Powerhouse. Heroes. World-changers. These are some of the words being used to describe you, the Millennial generation. You have an instinctive urge to renew, re-imagine, and reshape everything you can get your hands on.
The institution of the church, however, is another story. Organized religion is experiencing a dropout phenomenon among an entire generation of people in their 20s and 30s. Increasingly disillusioned, you are leaving the church... in droves.
But what if this disillusionment is no accident? As we look at the bigger picture, we see that you just happen to be coming of age during the dawning of a new church era. Every 500 years the church reforms, and we are at that time in history. Could it be that God has prepared you to catalyze the next reformation? Could it be that you are actually the revolutionaries of our age?
The millennial generation is quickly arising as the most pressing mission field. They remain the most unchurched, de-churched generation among us, and many are at a loss about how to reach them. The need for effective discipleship is greater than ever.
However, many millennials have not rejected their Christian faith but simply have become disenchanted with traditional congregations. Alternatively, many are finding a sense of belonging in the burgeoning missional movement. Until now, this topic has remained under researched and unexplored.
In an effort to answer the question “What does it mean for millennials to follow Christ today in missional communities?” Sara Blakeney spent a year of ethnographic research observing and interviewing millennials and their leaders. Her conclusion is that discipleship is taking place in the most innovative ways and unexpected places.