Millennial Pastors Seek Smaller Pastures
They are the largest generation in America's history. At 78 million persons, they surpassed the Boomer generation by two million. Born between 1980 and 2000, they are shaping our businesses, our government, and our culture.
And they are shaping our churches.
As a Boomer, I remember well how pastors were viewed just a few decades ago. In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, the "successful" pastors were those who made it to large county seat churches. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the measure of success was leading larger churches.
The times they are a' changin' (Bob Dylan, for the uninformed).
To be sure, there are still Millennial pastors moving to larger churches. And these young adult leaders are not averse to megachurches.
But more Millennial pastors sense God's call to the smaller and mid-size churches. Why has their attitude been so different from their predecessors?
