Russell Moore On Millennials
Russell Moore is the President of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is a conservative evangelical who was outspoken in his opposition to then-candidate Donald J. Trump, has spoken frequently and with conviction against racial injustice, and is a huge fan of Outlaw Country music.
Moore was asked by the Wheaton Record how he thought Millennials were shaping the future of evangelicalism. Moore responded:
I think the millennial generation is shaping the future of evangelicalism in unbelievably good ways. … And I think that’s not necessarily because millennial Christians are better people than other generations or smarter people than other generations or what have you. I think it’s instead because the cultural context around millennial Christianity has sifted out nominal Christianity to a great degree. So a millennial Christian who confesses faith in Christ in most parts of the country right now, in most parts of the world right now, is not thereby achieving a status as normal in the culture. … millennial Christians have to articulate from the very beginning what it means to be a follower of Christian ways i think causes evangelicalism to look more like 1st century New testament Christianity.
But what i find is that principle critique of millennials is not only untrue but the exact opposite of what I’ve experienced. So sometimes older generations will say to me “Millennials only want, don’t want to learn from anyone older than they, and they identify only with their own peer group because they’re selfish and entitled and whatever, which strikes me as odd when the number one question I get from Millennials, and it’s a question that I answer at least one time a day and sometimes a hundred times a day is, “how do i find a mentor?” Both of those things can’t be true, and so I’m very optimistic about the millennial generation.
That’s optimistic. Moore notes that Millennials are claiming Christian faith for themselves, and not from a place of social pressure or obligation. Nominalism is on the decline, but those who are claiming an identity as a Christian are committed.
But Moore’s words are also challenging. Moore thinks that there is promise among Millennials. He has found that they are looking for guides. How can the church step in and step up, connecting Millennials with wise, mature, and loving examples of Christ-likeness?
Millennials and Mentoring
This eBook will provide you with the essential insights regarding how Millennials view mentoring and why they consider it to be a very important part of their life. Successful mentoring requires understanding the mindset of Millennials. When you do, you will be able to more easily offer individual mentoring as well as create a culture where mentoring Millennials is a high priority. Through this process, you can connect with and influence those who are impacting the church today and will continue to impact the church in the years to come.