Ministering toMillennials

A Presentation to the Chaplain Session

Baptist General Conference

By Kyle A. Roberts

Bethel Seminary

Understanding the Millennial Generation (Generation Y)

The Historical and Cultural Background: Post-modernity

The Intuitions, Impulses and Issues of Generation Y

How Can We Faithfully and Effectively Minister to Millennials?

The Historical and Cultural Background: What is Postmodernity?

An Intense Patience for Pluralism and Difference

A Fragmentation of Cultural and Personal Identity

A Deep Mistrust of Authority A Longing for Belonging A Pessimistic Quest for Meaning and

Significance

An Intense Patience for Pluralism The Collapse of Modernity The Beginning of Postmodernity Two Key Philosophers of Postmodernity

Francis Lyotard Jacques Derrida Michel Foucault

The Collapse of Modernity

The Pruitt-Igoe Housing Demolition (St Louis, March 16, 1972)

Symbol of the Collapse of Modernity Pruitt-Igoe Demolished on March 16, 1972.

"The entire public housing program was always geared to production, not to providing decent housing for poor people…

In the big construction years of the program, the thinking was, ‘Let’s get the damned things (buildings) up, let’s get the dollars out and get the production going . . . Nobody really faced up to how bad these things could get. Nobody really thought about it.” - Thomas P. Costello

Jean-Francois LyotardDefined Postmodernism as:

“Incredulity towards Metanarratives”

Predicted:The Fragmentation of SocietyThe Computerization of Society

Jacques Derrida: “There is Nothing Outside the Text”

Michel Foucault: “Power is Knowledge”

Despair, Anxiety, and the “Broken Heart of Modernity”

A Sign of the Times? Increasing Reliance on Psychiatric Medicine

US: In 2004, doctors wrote 147 million prescriptions for antidepressants (IMS Health Study)

70% of those taking anti-depressants, along with therapy, see improvement in mood

Mental Health in a Time of War 12% of troops in Iraq and 17% of troops in

Afghanistan are taking prescription antidepressants or sleeping pills

70% of soldiers will bounce back after combat stress (“temporary stress injuries”)

20% will suffer from “temporary stress injuries” 10% will be afflicted with “stress illnesses” Nearly 30% of troops on third deployment suffer

from serious mental health problems

Mental Health and Suicide There have been 164 Army suicides in

Afghanistan and Iraq from the start of the wars through 2007.

At least 115 soldiers killed themselves last year, including 36 in Iraq and Afghanistan (the highest toll since the military started keeping records)

One-third of soldiers report not having access to a mental health professional when they need one

The Intuitions, Impulses and Issues of the Millennial Generation

Intense passion and patience for plurality (relativism)

Deep mistrust of authority Biblical and Theological (Gospel) Illiteracy Desire for authenticity Intense longing for belonging (community) Deep pessimism regarding the “good life” Desire to make a difference in the world

How Should We Minister to Millennials?

Attend to our own authenticity and spiritual formation

Communicate dialogically and experientially, not authoritatively and dogmatically

Point them to Christ who suffered and emptied himself for humanity on the cross

Emphasize the holistic nature of the Gospel and of salvation

Emphasize community and enable belonging Evangelism as Discipleship