Millennials, Gen Z and the Church: Recent Episodes
Ben
A podcast for pastors and leaders to develop 'generationally intelligent' faith communities. Senior pastor, author and life strategist Benjamin Windle hosts conversations with pastors, authors and leaders about cultivating church culture with depth and leadership styles that more effectively reaches, equips and empowers the emerging generations in the local church.
We’re in the midst of a painful season of life.
As pastors and leaders, we’re now well versed in the pain our people are feeling. But sometimes in our eagerness to ‘lead’ we often don’t speak with a vocabulary of pain.
Sometimes we don’t speak ‘human’ at all, we speak church instead. Here’s 7 approaches that I hope you find helpful to leading your younger generations through what is for some, the first culturally disruptive moment of their lives.
A recent Roy Morgan study found that almost half of Gen Zs reported their mental health had suffered during the periods of lockdown this year. For most Gen Zs this would be the first time in their lives that they’ve experienced such major disruption, uncertainty and worry about the future.
It’s clear to me that there is a significant need here for very practical strategies to help them not only cope, but actually grow and thrive through periods of hardship and adversity.
So here’s 5 ways I think we as pastors and leaders can begin to teach resilience to them…
I have known Howard personally for over 15 years, and I have been inspired many times by his leadership. He has built one of the great Christian organisations of our era, and we had a very engaging conversation on “How to lead through pain and crises”.
Howard shares his personal journey through a time of incredible pain and hardship in his life. It’s an inspiring story and I know it will help you if you’re experiencing a season of hurt.
I’m super excited to share my conversation with JD from Hillsong United. We talk about a range of subjects from the origins of the modern worship revolution, to local church culture, to song writing.
Both being Millennials, we talk multi-generation worship, and some practical keys for online worship leading vs leading in physical church gatherings.
For better or worse your inner culture - that's your perspective, your inner dialogue, your values, your character - will ultimately shape your words, actions, attitudes, and relationships.
So if you were to assess your own inner culture right now, would you say its working for you or against you?
Changing the thin veneer of stylistic elements will never make for a deficient church culture. So don’t change your church logo, update your color palette or upgrade your sound system just yet. Millennials don't want just a cool church, they want an authentic faith community. This video is part of my 'Millennials' online course for pastors and leaders. Learn the 8 Innovations to reaching and leading Millennials and Gen Z available from Thrive Co => https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/millennials
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
To download my white paper on leading Millennials visit https://www.millennialswhitepaper.com/
I believe that personal change and transformation is actually the vehicle to greater influence in the world around us. I explain what I mean in this episode when I say “Change me. Change the world”This episode is part of my series on personal transformation. Access all the videos in 'A New Normal' and learn the proven practices for real and lasting change to live with less anxiety and more meaning. Visit https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/a-new-normal
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
In this today's episode, I outline 7 major societal shifts that are happening in our world around us. By understanding the unique patterns and trends of our time, we can more effectively reach, minister and influence the world around us.This video is part of my 'Millennials' online course for pastors and leaders. Learn the 8 Innovations to reaching and leading Millennials and Gen Z available from Thrive Co => https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/millennials
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
To download my white paper on leading Millennials visit https://www.millennialswhitepaper.com/
Neglected mental health, stress, anxiety and depression are some of the giants facing our emerging generations right now. Research has shown that Millennials are experiencing the most stress of all living generations. In this episode I sit down with psychologist Dr David Zimmerman and we discuss mental health through a lens of faith.
In all areas of our lives we settle into patterns of behaviours or habits that day by day, year by year form a path and ultimately a destination. And if you don’t intentionally watch your step, you may find you’ve wandered from the path you THOUGHT you were on, and ended up somewhere you NEVER intended to go.
In this episode, learn how to reprogram your internal GPS and get a Google Earth perspective on the path you’ve set yourself on.This episode is part of my series on personal transformation. Access all the videos in 'A New Normal' and learn the proven practices for real and lasting change to live with less anxiety and more meaning. Visit https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/a-new-normal
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
There is a growing fatigue towards superficial cool church. So If doing “cooler” church isn't the reason why young people are leaving, then what is?
As pastors, we have to go beneath the water level and look at the culture we're creating.
Worship styles matter. Facilities matter. Technology matters. But they can't mask an unhealthy church culture.
This video is part of my 'Millennials' online course for pastors and leaders. Learn the 8 Innovations to reaching and leading Millennials and Gen Z available from Thrive Co => https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/millennials
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
To download my white paper on leading Millennials visit https://www.millennialswhitepaper.com/
No business, individual or family will ever rise beyond their level of personal vision. That’s why to empower the emerging generations we need to help them filter the world they live in through a lens of personal vision.
This episode is part of my series on personal transformation. Access all the videos in 'A New Normal' and learn the proven practices for real and lasting change to live with less anxiety and more meaning. Visit https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/a-new-normal
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
The emerging generations often come into church, with no foundation of bibilcal understanding. There’s a hunger for more when it comes to their faith, for real answers to big questions.
Depth in spiritual discipleship, is the key to them finding substance over just an experience, and making a local church their home.
This video is part of my 'Millennials' online course for pastors and leaders. Learn the 8 Innovations to reaching and leading Millennials and Gen Z available from Thrive Co => https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/millennials
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
To download my white paper on leading Millennials visit https://www.millennialswhitepaper.com/
As churches, finances is a topic that is sometimes in the too hard basket - we’re afraid of saying something that offends or challenges. But in an age of online shopping, tap and go payment, credit card debt and online gambling it’s never been more important to educate the emerging generations on a biblical worldview of finances.
This video is part of my 'Millennials' online course for pastors and leaders. Learn the 8 Innovations to reaching and leading Millennials and Gen Z available from Thrive Co => https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/millennials
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
To download my white paper on leading Millennials visit https://www.millennialswhitepaper.com/
Millennials aren’t entitled as the media likes to report - in my experience they’re wonderfully relational, team-oriented and loyal to leaders that are authentic and collaborative.
And this is why a circular model of relational leadership vs a ladder top-down model, is the key to unlocking the potential this generation holds
This video is part of my 'Millennials' online course for pastors and leaders. Learn the 8 Innovations to reaching and leading Millennials and Gen Z available from Thrive Co => https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/millennials
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
To download my white paper on leading Millennials visit https://www.millennialswhitepaper.com/
Neglected mental health is one of the GREATEST THREATS to face the emerging generations.
In today’s episode I present 3 very practical daily choices that will give you power to
- Recognise and remove unhelpful and negative thinking patterns
- Regulate extremes of emotion
- Help you cope better during periods of hardship
This episode is part of my series on personal transformation. Access all the videos in 'A New Normal' and learn the proven practices for real and lasting change to live with less anxiety and more meaning. Visit https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/a-new-normal
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
Why do we feel like having full calendars and long to-do lists actually gives life meaning?
If you feel constantly distracted and absent from the things that REALLY matter in life then it’s time to make some practical changes.
In this episode, I show you how to
- Live from a place of restful increase
- Avoid mental and physical burnout
- Manage and better prioritise your internal and external real estate
Remember - if the vessel of your life is empty, you’ve got nothing to give.
This episode is part of my series on personal transformation. Access all the videos in 'A New Normal' and learn the proven practices for real and lasting change to live with less anxiety and more meaning. Visit https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/a-new-normal
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
This is arguably one of the most asked, and anguished over questions in life…
“How do I find my calling in life? What am I here for? What’s my purpose”
Without an answer, the effects are truly devastating. A spiritual vacuum is created that’s filled with the pursuits of happiness that ironically leave you feeling even more unhappy.
In today’s episode I’ve got three questions to ask YOU that will help zero in on the unique contribution your life can make.
This episode is part of my series on personal transformation. Access all the videos in 'A New Normal' and learn the proven practices for real and lasting change to live with less anxiety and more meaning. Visit https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/a-new-normal
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
Millennials and Gen Z involvement in their local church is trending towards an all time low. If we want to reverse this trend and reach the emerging generation, my personal and pastoral experience says that “cool” church isn’t going to be enough...
This video is part of my 'Millennials' online course for pastors and leaders. Learn the 8 Innovations to reaching and leading Millennials and Gen Z available from Thrive Co => https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/millennials
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
To download my white paper on leading Millennials visit https://www.millennialswhitepaper.com/
Our generation of millennials (that’s anyone aged from around 20 to 40) are THE MOST STRESSED age group alive today. I’m a millennial and a pastor and so for me, it's something I’ve both experienced myself and observed in others.
Being addicted to work, climbing the corporate ladder, poor self care, mental and emotional burnout are just some of the prevailing ‘norms’ of our time.
It’s clear to me that the idea of ‘normal’ is BROKEN and is creating a generation of exhausted souls who are just trying to keep up.
It’s time for change.
In this episode
- I challenge what’s tolerable in our culture’s idea of normal
- Show you how the ‘what’ in our lives has defined ‘who’ we are (and is the real reason you’re constantly feeling left behind)
- And how to simplify your life by asking yourself one question
This episode is part of my series on personal transformation. Access all the videos in 'A New Normal' and learn the proven practices for real and lasting change to live with less anxiety and more meaning. Visit https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/a-new-normal
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
Incredibly, churches may have up to five generations attending their churches at any one time, each with their own approach to worship, marriage, faith, finances, careers and friendships. To reach Millennials and Gen Z, we need to develop a generational intelligence that comes from a place of understanding.
Learn the 8 Innovations to reaching and leading Millennials and Gen Z in my new course for pastors and leaders. Available from Thrive Co => https://www.thriveco.tv/courses/millennials
For more content about the emerging generations, church culture and leadership style, visit https://www.benjaminwindle.com/
To download my white paper on leading Millennials visit https://www.millennialswhitepaper.com/