James Chambers webinar focuses on reaching, discipling millennials
By Philip W. Calvert | May 17, 2022
Helping local churches develop an effective evangelism and discipling culture to reach millennials and people with a postmodern worldview was the topic of a webinar hosted by the Arizona Southern Baptist Mission Network on May 11. The presenter was James Chambers, founding director of A Faith that Overflows, a ministry seeking to awaken and mobilize the church to share Jesus with love and passion.
If I were to summarize this webinar in just one word it would be, “Wow!”
James Chambers made a logical, passionate and well-researched argument that millennials and people holding a postmodern worldview of any generation can, in fact, be reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Indeed, contrary to popular opinion within the church, current research shows that millennials are not necessarily opposed to attending church, Chambers said.
According to the book You Found Me by Rick Richardson of the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism, 39% of unchurched millennials are likely to attend church at some point in the future. This compares to 33% of respondents among unchurched people in the general population. This statistic is very important and should form part of the foundation of the local church’s commitment to reaching millennials.
The central idea of Chambers’ presentation was that reaching millennials is not about creating ministries that serve them. Rather, discipling them to serve others is the best way to retain, train, equip and send millennials into the modern-day mission fields of America.
What a refreshing perspective: If you want to reach them, teach them … to minister to others.
Chambers listed four interesting “Millennial Mysteries” to bear in mind as churches develop ministry leaders among this demographic:
- Millennials are just as hungry for spiritual things as previous generations, and in some cases even more so!
- If you don’t have a big budget or know all the cool trends, you can still reach them. For example, offering a simple yet embracing space for dialogue, food and fellowship is a great way to speak to their heart.
- COVID-19 made it easier to connect with millennials, because it ushered in a new pace of life and created many more online venues for them to be introduced to, and get to know, the local church.
- If we equip millennials, we will increase retention among them in the local church. It’s not about us serving them but equipping them to serve others. The more they serve, the more they will stay and the more they will reach other millennials.
Are you interested in finding out more? James Chambers is providing an online coaching community to help local churches develop a leadership pipeline among millennials. He is also offering a masterclass to reach this generation. Resources being offered include: live coaching, a 215-page manual to evangelize millennials, LGBTQ conversations, and a private Facebook group to foster dialogue among participants.
To find out more, visit reachthisgeneration.com.
Philip W. Calvert is senior pastor of Trinity Southern Baptist Church in Casa Grande.