Next Generation LeadershipSample

What’s Different for Millennials

Why do the seemingly mightiest fall? How come those we look to as the spiritual giants tumble so far? These questions rattle our minds when we hear stories about senior pastors caught in moral failure. There was a time I wondered how it was even possible, but then I became one of those stories.

I became a Christian at 16 years old and dived head first into ministry upon graduating high school. As I served with passion and commitment whenever and wherever, it wasn’t long before I was a leader in the mega-church I worked at.

At 25 years old I began what was my first serious relationship and had the firm rule of no sex before marriage. But all the good intentions in the world were not enough for what came next. Not long into the relationship my boyfriend and I let temptation rule over us and we did the very thing we said we’d never do.

The aftermath and next five years were the darkest and most challenging of my life. The confession, church correction, shame, disappointment of letting those I cared about down, and much more seemed too much to bare at times. My boyfriend and I broke up, I went through a season of restoration, and I began to watch God weave together the broken pieces of my life into a beautiful redemptive story.

I share this because having gone through a moral failure--not to the degree of some, but still--I don’t judge as I once did. In fact, I know it happens easier than we would like to believe and it’s those “spiritual giants” (as we call them) that are most vulnerable. The long hours, emotional outpouring, constant attention to others, and so on begin to weigh on a soul.

As someone in ministry, I have an overwhelming concern for the coming generations into ministry. What are we doing to prepare them for the weight that comes with shepherding people?

Over the next six days, we are going to look at what kind of traits are important for Millennials to embrace as they pursue ministry opportunities. This is a plan for both those looking to lead and those who are training up the next generation of leaders.