President's Blog

In the most recent edition of our Fellowship National THRIVE magazine: Next Gen: Passing the Torch, I mention in my sidebar comments on page 3 that:

In this edition of Thrive, “Next Gen: Passing the Torch”, we celebrate the next generation of leaders, disciples, mobilizers, and change agents among us. There are a lot of Millennials (born 1981-1996) and Gen Zs (born 1997-2010) leading the way and shifting the culture before us. It’s “so dope” (Millennial talk), “so dank” (Gen Z gibberish) that the largest demographic group in Canada today are those born between 1990-1994, called “Peak Millennials”.

In recent years our Regions have recognized this and responded with leaders to support ministry to the Next Gen. I’m grateful for Zach Yaciw in our Fellowship Pacific Region, Mike Racinsky in our FEB Central Region, Steve Cloutier in our AEBEQ Region, and Paul Smylski in our Fellowship Atlantic Region who are giving servant leadership to Next Gen ministry among us. Pray for these important leaders.

All authors in this edition are around 40 years of age or younger. Let’s hear from the next generation — not because they are the future of the Church, but because they are the Church today. I “passed” the “First Word” article to Mike Racinsky because I’m too “cheugy” (uncool/untrendy/old). This edition should be fun!

You can read THRIVE Autumn 2024 edition online.

Please take special note of my comment that “the largest demographic group in Canada today are those born between 1990-1994 called the “Peak Millennials”.

My own grown children were born during these years. On many occasions they have remained a mystery to me.

Who are Peak Millennials?

In a March 14, 2024 NY Times article written by Jeanna Smialek (a peak Millennial), she features a phenomenon occurring among those born between 1990-94. At every stage of their lives, this micro generation has stretched a societal system that was often too small to accommodate their demographic bulge – the Peak Millennials – with their outsized economic power (for some) but also their fight to so-called get ahead. The struggle has become so great that many are re-defining what it means to get ahead. They’re realizing they shouldn’t expect to get what their parents (the Boomers) had at their age. This is the new reality.

With this being the reality – how do they respond?

Typical characteristics of the Millennial generation in the workplace and within a church ministry context:

1. They value meaningful motivation. Motivated by creative work, making an impact on others, while improving their community, not necessarily for financial gain.

2. They challenge hierarchical status quo. They have to share their opinions and ideas while challenging their superiors. What is best for the organization comes from active listening and collaboration and listening to other point of views. They prefer a supervisor whom they can connect to as a mentor with frequent communication.

3. They have intuitive knowledge of technology. They grew up in the burgeoning technological bubble. The first generation to be technologically immersed and globalized online. They quickly adapt and embrace change, especially to technology.

4. They place an importance on tasks rather than time. This shows up in a desire to produce results and place a higher priority on the quality of a product, deliverable, or task-oriented output. They work towards an end with lots of flexibility in their schedule; toward attaining outcomes that allow other important things to occur outside of work.

5. They are passionate about learning. They adapt to change well due in part to an extraordinary passion to learn new things. They are curious with a desire to learn new skills and knowledge to develop and pursue their work and personal lives.

6. They are free-thinkers and creative. They grew up in a time of global transition from conventional methods to technologically advanced ways of working, living, and playing. They are often more imaginative and innovative in their problem-solving at work and in life.

7. They value teamwork and social interaction. They place importance on working within a team environment. Collaborating on projects, problem-solving, and embracing different points of view are very important while enjoying a social atmosphere. Embracing qualities like fun produce a relaxed and comfortable working environment.

For more information on Millennials and Peak Millennials (the church leaders in our midst) – Pastor Jeremy Norton, lead pastor of a Fellowship Pacific Church in Whitehorse, Yukon, Mountainview Church, has compiled a curated collection of links to help you explore the evolving landscape of church leadership, demographic shifts, and church attendance.

PEAK MILLENNIALS

Compiled by @PastorJeremyNorton, LeadBiblically.com.

In this curated collection of links, you can explore the evolving landscape of church attendance, demographic shifts, and societal trends shaping the Millennial generation, offering valuable insights into the intersection of faith and contemporary culture.

1. 5 Church Attendance Statistics Every Church Leader Needs to Understand in 2024: https://careynieuwhof.com/church-attendance-statistics/ 

2. A New Chapter in Millennial Church Attendance: https://www.barna.com/research/church-attendance-2022/

3. Church attendance statistics - Patterns & emerging trends for 2024: https://www.subsplash.com/blog/church-attendance-statistics 

4. Fertility in Canada, 1921 to 2022: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/91f0015m/91f0015m2024001-eng.htm 

5. Millennials overtake baby boomers as dominant generation in Canada: https://globalnews.ca/news/10307412/millennials-baby-boomers-canada/amp/ 

6. Millennials' Religiosity Amidst the Rise of the Nones: https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/267920/millennials- religiosity-amidst-rise-nones.aspx 

7. Population estimates on July 1, 2024, by age and gender: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710000501 

8. Resident population of Canada in 2023, by gender and age group: https://www.statista.com/statistics/444858/canada-resident-population-by- gender-and-age-group/

9. What Millennials Want When They Visit Church: https://www.barna.com/research/what-millennials-want-when-they-visit- church/ 

10. Why Are Boomers Leaving the Church?: https://www.readingremy.com/blog/why-are-boomers-leaving-the-church