RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY: #Millennials

Showing posts with label #Millennials. Show all posts

The Latest on Gen Beta

7:04 AM Dale Hudson

Everyone (including myself) has been talking about Gen Alpha. Rightly so, for they are the current generation we are trying to reach.

But we should also be looking ahead at the next generation that is coming on the scene.

That generation is Gen Beta. They are kids who will be born this year (2025) through the year 2039.

Let's examine this generation and some of the unique characteristics we need to know in order to effectively connect with them and share the Gospel with them.

Gen Beta are the children of Young Millennials and Gen Z. They will be raised by parents who have experienced economic challenges and social issues. Gen Beta children are likely to be raised with a strong sense of global awareness and a focus on addressing global issues like climate change and social inequality.

While technology will be a natural part of Gen Beta's lives, their parents will likely strive to balance screen time with outdoor activities and interpersonal interactions, recognizing the potential pitfalls of excessive screen time.

Most of Gen Beta will live well into the 22nd century. By 2035, they will make up 16% of the global population.

Gen Beta will be shaped by a tech-saturated world. While Gen Alpha has experienced the rise of smart technology and artificial intelligence, Gen Beta will live with these things fully embedded into their everyday life. They will grow up in an era characterized by rapid technological progress. Gen Beta will not only adapt to technologies, but will immerse themselves in them from the outset.

Gen Beta is predicted to never use checks or plastic credit cards, with their currency being entirely digital. How they acquire, move, and spend their money will affect the global economy.

Gen Beta will pursue more than 3 career paths and will hold at least 10 jobs in their lifetime. 86% of researchers believe Gen Beta will hold jobs that haven’t even been invented yet.

An urban generation. Gen Beta is on track to become the most urban generation ever. While only half of Gen Beta babies are born in cities today, by 2040 58% of Gen Beta will live in cities, surpassing Gen Alpha’s 53% and Gen Z’s 45% at comparable ages.

Digital toys. Gen Beta will grow up with online gaming and electronics rather than toys. World Data Lab projects that Gen Beta will spend $113 billion on consumer electronics by 2035.

Gen Beta will live longer than previous generations. Half of the people surveyed believe cancer will be cured by Gen Beta. 71% predict that Gen Beta will have access to individualized healthcare, based on their DNA. 59% believe that AI will be able to predict and prevent health care issues before symptoms even appear.

They will have constant connectivity. They'll build friendships, learn and work in a space where digital interaction is the norm.

As we navigate ministering to Gen Beta, we will need to learn their needs and show them the love of Christ in our words and actions.

Get ready. They are coming and we must be prepared.

Millennial Leadership in Children's Ministry

9:24 AM Dale Hudson

The Millennials. Born between 1981 - 1996. They are age 25-40 at the time of this writing. They are the current and future leaders in children's ministry.

Millennials are currently the largest generation in the workplace. And they are the largest generation in the nation.

Millennials bring a lot to the leadership table.

They are team players. They know how to collaborate and work with a team effectively. Millennials prefer a teamwork approach versus authoritative management. Are you giving them opportunities to speak into the ministry and bring fresh ideas, insight and strategies? Are you leading with a team approach?

They know "tech." They have lots of knowledge when it comes to technology. They are able to keep up with today's quickly changing world of technology.

They are good with change. They are not afraid to take risks and think outside the box.

Millennials have a good grasp for what it means to lead. Nearly 50% say that they believe leadership is the empowerment of others.

They are problem solvers. They face problems head on and find solutions.

They are motivated. Help them discover goals they want to reach and then watch them move forward with boldness.

They have a passion to learn. They welcome mentors into their life. In my Advance Coaching Program we currently have several Millennial leaders. Their desire to reach and disciple the next generation inspires me.

I believe the future of children's ministry is in good hands. As the Boomers and Gen Xer's grow older, the Millennials are stepping up to bring fresh leadership and vision into children's ministry.

Do you have Millennials in leadership positions?

Are you mentoring and investing in Millennial leaders?

Are you open to the ideas and input that Millennials can provide?

Share your thoughts and insight about Millennial leaders in the comment section below. And if you are a Millennial leader, we've love to hear your thoughts about current and future leadership opportunities in children's ministry.

Parenting Gen Alpha

10:37 AM Dale Hudson

A few days ago, I released an article about Gen Alpha. They are kids born between 2010 and 2025. They are the children of the Millennials and Gen Xers.

As with any generation, they have unique characteristics and traits.

And as with any generation, their parents will be the biggest influence in their life.

As you speak into the lives of the young parents of Gen Alpha, there are several challenges we need to help them walk through. Parenting is different for each generation.

Gen Alpha will live in a very diverse society. This will make them more accepting and inclusive. They will be more open-minded to those who are different than them. Parents must teach their children to love everyone equally while at the same time balancing this with standing for the truth found in God's Word. Parents must teach their children that there is a difference between approval and acceptance.

Parents will not have an empty nest as early as before. The role of parents will span a longer age range - with many of the Gen Alphas likely to be still living at home into their late 20’s.

Gen Alpha kids are being raised in a culture that is immersed in technology and parents will have to guide their children through it. Social media. Smartphones. On demand programming. Information overload. These are a few of the things that influence Gen Alpha kids in a major way. Even before Gen Alpha can talk, they are interacting with smartphones and tablets. Their pacifiers have not been a rattle, but a smartphone or tablet device. Technology and digital skills are a central part of the Generation Alpha learning experience.

Parents must also monitor screen time (which can lead to screen addiction if not monitored), cyber-bullying and helping find clean, appropriate content to watch and interact with.

Gen Alpha also has the unique status of being born into technology rather than being introduced to it. But they still need help from their parents to safely navigate the many dangers that are waiting for them on the www.

Millennial and Gen X parents have access to a seemingly unlimited amount of advice about parenting their children. They can find advice on any parenting question with just a click of a Google search. The next step after that is to have the discernment for which options are viable for their family.

Millennial and Gen X parents want the advice of grandparents. The role of grandparents in helping parent Gen Alpha kids has increased significantly.

While parenting approaches may have changed over the decades, one thing remains the same for all parents, even for those raising Gen Alpha kids: to raise them to be adults who love and follow Jesus for a lifetime.

Building Kids Faith in the Bible

9:00 AM Dale Hudson

The B-I-B-L-E...yes that's the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God...the B-I-B-L-E.

If you grew up in church, you remember that song. It was an attempt to instill the Word of God into the hearts of children.

We are living in a day when the Bible is under attack. Just this past week, protestors in Portland, Oregon made a spectacle out of burning a pile of Bibles. While that was a physical attack, it doesn't end there. All across the country and the world, the Word of God is under attack.

People who say it's just like any other book.

The removal of Bible verses from public monuments.

Professors who stand in their classroom and belittle the Bible.

Television shows and movies where the Bible and those who follow it are portrayed as nutcases.

Go ahead. Say the Bible isn't the Word of God. You have the right to be wrong.

I believe the Bible is the Word of God.

I believe it is true from cover to cover.

I believe it is historically accurate.

I believe it is error free.

Burning a few copies of God's Word won't stop it.

Have you ever read the story of the French philosopher Voltaire (1694-1778)? Voltaire, in his writings against Christianity and the Bible, predicted in 1776, “One hundred years from my day, there will not be a Bible on earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity-seeker.”

But within fifty years after his death, in an ironic twist of fate, the very house in which Voltaire once lived and wrote was used by the Evangelical Society of Geneva as a storehouse for Bibles and Gospel tracts and the printing presses he used to print his irreverent works was used to print Bibles.

You can't stop the Word of God and you can trust it.

It is crucial that we transfer this belief into the hearts of the next generation that is following us. Let's look at a few ways you can do this.

Tell the next generation the Bible is the Word of God over and over and over and over...

I know a well known pastor who took a strong stand on the Bible being God's Word. He traced his strong stand on the Bible all the way back to when he was a child. Every night before going to bed, his mom would come and tuck him in. She prayed with him and read a few Bible verses with him. And then she held up the Bible and had him say this phrase over and over and over...the Bible is the Word of God!

Show the next generation the proof that the Bible is God's Word.

Hundreds of prophecies fulfilled.

Endurance for thousands of years.

The Bible is self-authenticating.

People who gave up their life for saying the Bible is true. People don't give their life for something they know is not true.

Take a look at some of the verses that agnostics say are errors. Have kids work through those verses and come to the conclusion that the Bible is true. We did this with the Pranksters Series. We actually had kids look at verses and passages that atheists say are errors and find out for themselves why the verses are not errors. You can get this teaching series here - Pranksters.

You can also reinforce that the Bible is God's Word with music. When kids hear a song that emphasizes that the Bible is God's Word, then it helps impress this truth. Check out this song that teaches kids that the Bible is true and you can trust it through and through.

Teach kids to memorize key verses/passages that will help them defend their faith. The Bible tells us that we must be ready to give an answer when someone attacks the Word.

Get tools and resources into the hands of parents, so they can disciple their children with the Bible.

Our faith hinges on the fact that the Bible is God's Word and you can trust it. It must be a top priority to teach kids that they can trust it in all areas of life.

How COVID-19 Is Changing Family Time

9:11 AM Dale Hudson

COVID-19 has been disastrous on so many levels. Family members have been lost. Grandmothers and grandads have had to say good-bye to their grand kids prematurely. Families are having to scale back or even shut down their family business. Family finances have been crushed. Jobs have been lost. We could go on and on listing the damage the virus has caused and will continue to cause for an uncertain amount of time.

That being said, when it comes to families, there have been a few positive things that have emerged. A big one is this - in many cases, families have been able to spend more time together. And that is a big win.

In the toy industry, game and puzzle sales are up 228%!!! Building set sales are up 76%!!! Arts and crafts sales are up 70%!!! And sports toy sales are up 20%!!! Board games have doubled in popularity among kids ages 5 to 18 in the last few months.

Can anyone say "Family Game Night?" Yes, these sales are strong indicators that families are spending more meaningful time together. Sales of products that families can do together is on the rise.

As you interact with families and provide parents with resources to lead their children spiritually, be thinking of ways you can use this time to help them grow relationally and spiritually.

Here are few ideas...

Create some simple family games that they can play. Tie the game into key Bible truths that you want them to grasp.

Provide questions where families have to use their Bible to find the answers.

Create some fun Bible memory games that can help kids memorize Scripture.

Provide families some fun, family devotions they can do together.

Bake some cookies together and enjoy eating them...fresh out of the oven with a glass of milk. Talk about some key spiritual ingredients that it takes to help you grow spiritually. Prayer. Bible study. Serving. Going to church. Sharing your faith.

These are just a few of the hundreds of ideas that families can use to grow together. If you want more ideas, a simple Google search for "family Bible activties, games, etc. will give you hundreds of options.

Encourage parents to take advantage of every moment and be intentional about spending extra time with their family while they are hibernating from the virus.

I know...the days are long. But remember the years are short. Families may never have an opportunity like this to spend lots of extra time with their kids.

I'd love to hear what you are doing at home with your kids during this time. In the comment section, share any games, crafts, activities and intentional play that you are using with your kids to help them grow in their faith.

What to Do When Your Volunteers Don't Want to Come Back Because of the Pandemic

10:33 AM Dale Hudson

As we continue to search for a vaccine and cure for the Corona Virus, many people are still hesitant to go out and mingle with others. And rightfully so.

The virus is reshaping the daily routines of millions of Americans.

It is also causing many churches and other non-profits to struggle with a lack of volunteers. This could impact crucial service for the most vulnerable people.

I have been listening to what church leaders are saying as they work through opening their physical campuses back up.

They are asking some great questions. One of the questions is "What will we do when older volunteers are hesitant to come back to serve - because of the virus?" Many of the older volunteers are saying they will not be back to serve until there is a vaccine available to cure the fast spreading virus.

This can really have an impact on children's ministries because in many ministries we depend on Boomers to serve and fill key roles.

Here are some key points that can help you navigate what to do when your older volunteers are hesitant to serve during this time.

People come first. Older adults are more likely to have serious health issues when they catch the virus. With the virus reshaping the daily routines of millions of Americans, many nonprofits are struggling with those age 65 or older,” says Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, a family physician in Phoenix, Arizona.

“The reason why is because our immune system is less effective at fighting infections as we get older. Also, having multiple other chronic diseases can complicate this virus.”

This means we should put our senior adults first. Especially those who already have an underlying

condition. Don't place your senior adults in serving situations where they are likely to catch the virus or spread the virus.

"Use the ministry to build people, not the people to build the ministry,"

The quote above should be often considered. Don't bring risk to senior adults just because you have some vacant volunteer roles open. There may be other roles they can fill for the time being that don't require contact with people.

Enlist new volunteers. This is a great opportunity to share the vision of your ministry and how people can make a difference in the lives of other people. People are tuned in to helping other people in this season. Remember to emphasize the "why" of the ministry. You can get many more great ideas for building a volunteer team in my book "The Formula for Building Great Volunteer Teams." It's available at this link.

Realize some volunteers were looking for a way out. The virus is the exit door they have been looking for. Thank them for their service and lovingly let them walk away. You want people on your team that want to be on your team.

Consider doing children's ministry differently until you can ramp back up to full speed. You may need to adjust some classrooms. Drop some activities you were going to do. Move to doing a lot more things online. Think about some games you can play online with the kids (make sure you have parents' permission). You can share a devotion each week online. Perhaps it means sending the lesson plans and activities to parents and having them do the lesson with their child.

Make sure your volunteers know all the steps you are taking to keep them safe from the virus. Share with them that people are wearing masks, everything is being sanitized, no one is allowed to come into a the classroom if they have a fever, etc. These steps may be the difference between someone who chooses to serve and someone who doesn't.

Some of the best volunteers I have had the privilege to serve with were senior adults. While I want to see them be able to serve, I first and foremost want to protect their health. That's why it's so important to have a serving plan that will protect them.

Your turn. The floor is yours. What are you doing to encourage volunteers to continue serving? What safety measures are you putting in place?

Share your ideas and insight in the comment section below.

Generation Alpha...Get to Know Them

11:33 AM Dale Hudson

Move over Gen Z, the next generation after you has arrived.

They are called Generation Alpha. At the time of this writing, they represent kids born between 2010 up to 2025. Presently there are 9,000 Gen Alpha babies born every day. The oldest are 9 years old and the youngest have yet to be born.

They are the first generation entirely born within the 21st century.

Gen Alpha is growing up in a variety of living arrangements. A large percentage of Alphas are spending at least part of their early formative years in living arrangements that do not include both of their biological parents. It is higher than any generation observed in the previous century,” said Elwood Carlson, a demographer and professor of sociology at Florida State University. “When you look at a child in this generation, you never know what kind of family life they have experienced.”

This generation of children will be shaped in households that move more frequently, change careers more often and increasingly live in urban, not just suburban, environments. -Mark McCrindle, social researcher

Mark goes on to say, "Generation Alpha will be the most formally educated generation ever, the most technology-supplied generation ever, and globally the wealthiest generation ever." He goes on to note that more than 2.5 million Alphas are born every week around the world and by 2025 they are estimated to number two billion.

By 2025, Generation Alpha will number 2 billion globally. It will be the wealthiest, most educated, and technologically literate in history." - Robert Hannah, Chief Operating Officer at Grant Thornton U.K.

Generation Alpha is the first generation to spend their entire life immersed in technology. They are being shaped by their experiences with Artificial Intelligence. Some AI devices and toys are already specifically aimed at Generation Alpha. A couple examples are Hello Barbie and Hatchimals.

These advancements mean that technology for Generation Alpha is not something separate from themselves, but rather, an extension of their own consciousness and identity. Natalie Franke, head of community at the business management platform HoneyBook

They hold in their hands the power to persuade their parents into making purchases for them. When it comes to spending and making buying choices, they are the decision makers or at the least a powerful influencer with their parents. It has been reported children under 12 and teens influence parental purchases totaling between $130 to 670 billion a year. 81% of millennial parents say their children influence what they spend their money on.

The most popular boys' names for Alphas are Oliver, William, Jack, Noah and Jackson. The most popular girls names are Charlotte, Olivia, Ava, Emily and Mia.

Who is already influencing Gen Alpha?

A big influence is their favorite Instagram or YouTube star. 55% say they would purchase a product if they saw their favorite Instagram or YouTube star wearing it.

We've heard how much data younger generations consume on mobile devices. But an interesting stat is that televisions are still the most common way for kids ages 6 to 12 watch their favorite shows. And as televisions continue to get "smarter" and more interactive - large screen televisions are as relevant as they have ever been. The TV in the living room (and kitchen, den and bedroom) is as much a family entertainment platform as ever.

4-in-5 kids watch content on TV every day. 69% watch tv programming several times a day. And influncers know this. An example is eight-year-old Ryan Kaji who has made the leap from YouTube to television. His millions of Ryan’s World subscribers, billions of views, and supposed $26-million pre-tax income in 2019 led right back to kids TV - more specifically, a show on Nick Jr.

What about Alpha kids and their smartphones? 53% of Alpha kids have their own smartphone by the age of 11. Gaming is the number-one smartphone activity, followed by watching videos and texting.

They expect on demand. They are being wired to have access to all content anywhere and at any time. They expect instant gratification.

Alpha kids prefer communication via images and voice control over typing and texting. Typing is out for them - talking is in. Typing is being replaced by voice-activated devices. Smart devices are becoming part of family life. Using devices like the Amazon Dot is growing daily. 39% of Alpha kids use this type of device every week. They are growing up with the familiar voice of Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant in their home.

They are diverse. "This newest American generation displays unprecedented diversity in almost every dimension one can examine - ethnicity, nativity, income, family arrangements" says Elwood Carlson, demographer and professor of sociology.

Stay tuned for more information and insight about Gen Alpha. It is important to be aware of the unique characteristics of this new generation. As I have said many times, we are missionaries to today's kids. If we are going to reach them we need to understand them and how they are being shaped by the world they live in.

The Graying of the American Church

9:42 AM Dale Hudson

Let me start off by saying I love the senior adults in our ministries. They bring wisdom, experience and knowledge to the table.

With that clarified, I want to shift and point out a challenge that we must face and meet if we are going to see our churches reach future generations.

The American church is becoming more and more gray with each passing year. Getting older is a part of life. I have a lot of gray hair myself.

But left to coast in neutral, most churches will naturally grow grayer every year. Then one day, they will look up and see that the next generation has left the building.

It takes intentionality to reach succeeding generations. It must be done by keeping the church balanced with the wisdom of older generations alongside the zeal and passion of younger generations.

It also takes the older people of the church to look beyond themselves and seek the changes that must be made to reach their children and grandchildren along with the young families in their community.

One area this shows up is in the worship music. Music is important to every generation. Generations get used to a certain style of music. Usually it's what they grew up with. Go messing with their music and you will ruffle some feathers.

But the churches that are growing and reaching the next generation are churches where the older members are willing to lay aside their preferences so the next generation can be reached and thrive as leaders in the church.

Want to know how healthy your church is? There is one place we can go to and see how healthy your church is. What area is it? Look into your children's ministry.

Does your church have any babies in the nursery? How about preschoolers? How about elemetary-age children? What about teenagers?

If the answer is "no," then here is the sad news I need to share with you. Your church is dying. And when the older people in your church pass away, your church will have to close it's doors.

Where there is no crying in the nursery, the church is dying.

I was at a church last year and as I looked around I saw that they had no children in the church. Not one baby. Not one preschoolers. Not one elementary student. No teenagers. As I sat in their services that morning and looked around, I saw mostly gray hair. I thought to myself, "This church is terminal." Unless they start reaching the next generation, they will eventually have to close their doors.

As we talk about reaching the next generation, we must look closely at the Millennials. They are the young parents in your community. By 2030, they will represent 75% of the workforce in the country. The big question is "will they be 75% of your church as well?"

For many Millennials, church is irrelevant. The number of people who do not have a "religion" has grown by 40% in the last 30 years.

The next generation is growing up in a post Christian world. Many are Biblically illiterate. Bible stories like Moses and the burning bush are not common knowledge among them. But they want to learn and are very open to it.

At the same time, they are observing leaders who say one thing and live something else. Authenticity is crucial if you want to bring them to your leadership table.

Older church members must understand that the next generation is ready to step up and lead. But they want to lead not from an authoritative structure, but from a collaborative structure. This is a big shift for most of the older leaders.

Here are a few more tips that can help your church have a good balance of gray-headed leaders alongside a group of young leaders.

Listen to them. Younger leaders want to have a voice. They want to be heard.

Build relationships with them. They respond best to leadership that is grounded by relationship. Yes, they love coffee? Why? Because coffee represents more than having coffee. It represents building a relationship through talking with another person.

Mentor them. They want to be invested in by older leaders.

Any church that is willing to reach out and connect with the next generation of leaders, can grow their church now and in the future.

Remember this - a healthy family is made up of all generations. Children. Teenagers. Young adults. Middle-age adults. Senior adults.

I want to enocurage you to do this - the next time you are at church take a look around. How much gray hair do you see? Is the gray balanced with the edgy hair styles of youth as well?

I pray you will be passionate about reaching the next generation. Hold your "style of ministry" with open hands. Be willing to change and adjust...even when the changes are not your preferences.

The spiritual future of the next generation is depending on it.