Why do I think that younger generations won’t continue the tradition of large church buildings? I have several generalizations to offer that lead me to that opinion. (Remember that generalizations are nothing more than that. I have a dog that climbs trees and sometimes purrs when she’s happy. She’s still a dog, just doesn’t always act like one)
- Younger generations don’t like to give money to abstractions. What I mean is, they are generous, at times (though some studies suggest that each successive generation is less generous). But they want to give their money to specific things. Build a house. Dig a well. Buy some medicine. And they want to choose exactly how their money is used. Dropping it into a collection plate so that the electric bill can be paid doesn’t motivate them.
- Younger generations don’t tend to be joiners. At least not of traditional organizations. They don’t want to be a member of an association; they want to be part of a posse. A posse forms, does its thing and disbands. No long time obligations. No hierarchy. Join, function, leave.
- Younger generations don’t trust the recent past. What they see around them is evidence of failure: economic disparities, hunger, sickness, war. They respect the ancient past, but not what modernism has done with it. As the saying goes, they want Jesus, but not the church.
- Younger generations tend to be pragmatic. A big building is wasteful. It’s much more practical to use the homes that we already own, or to use coffee shops, restaurants and bars, rather than construct a monument to inefficiency.
Those are some of the things that I see. Help me expand the list, or point out to me where I missed the boat. What attitudes do you see among people under 40 that will affect the future of the church building as we know it?
Hey Tim, just a thought here. Generational boundaries are not hard and fast barriers. I am in the “in-between” of boomers and Gen. X. Also, generations tend to swing, as pendulums arc back and forth. So, my question is, what about the children of this “coming” generation of millennials? Unless buildings are sold, destroyed, remade into tattoo parlors or some such, they will still be standing, and many will be in use when the children of the millennials finally come around (marriage and childbirth keep getting pushed back further, so it may take a while.)
Your points are well taken as a broad overview. However, I see more of a “morphing” of the church building than I do a rejection of it. They will be seen as less of a sacred space (although that aspect will never leave) and more functional in nature. If what I read from the “Emergent” church is accurate, younger people are craving “sacred” spaces, but their definition is much different from the builder generation that is now dying in ever-increasing numbers.
I wouldn’t put a “for sale” sign in front of the church building yet. I think a “currently under renovation” sign might be more appropriate.
Paul
Oh, and by the way, love the pun. :-)
Paul
Thanks, Paul. That’s an excellent point about the boundaries. I’m on the cusp between Boomers and Generation X, yet see little in common between my peers and those who came of age in the 1960s.
That’s a good point about the generations. In terms of modernism/postmodernism, I’d say we’re a generation or two behind Europe, largely due to our different experiences with the World Wars. (We got richer, they had to rebuild) Their church buildings are hanging on, but just that.
However, many of our large buildings are more functional than the cathedrals of Europe, so you may be right.
And the pun was our criticism (back in my college days) of churches who spent millions on buildings and pennies on missions.
I don’t know. I know many people my age or younger who would rather be part of a large community than a posse. I think there are a lot of people who prefer the very large congregations because it makes it easier for them to stay under the radar: they can “go to church” and fulfill their obligations in their own mind, but leave all the real work to the more prominent, active members and not get noticed.
All I can say for sure is that I prefer a smaller congregation for a simple, logistical reason: it is extremely difficult for members of a large community to know each other as well as members of a smaller group. This is especially true in very large “super” congregations that require multiple Sunday services because they have too many people to fit into their building at one time. It seems to me that a smaller congregation engenders closer relationships between its members.