Mainline Christians, and by extension churches, have adapted to many changes in the last year and a half and it’s a good thing. The changes go beyond adding technology to the worship service, or figuring out how YouTube works. It’s about learning to meet people where they are in life, be that online, or in a physical building. What churches have learned during Covid-19 is that creating and maintaining an online presence sounds easy, but it takes a lot of work. Church communities learned during the pandemic that having an open mind to new perspectives is the future of the church. Churches have also re-acquainted themselves with the notion that the church is not the building but the people, and the people want an experience. Spirituality and purpose are structures in the church that are already highly developed, but are either barely present or not emphasized enough. The future of the church is based on both existing and new forms of reaching people, such as spirituality and purpose.
- People are spiritual beings
- Looking for a purpose
People are spiritual beings
Throughout history, humans have had spiritual experiences. Brandon Ambrosino highlights the development and evolution of spirituality and religion in his article for the BBC, How and Why did Religion Evolve? Spirituality and religion evolved from shared experiences that united communities together. These experiences became ritualized over time, and for a specific reason, such as a way to solve a problem within the community.
The importance of shared experiences is also present in Amy Woods article in the Harvard Divinity Bulletin, Spiritual but not Religious. Woods also comes to the conclusion that those in today’s society that are spiritual but not religious are looking for shared experiences that speak to their feelings and hearts as individuals. She also adds that religion gives structure to these shared experiences through communal consistency, such as a religious rule of life. A consistent religious experience allows someone to experience the Unconditional Love of God, because they can fully accept his gift of Grace. This acceptance and knowing is both communal and individual. She has many examples of this in her discussion of the religious orders of the High Middle Ages (it’s rather fascinating!).
Both Ambrosino and Woods mention the experience of religion is what humanity is after, and the same is true for Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, they are all looking to experience religion, and this is especially true after the continued isolation from Covid-19. Churches are uniquely positioned to answer to spiritual needs because they have the communal and individual structures already in place to lead people to God’s grace and love.
Looking for a purpose
Humans have a deep need to find and have purpose in their lives. Steve Tyler writes in his article, “The Power of Purpose,” for Psychology Today, that “human beings crave purpose and suffer serious psychological difficulties when we don’t have it. Purpose is a fundamental component of a fulfilling life.” Everyone, no matter the generation, wants to have purpose in their life, but younger generations in particular have made it an integral part of their work – life balance. A person does not always have to find their purpose at work, they can also find it through volunteering at organizations with a cause they find meaningful.
Zach Mercurio outlines what younger generations are looking for in an organization with purpose in his article for HuffPost, “Think millennials are purpose driven? Meet Generation Z.” Mercurio discusses how younger generations want the organizations they are a part of to have an organizational purpose. This means they want their work, coworkers, and company to help them change the world for the better. “They are motivated by fulfilling a purpose.” Mercurio emphasizes that younger generations demand meaningful work with a positive impact, strong purpose, and some significance.
Millennials and Generation Z don’t just want purpose at work, they want purpose everywhere. Churches often have ministries already driven with purpose and significance that would appeal to younger generations-the ones they find so hard to attract to church. Churches also have the time, experience, and (sometimes) resources to have a direct impact on something in the world. Churches are unique in that helping the world in a meaningful way is in the very fabric and structure of the organization. Churches should also keep in mind its own purpose, to glorify God, spread the good news, and pray together.
The Church is in a great position to help people find meaning and purpose in life, but the last few decades has presented some changes and challenges that are not always addressed, or addressed correctly. Look for part two of this blog post to discover these changes and what churches can do to navigate them better.
The Mainline: Church Communications 