Episcopal Church Foundation Vital Practices

May 2019

Millennials and the Church

A Young Person in a Young Church
By Nelson Serrano
In A Young Person in a Young Church, Nelson Serrano narrates his experience of the Episcopal Church as a millennial in Colombia, telling us how a church that values the young becomes youthful and vibrant in its ideas and actions. This article is available in English and Spanish.
Authenticity and Community
By Adriane Bilous
How can we create an authentic faith experience for millennials? In Authenticity and Community, Adriane Bilous explores the qualities this generation is drawn to: vulnerability, acceptance of imperfections and creating community.
Editor's Letter June 2019
By Charis Bhagianathan
Millennials are not all the same. From where we gather and what we seek, to how we give and what resonates with us, millennials are a wonderfully diverse group. What does bring us together is a deep longing for authenticity and community – that could be in church or not, but certainly where Christ is present. In this issue, we bring you another round of millennial-authored articles on a variety of topics that relate to our lives as disciples of Jesus.
Editor's Letter May 2019
By Charis Bhagianathan
As a group, millennials may be one of the most stereotyped and misunderstood generations. As a millennial myself, I know this to be painfully true. There is a strange dichotomy in the perception of millennials in church life – people have unwavering opinions about millennials, what they respond to and what will bring them to church, while simultaneously mourning the disappearance of young people from church life.
Engaging Millennials
By Jason Merritt
Reaching millennials, bringing them into church life and retaining them is something many congregations have struggled with. In Engaging Millennials, Jason Merritt shares ideas on how to listen, learn and be present to build trust and have fruitful relationships with this frequently stereotyped group.
Fishing Together
By Zack Nyein
What kind of ministries are millennials passionate about? In Fishing Together, Zack Nyein shares inspirational examples of what faithful action in response to the Gospel looks like in different contexts and situations.
Intentional Community
By Isaac Everett
What do millennials need from the church? In Intentional Community, Isaac Everett explores a very real crisis that many young people have been thrust into – the lack of affordable housing, and offers hope and ideas for what the Church can do to create meaningful community for young people.
Millennial Giving: What Gives?
By Sarah Leach
Curious about millennials and their charitable giving? In Millenial Giving: What Gives?, Sarah Townsend Leach offers data and statistics on why, how and where millennials give and what drives their stewardship practices.
Millennial Mythbusters: Church Edition
By Alissa Anderson
People often have strong opinions about what they believe millennials care (or not) about. In Millennial Mythbusters: Church Edition, Alissa Anderson dispels some common myths and shares truths about millennials and their life in church.
Millennials in Leadership
By Nicole Foster, Colin Chapman, Hershey Mallette Stephens
Why is it important to place millennials in positions of leadership and decision-making in our church? In Millennials in Leadership, Nicole Foster, Colin Chapman and Hershey Mallette Stephens share the challenges of their generation and why we need more voices like theirs to strengthen and invigorate our church and future.
Preach!
By Megan Castellan
What makes a good sermon? In Preach!, Megan Castellan explains why sermons need to change with the times to be effective, and emphasizes the importance of inclusive language and shared experiences.
Una persona joven en una Iglesia joven
By Nelson Serrano
Soy un joven-adulto colombiano de 31 años y diácono en transición, llamado a vivir y servir en la diversidad.
What Do We Want?
By Ellis Montes
Ever wondered what kind of music resonates with millennials? There isn’t one right answer. In What Do We Want? Ellis Montes reflects on the diverse tastes of this generation with a particular focus on worship and music, and shares why we need authentic conversation around this topic.
¡Predica!
By Megan Castellan
Se ha dicho mucho acerca de la división generacional en otros contextos. Las generaciones afectan la forma en que abordamos la mayordomía, el compromiso teológico, la afiliación e incluso la música.
¿Qué queremos?
By Ellis Montes
Las personas millennials no somos una cultura monolítica. No somos solo lo que sucede en Los Ángeles o Nueva York. Somos de todas partes del mundo y aceptamos a quienes vienen de lugares lejanos, ofreciendo lo poco que tenemos a quienes no tienen nada.