not enough caffeine. Just respect my authoratay!
Links:
Here are a variety of links, starting with Rachel’s great blog on being an uncool church. The others are some fascinating examples of Boomer rage and blame. To be clear, Boomers are not the source of all evil and destruction in the world. But to not acknowledge the current generational gap as to be at least as polarizing as that in the 60s (I think it will be judged greater by history), is to ignore reality.
Rachel Held Evans blog – “Blessed are the uncool.”
Australian Article on Boomer Greed and the Financial Crisis
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Great podcast Tom… as a younger boomer what you generally are saying is quite true. However, I for one, seem to fall closer to those whom are not boomer. I seem to straddle a line of boomerisms and Xer understandings. For the most what your describing is very true. I read the Evans article with great interest because before I was booted from TLC we were for the most part living into what she describes many 30 somthings desire from a faith walk. We were attracting that age group of people and dare I say it… the church was becoming multi-generational until the older boomers got anxious and wanted self-fulfillment like the’ve had before.
It would be interesting to find out how the edges of generations feel about the generations their attributed to, but often feel an affity to the next.
Great podcast
Generational tensions are always there – that is part of being human. And older generations eventually feel the discomfort of being displaced in leadership, even though we know it is the natural order of things. But as you discovered, there is a stream within the Boomer generation that is fixated on self-fulfillment that in anathema to younger generations, who see themselves as having to bear the cost of Boomer desires and bad behaviors. It kills churches and like you, I have seen that played out especially in Florida. I remember one church where the retired Boomer greeters stood at the door turning families with kids away because this church didn’t want them.
It will be interesting if we GenXers and Millenials avoid the same trap or just do our own versions of church were Boomers are not welcome.
I appreciate this commentary as I self reflect on my own call within the Church and my place in the local church. As a twenty something it is been my observation that the Church has become irrelevant to many people. There is such a drive to find a church that conforms to a specific style such as, find a liberal church, or find a tech-savvy church, or find a church with modern worship music, etc that it has lost what the real focus should be, on Christ. I believe that individuals in my generational and younger are seeking community, a safe place in our chaotic world to be and question without risk of condemnation. We seek an environment that is real.
Based on my understanding of the Bible, church, and the education I have received thus far I think that it is dangerous to the faith community to only cater to one generation. Wisdom and experience should come together with imagination and ability to create an environment that builds on the strengths of the whole. I whole-hardheartedly agree in the idea of generations coming together to serve Christ. The Church can become relevant again if we move beyond the gadgets and manipulation to something that is real and meaningful!