PREACHING TO POSTMODERNS: Demographics

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PREACHING TOPOSTMODERNSDemographics
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DEMOGRAPHICS Generational Issues
George Barna Generation Next, Baby Busters, The
Second Coming of the Church
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THE SENIORS

• Birth Years before 1926
• Formative Factors
• World War I
• Great Depression
• Serious about faith, close relationship with God
• Appreciate stability
• Close family ties
• Rooted in community
• Generation least affected by stress
• Actively engaged in church, volunteer activities
• Part of the Greatest Generation

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THE BUILDERS

• Birth Years 1927-1945
• Formative Factors
• Great Depression
• World War II
• Cold War
• Appreciate stability
• Family, Community, Friends, Employment
• Not open to change- prefer predictability
• Emphasis on Duty, Obligation
• Part of the Greatest Generation
• Satisfaction found in simple things

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THE BOOMERS

• Birth Years 1946-1964
• Formative Factors
• Cold War
• 60s Counter-Cultural Movement
• Vietnam
• Question authority (the establishment)
• Uncertain of the relevance of the church
• Curious mixture of laissez faire and
  utilitarianism
• Search for Excellence in all of life

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THE BUSTERS

• Birth Years 1965-1983
• Formative Factors
• Watergate
• Vietnam Syndrome
• Inflation, Unemployment
• Age of limitations
• Question authority (Boomers are Establishment
  now!)
• First generation not to have it better
• Interested in process of growth, embrace change
• Disenchanted with superficial stuff- even in
  church!
• Interested in relationships, involvement
• Want options, not directions
• Feel abandoned, are disillusioned

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THE MOSAICS/MILLENNIALS

• Birth Years 1984-2002
• Formative Factors
• End of Cold War
• MTV Age/Clinton Presidency
• Desert Storm, War on Terrorism
• The Digital Generation (non-linear thinking)
• High Levels of Stress/Anxiety
• Self-Reliant- and Skeptical!
• Interest in spirituality
• Believe in the Bible- but not in absolute truth!
• Brighter than previous generations (IQ)
• Relationships more important than achievement

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ALTERNATE SCHEME

• Generation X
• Born 1965-197651 million
• Accept diversityPragmatic/practicalSelf-reliant/
  individualisticReject rulesKiller lifeMistrust
  institutionsPCUse technologyMultitaskLatch-key
  kidsFriends-not family

• Millennials
• Born 1977 199875 million
• Celebrate diversityOptimistic/realisticSelf-inve
  ntive/individualisticRewrite the rulesKiller
  lifestyleIrrelevance of institutionsInternetAss
  ume technologyMultitask fastNurturedFriends
  family

http//www.abanet.org/lpm/lpt/articles/mgt08044.ht
ml
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GENERATIONAL VALUE SYSTEMS

• Key Factors in Generational Identity, per Strauss
  and Howe, The Fourth Turning, An American
  Prophecy
• A Common Location in History
• Common Beliefs
• Perceived Membership in a common generation

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GENERATIONAL VALUE SYSTEMS

• The major generational watershed, as far as
  religious beliefs and practices are concerned, is
  between those who in our research we call
  Pre-boomers (born prior to 1946) and those who
  have come after. Although Boomers (born
  1946-1964) and Xers (born 1965-1979) differ in
  some respects, they are much more like each other
  than like Pre-boomers. Jackson Caroll, Circuit
  Rider, 225

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GENERATIONAL VALUE SYSTEMS

• G.I. Generation Value Cohort (pre-1946)
• Consumer Generation Value Cohort (post 1946)
• Deferred Pleasure vs. Instant Gratification
• Group vs. Individual Orientation
• Assumptions of Sameness vs. Difference
• Spirituality of Place vs. Spirituality of
  Pilgrimage
• Results Bimodal Congregations/Chapels, Gil
  Rendle, The Multigenerational Congregation

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CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS

• Currently, 75 of Americans are Caucasian
• By 2050, only 50 of Americans will be Caucasian
• The Hispanic population has overtaken
  African-Americans as the largest minority
  population
• In some areas of the country (e.g., parts of
  California), there is no longer a majority
  population
• Racial and Ethnic diversity- a fact of life
• 15-20 of population moves every year

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CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS
Behavior Watch MTV Registered to vote Have been divorced Take anti-depressants Watched X-rated movie (last 3 months) Received prof counseling Filed lawsuit this year Christian 19 83 27 7 9 15 3 NonChristian 24 79 23 8 16 15 4
-Barna, The Second Coming of the Church, p. 6
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CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS

• Contemporary American Beliefs
• God helps those who help themselves, 81
• All religions teach equally valid truths, 40
• All people pray to the same G/god, 53
• If you do enough good, you will go to heaven, 55
• Jesus was not resurrected physically, 40
• The Bible is not completely true in all it
  teaches, 34
• The primary purpose of life is enjoyment, 58
• Satan is not real, only a symbol of evil, 60
• Whatever works is the only truth you can know,
  32
• Barna, The Second Coming of the Church, 21

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DEMOGRAPHICS The Army Today
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ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL Rank

• General Officers- 310
• Field Grade Officers- 26,799
• Company Grade Officers- 37,396
• E-7 through E-9- 47,641
• E-5 through E-6- 63,309
• E-4- 100,352
• E-1 through E-3- 118,155

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05 ALL ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL
http//www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/docs/demographics/FY
0520Army20Profile.pdf
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05 ACTIVE DUTY OFFICERS
http//www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/docs/demographics/FY
0520Army20Profile.pdf
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O5 ACTIVE DUTY WARRANTS
http//www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/docs/demographics/FY
0520Army20Profile.pdf
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05 ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTED
http//www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/docs/demographics/FY
0520Army20Profile.pdf
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ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL Age
http//www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/docs/demographics/FY
0520Army20Profile.pdf
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05 ALL COMPONENTS
http//www.armyg1.army.mil/hr/docs/demographics/FY
0520Army20Profile.pdf
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THE ARMY Broad Strokes

• Leaders, largely from Busters
• Increasing racial and gender diversity
• Decreasing influence of Boomers
• Incoming recruits are Mosaics or Millennials
  
• Implications for Ministry, especially Worship and
  Preaching?
• Effects of Postmodern thought?

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PREACHING TOPOSTMODERNSDemographics