Listening to Young Adults Listening to Young Adults EYA Learning - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Listening to Young Adults Listening to Young Adults EYA Learning Day 1 EYA Learning Day 1 Pastor Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes Pastor Gabby Cudjoe Wilkes Founding Co Founding Co-Lead Pastor: Double Lead Pastor: Double Love Experience Church & Senior Love Experience Church & Senior Brand Strategist Brand Strategist _____________________ _____________________ August 28, 2019 August 28, 2019

Listening to Learn Vs. Listening to Understand

Listening to Learn... Listening to Learn... ● Listening to gather data. Listening to gather data. ● Listening to find best practices. Listening to find best practices. ● Listening to assess trends. Listening to assess trends. ● Listening to assign value to data you have already heard. Listening to assign value to data you have already heard. ● Listening to find a leading case study. Listening to find a leading case study. ● Listening to present what one has heard. Listening to present what one has heard.

Listening to Understand... Listening to Understand... ● Listening to what is shared. Listening to what is shared. ● Paying attention to why it’s shared. Paying attention to why it’s shared. ● Listening in a way that preserves awe. Listening in a way that preserves awe. ● Listening in a way that doesn’t pre Listening in a way that doesn’t pre-assume categories or endings. assume categories or endings. ● Not assuming you know how this story ends. Not assuming you know how this story ends. ● Being attentive to the vulnerability or the walls that the speaker Being attentive to the vulnerability or the walls that the speaker gives/puts up. gives/puts up.

“We’re living in an era of authenticity.” -Ben Shapiro, National Review , 2018

AUTHENTICITY... AUTHENTICITY... “Once upon a time, human beings strove not to be authentic —at least not in public. Self-control was predicated on the idea that our most authentic selves had to be overcome by reason and civility.” “Thanks to the ubiquity of social media, however, those who withhold their true emotions are now seen as inauthentic.” __________________________________________ “To act authentically is to open yourself up to criticism, to put yourself on display as an easy target. Ironically, as more social media channels emerge in which to expose our lives, the less authentic we become.”

Now more than ever, “there is a demand for authentic, relatable, visual stories.” -Analisa Gooden, Forbes Magazine , 2018

The Millennials: Connecting to America’s Largest Generation By Father & Son Duo Thom & Jess Rainer

Demographics of Individuals Surveyed for Demographics of Individuals Surveyed for the book: the book: ● Individuals born between 1980 Individuals born between 1980 -1991: 1991: ● 61% white 61% white ● 19% hispanic 19% hispanic ● 14% black 14% black ● 5% Asian 5% Asian ● 1% Bi 1% Bi -Racial. Racial.

Top 10 Things Important to Millennials Top 10 Things Important to Millennials 1.FAMILY | 2. FRIENDS | 3. EDUCATION | 4. CAREER/JOB | 5. 1.FAMILY | 2. FRIENDS | 3. EDUCATION | 4. CAREER/JOB | 5. SPOUSE/PARTNER / 6. SPIRITUAL MATTERS | 7. FINANCES | 8. SPOUSE/PARTNER / 6. SPIRITUAL MATTERS | 7. FINANCES | 8. HAPPINESS | 9. RAISING KIDS | 10. HEALTH HAPPINESS | 9. RAISING KIDS | 10. HEALTH ● Millennials desire greatness, but define it differently from previous Millennials desire greatness, but define it differently from previous generations. For millennials, wealth, fame & power might be benefits of generations. For millennials, wealth, fame & power might be benefits of greatness, but they are useful towards a greater end, not an end to greatness, but they are useful towards a greater end, not an end to themselves. themselves. ● A job is a means to an end, to support a bigger goal. “There’s more to life A job is a means to an end, to support a bigger goal. “There’s more to life than this job”...unwilling to obtain success at any costs. More aware of than this job”...unwilling to obtain success at any costs. More aware of personal detriment a work -a-holic culture can induce. The Millennial’s personal detriment a work holic culture can induce. The Millennial’s desire for success is tempered by their desire to make a significant desire for success is tempered by their desire to make a significant contribution in their lifetime. contribution in their lifetime.

Top 10 Things Important to Millennials Top 10 Things Important to Millennials 1.FAMILY | 2. FRIENDS | 3. EDUCATION | 4. CAREER/JOB | 5. 1.FAMILY | 2. FRIENDS | 3. EDUCATION | 4. CAREER/JOB | 5. SPOUSE/PARTNER / 6. SPIRITUAL MATTERS | 7. FINANCES | 8. SPOUSE/PARTNER / 6. SPIRITUAL MATTERS | 7. FINANCES | 8. HAPPINESS | 9. RAISING KIDS | 10. HEALTH HAPPINESS | 9. RAISING KIDS | 10. HEALTH ● The world is smaller to millennials, because there is no place that they The world is smaller to millennials, because there is no place that they cannot access, due to technology. As a result, this generation is the most cannot access, due to technology. As a result, this generation is the most well -traveled, with the most connectivity across state and nationwide well traveled, with the most connectivity across state and nationwide borders. borders. ● ¾ millennials say they are spiritual not religious. ¾ millennials say they are spiritual not religious. ● Millennial Christians will reject churches that tend to view the Millennial Christians will reject churches that tend to view the community as little more than a population pool from which growth in community as little more than a population pool from which growth in attendance & budget can come. But they’ll embrace churches that teach attendance & budget can come. But they’ll embrace churches that teach members to love the community. members to love the community.

Top 10 Things Important to Millennials Top 10 Things Important to Millennials 1.FAMILY | 2. FRIENDS | 3. EDUCATION | 4. CAREER/JOB | 5. 1.FAMILY | 2. FRIENDS | 3. EDUCATION | 4. CAREER/JOB | 5. SPOUSE/PARTNER / 6. SPIRITUAL MATTERS | 7. FINANCES | 8. SPOUSE/PARTNER / 6. SPIRITUAL MATTERS | 7. FINANCES | 8. HAPPINESS | 9. RAISING KIDS | 10. HEALTH HAPPINESS | 9. RAISING KIDS | 10. HEALTH ● The church’s challenge is not overcoming an adversarial attitude from The church’s challenge is not overcoming an adversarial attitude from millennials. The true challenge is overcoming apathy. millennials. The true challenge is overcoming apathy. ● Millennials indifference to the church is that they don’t see churches as Millennials indifference to the church is that they don’t see churches as having significant impact on the world. having significant impact on the world. ● According to Dr. Brianna Parker: “churches assume that they are the According to Dr. Brianna Parker: “churches assume that they are the only place of theological engagement but black millennials are having only place of theological engagement but black millennials are having church on rooftops over brunch, after workouts, discussing life’s issues, church on rooftops over brunch, after workouts, discussing life’s issues, civic engagement, and theological reflection without the forced civic engagement, and theological reflection without the forced assimilation of the traditional church.” assimilation of the traditional church.”

Speaking AUTHENTICALLY to Millennial Young Adults

LET’S PRACTICE AUTHENTICITY. LET’S PRACTICE AUTHENTICITY. ● Break up into groups of 3. ● Share one thing you love about the church ● Share one thing you hate about the church ● Each person will have 5 minutes each to share. ● Hate is a strong word I know, but we are looking for that kind of intensity.

Listening Guidelines for Listening Guidelines for Our Authenticity Exercise Our Authenticity Exercise

LET’S DEBRIEF! LET’S DEBRIEF! ● What did you want to DEFEND when you heard your What did you want to DEFEND when you heard your group members speak? group members speak? ● What RESONATED when your group members spoke? What RESONATED when your group members spoke? ● What SURPRISED you? What SURPRISED you? ● How did you DECIDE to tell the stories that you told? How did you DECIDE to tell the stories that you told?

What did you hear? What did you hear? A recent January 2016 study from a Harvard A recent January 2016 study from a Harvard psychologist, Amy Cuddy, found that people judge psychologist, Amy Cuddy, found that people judge you based on two criteria when they first meet you: you based on two criteria when they first meet you: _______________________________________ _______________________________________ Can I trust this person? Can I trust this person? Can I respect this person? Can I respect this person?