GenX is ambiguous about orthodoxy.  We love ritual and get bored with ritual.  To be attractive to Xers we may have to be less attached to the church building.  We need to bring the institution to the world, and not wait for the world to come to us.   That is what the pandemic forced us to do…

I want to share a few ideas about how to reach out to Generation X and invite them to a church that might be more open and understanding. 

It’s very simple to say what Xers value.  They value relationships.  Many are from broken homes and we hunger to connect, to experience belonging and community. 

This is a generation that has had to deal with pain and suffering.  Yes, every generation has had this.  When a generation bears the weight of so many failures- including AIDS, divorce, abuse, poor schools, recessions, youth poverty, teen suicide, outrageous educational and living expenses, national debt, high taxes, environmental devastation, drugs, parents that need parenting, violence, unstable economic security, premature loss of childhood- how can suffering not be an important part of one’s identity.  It should be little problem seeing that this generation has a serious problem finding hope in the world. 

Generation X lacks a common cause…we didn’t have Vietnam, a Civil Rights Movement or anything really to rally around.  Thank goodness, we had no World War or Great Depression.  We had a thousand little things.  

I propose that there are four points of entry for Xers.  They will speak to the needs of generation X.

The first point of entry is that we need to BE REAL.  We need to be real in presenting ourselves.  GenX may be absent from the church but this is not due to a lack of spirituality. 

GenX is the first truly Post-Modern generation.  This means that they are willing to accept many truths, even when they seem to clash.  We can live in ambiguity. If you laid out a systematic theology to prove your point, an Xer may say, “Whatever.”  Because we were engrained with political correctness (which is a Boomer thing) we have come to accept that everyone has a right to an opinion and a personal truth.  We have a problem when someone says, “being a Christian is the ONLY way to God.”  That makes our buddy Jesus judgy and exclusive.  

Its really hard to teach someone to be real.  It means ‘take an interest in Xers.  Don’t look at them as souls that need saving, or dollar signs for your church.  They are real people and respond to authenticity.  If you want to reach them, you have got to learn about them—which means ‘stop talking, start listening.’ 

You don’t have to pretend to be hip or cool—just care.  One thing that can be done—is to take popular culture seriously.  Don’t dismiss it, there is something there. 

Don’t be afraid to talk about Jesus!  Jesus was the real thing!  It’s hard to relate to a miracle working healer who could walk on water—but its not hard to relate to someone who says, “Love your neighbor.”  

The 2nd point of entry is COMMUNITY.  We long and crave community.  The church is supposed to be a community.  God exists in relationship.  That is what the Trinity is- three in one- God in relationship.  They are going to test the church to see if it is an authentic community that practices what it preaches.  

The 3rd point of entry is ‘SPEAK TO THEIR PAIN AND SUFFERING.’  If your first response is “Hey, we all have pain and suffering, and what makes yours worse than mine” – then you’ve missed the point.  Every generation has it, and ours is real too.  We may not have been affected by every little thing- but it was there. We didn’t get free love-, because sex could now kill you.  The drugs we were offered could kill you.  We were coming of age with Disco!  We couldn’t pay our college tuition with a summer job, so we took on huge crushing debt.     

By building a relationship with an Xer you will help their pain and suffering.  By loving them and being genuine with them this will ease their pain.  They choose relationships over raises, and people and time over money. 

The final point of entry is HOPE.  Give them hope.  We have no hope in Social Security.  We have no hope in government or political parties which are controlled by the almighty dollar.  We have no hope in big business, which values profits over people.  An Xer will NOT be loyal to a company- because they have seen what the bottom line did to their parents.  

There is hope in the Gospel.   There are so many aspects of our lives that are up in the air.  We need the reconciliation that is given through Jesus Christ.  Affirm Generation X spirituality which may look much different from yours, but affirm their journey.  Many Xers are on a road trip, and they won’t stop and ask for directions. 

Evangelism to reach Xers….

Get to know Xers.  Listen to them.  Enter into a personal relationship with an Xer.  Relationships slowly develop over time—so evangelism is a slow process that can’t be rushed.  Accept Xers on their own terms, on their turf.  Affirm what is good in their values.  This also means that we should share the story of Jesus Christ on their terms.  This is a wonderful place where Jesus and popular culture intersect.  GenX worships popular culture. 

Evangelism to Xers has four basic cornerstones; Authenticity, Caring, Trust, and Transparency.   We know the world is not perfect.  We know the church and pastors are not perfect.   In addition to hearing, reading and telling the story of God—we must include ourselves in that story.   This is a story that offers hope to the world.  This is a story that offers hope to every generation.  

Generation X needs God.  We all need God, but GenX could really stand to hear the saving, hope-filled message of God.