With so many ideas going around about why “Millennials” are leaving the church, I decided to write a blog on why I’ve decided to stay …
So many of these blogs and statistics that I am reading have been done from researchers and pastors who are trying to figure “Millennials” out without sitting where they have sat. … There’s been some good views and some very wrong views about what our contribution to the global church will be. I’m here to sort through the madness to help bring some clarity.
As a young adult myself, I have been heavily involved in church for the last 11 years. I have watched people come and go and I have had to ask myself the questions: Why have I stayed while others have gone? What has been different about my experience that has caused me to rise in leadership while others have forsaken “church” all together? In the process of studying the journey of both myself and my peers, I have also received strategy from the Holy Spirit on the direction and future of the church, as Millennials take center stage in church leadership.
As I look at the trajectory of my own journey, I have discovered that what has set me apart from others that have left the church is in the fact that I have aggressively pursued mentors. This is something that many people are not as comfortable doing, especially when you face a lot of rejection, bad leadership, hurt and disappointment. What has kept me was my ability to filter through the inadequacies of people in order to partake of their treasure. That meant me having a lot of forgiveness toward people and putting my dependency on God instead of man. We have to be able to see past the flaws and failures of man and trust that God can still use them to speak to us regardless of their downfalls.
By the grace of God and through great patience on my part, I came across two specific leaders that were pure in their motives, sacrificial and did for me what everyone else is now calling …
“Reverse Mentoring”! This process changed my life and is the method I live by to empower others.
Here are some key points that define this process of “Reverse Mentoring”:
1. This process requires that the leader be very secure in their own calling as to not allow a spirit of competition to hinder the process of empowerment. Millennials are seeking “room to grow” and “space to create.”
2. Millennials want to be able to question your process without the fear of rejection. They don’t want to just do what you say without also knowing WHY you do what you do. If you believe in the supernatural .. .they wanna know why and they want to see results. Because of this, we all have to evaluate our methods and ask ourselves if what we are doing is “scriptural” or just “traditional.” You should allow those that you mentor to ask questions and be able to give them answers, strategies and demonstration of power. Don’t be intimidated by the WHYs … we are not questioning your authority .. .we just want to know how you do what you do! In the end … our questions can help you become a greater leader and a more effective leader. Listen, many parents will tell you that they have learned more through parenting their kids then they actually taught their kids … be open to learning yourself too!
3. Reverse mentoring requires great transparency! We want to know your story and your struggles. We want to know that you will not judge our future based on our past. We also want to know that you are not ashamed of us and that you will claim us as your own no matter what! We don’t want things sugar coated, and remember that we don’t relate to you just because you watch reality TV and use a Kardashian as a sermon illustration or joke … we will relate to you because of your STORY and your AUTHENTICITY!
