Table of Contents

Emerging Themes Among Xers

1. The foundation for ministry to and with Gen X is authenticity. Xers have little use for hype. What they look for in a person and a leader is authenticity. The most authentic leaders will come from within Gen X, not be imposed from the outside.

2. Ministry to Gen Xers looks different than ministry to boomers. You cannot take a boomer model and "tweak it" to work with Xers. Xer ministry is different. While boomers focus on a high-quality performance, Xers focus more on providing an authentic experience. Boomers focus more on the structure of the small group while Xers focus more on the relationships within the group.

3. The importance of music to Gen X and its integration into a new style of worship cannot be underestimated. Xer music is simple; it uses more guitars and fewer keyboards. The words to the songs often have an edge to them and are more honest. Xer worship is more interactive and experiential. It involves sharing your own stories, asking questions, drawing people in. It is a shift from simply presentation of the gospel, to one of experiencing God rather than observing worship at a distance.

4. The stereotypes of Gen X should be dispelled and, instead, recognize the diversity of the generation and its alignment with biblical values. Not all Xers are slackers and associated with grunge (a music form). Many Xers exhibit values that are more aligned with the teaching of Scripture than other generations. Some of these include the importance of relationships, the emphasis on family and community, authenticity, servanthood, helping the poor, the homeless, and disenfranchised.

5. Use narrative stories to communicate with Gen X. Tell your story. Tell God’s story. Listen to the other person’s story. Tell the biblical story and then tell the point of the story…don’t explain it and be condescending.

6. Go beyond the intellectual to a hands-on presentation of the gospel. This generation wants to connect to society and see that the gospel is practical and makes a difference in people’s everyday lives. Building houses through Habitat for Humanity or providing after-school programs for children in an inner-city neighborhood are the kind of things Xers are into—community service that results in evangelism.

7. The most effective Gen X evangelism will be process evangelism. Process evangelism is something that happens over a long period of time…over perhaps years of frustration, pain, and praying for someone. It is not an "evangelistic project" to see someone come to know Christ.

8. The leadership paradigm for Gen X is a team, not a hierarchy or superstar. This is a collaborative generation. There are no superstars. Spending time together and being transparent with one another is what builds trust.

9. Leadership development is defined as the development of lay leaders, not staff, and the pastor’s role is primarily one of an equipper and coach. Xer pastors emphasize the role of staff as equippers of laypeople to do the ministry. Quality programming is important, but the first emphasis is on healthy teams of lay leaders who understand their gifts and are serving in a healthy community.

10. There are no easy answers, few models, little resources, and no single place that equip people for ministry to and with Gen X. Ministering to Xers is a learn-as-you-go process. There isn’t a workshop, seminar, or a catalog of resources to learn how to do Xer ministry. It is a trial and error, learn by doing, look for resources anywhere, and share-what-you-learn kind of ministry.

Information supplied by Wayde Wilson, senior pastor, Faith Assembly of God, Hazleton, Pennsylvania.

Adapted from a recent Gen X forum sponsored by Leadership Network.