An important key to lasting success is understanding the next generation. It is true for the church, and it is true for every company and organization.

So how well do you understand the next generation? They are known as the Millennials as well as a handful of other names such as Generation Y. Today, Three Minds highlighted a collection of interesting notes collected by Luke Wroblewski about Generation Y.

• “Thanks to their over involved boomer parents, (they) have been coddled and pumped up to believe they can achieve anything.” - Fast Company (January 2006)
• “These people want feedback daily, not annually.” - Fast Company (January 2006)
• “The last thing they do is read the manual. Instead, they pick up the controller and start mashing buttons to see what happens. This isn’t a random process; it’s the essence of the scientific method and it’s a fundamentally different take on problem-solving than the linear, read-the-manual-first approach of their parents. The fact that they are learning in a totally new way - means they’ll treat the world as a place for creation, not consumption.” - Wired Magazine (April 2006)

Of course, youth pastors must be familar with Millennials out of necessity, but it would be wise for church administration and executive leadership to also develop an understanding of this new generation. This understanding is important not only in providing insight into how to relevantly reach them but also preparing the church for changes they may need to make in order to survive.

Each generation interacts with the church in a unique way. The Mayo Clinic published an interesting article this past July about understanding intergenerational differences in the workplace. Although written from a workplace perspective, there are principles that may be applied to your ministry.

Further reading on Generation Y includes:
Six Seismic Shifts in Global Teen Culture - Chief Marketer (February 2006)
Generation Y: They’ve arrived at work with a new attitude - USA Today (November 2005)