Millennials Serving

As I'm preparing for my Point Leader Summit workshop at the Conspire Conference (Willow Creek--April 23-25), I'm intrigued by how the prognosticators of generations nailed it with Millennials.

For years, I've been studying what the experts say about Millennials (born 1982-2002) and it's amazing to see that they were right! (Gives me great confidence in what they're saying about Futuristics--born from 2002 on, too.)

One key factor of Millennials is that they want to change the world together. Did you know that U.S. schoolchildren raised more than $10 million for Katrina relief--more than most corporate giants? And Group's Operation Kid2Kid outreach is the largest kid-to-kid outreach in the world? Hundreds of thousands of children give to children around the world. It's very cool!

How have you seen the truth of Millennials having a heart for service in your community and/or church?

Comments

[Kenny]

Being a young CP I don't have the perspective of comparing Millennials to another generation at the same age (I guess I will soon as the Futuristics are just beginning to come of age). However, I have been amazed to see how children have responded to opportunities to serve and give toward a need.

For the last several years, I've connected the children's ministry to a missionary effort of reaching Muslim kids in Burkina Faso, West Africa. The kids have connected through videos, pictures and even visits from the missionaries serving there. Last year at our VBS, we raised right at $7000 for this great outreach. We really emphasized that kids not just ask mom and dad for money, but to ask to earn the money so that "they" were able to give. We heard stories and got letters about kids sitting at the dinner table with their family, telling them of all the things they wanted to do to raise money. We also saw amazing kid-driven entrepreneurial efforts to raise this money. So, I can't really tell from personal experience if this generation has been more giving than any other, but I've been pretty impressed by the Millennials!

[Chris Yount Jones]

Kenny,
That is so cool! This is the kind of story we're hearing from children's ministers all over! Service is a heart cry of the Millennials!

[Brenna]

Here's what we did at my church:
http://www.brennaphillips.com/2008/02/19/generous-god/

[Chris Yount Jones]

Brenna,
Thanks so much for sharing this story with us! Too cool! Kids are longing to be empowered to make a difference!

[Lisa Burney]

As a CM and a Mom of 2 early Millennials (now ages 26 and 24), I can verify that helping those in need is very important to them. As children and teens, Mission trips every summer and Springbreak were the norm. Now in their twenties,I find that they are so busy finishing their education and getting established in their new careers that time for structured missions trips is replaced with trips home. Instead they demonstrate that millennial mentality in their day to day life.

Both my sons live in big cities and their compassion for the homeless is inspiring.
I will never forget the night my oldest was walking with us and a huge crowd of college football fans to the subway with the temperature hovering in the teens. Out on the plaza and seemingly invisible to the passing crowd, a homeless man was sitting on the curb shivering and wrapped in a thin tattered blanket. He wasn't invisible to my millennial. Even though caught up in the movement of the crowd, my son managed to take off his heavy army jacket and hand it to the man as the crowd pushed us by. It all happened so fast and a quick, "Dude!" was all either had time to say.

Not one to bring attention to himself, my son shrugged off the attention his compassionate act drew from those around us. The entire way back to the hotel, as my son pretended he was warm as toast, I marveled at how my child had just handed over, not just a coat, but his FAVORITE coat to that man in need. As a Baby Boomer, it's a blessing to learn to "live it" from my Millennial young men!

[Chris Yount Jones]

Lisa,
Wow! That's an amazing story. What a great person--way to go, Mom, in raising such a compassionate soul! I love it!