Ecclesiastes 7:10 – Don’t long for “the good old day.” This is not wise.
As the Baby Boomers entered adulthood in the 1960s, they began questioning the values of the generations that preceded them. Bob Dylan’s 1964 song, ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’ was a wake up call that the Boomers held different values than their parents. This transition of beliefs and questioning haven’t stopped and every 15 to 20 years since the 60s young adults have had different world views.
As Meridian Avenue moves forward with our goal to make disciples it is necessary to rethink our approach to interacting with Millennial and Generation Z aged people. Most of us at MABC were born in what is now referred to as either the Silent Generation or as Baby Boomers. Our experiences and expectations do not reflect well with the more recent generations. Times are different, the ways of thinking are different and how people relate to their world has changed.
Jolene Erlacher was the keynote speaker for this year’s ABCCR Annual Gathering. Erlacher, a professor at North Carolina University, was raised in Mexico where her parents were missionaries. She has a passion to see future generations thrive as individuals and contribute to healthy families. She is also in interested in helping schools, churches and mission agencies understand, equip and empower the new generation of leaders.
Below is a link to a 40 minute YouTube Podcast where Jolene Erlacher is interviewed by ABWE (Association of Baptist World Evangelism) International. It is particularly focused on reaching out to Generation Z (born between 1996-2010) and how to relate to them. I encourage you to grab something to drink and listen to what Erlacher has to say.
What Motivates Generation Z? #Missions Podcast