How the church can help younger people with their baggage

Bob Whitesel Sept. 9, 2024

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A student once told me, "I have started reading The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. Much of that is about the childhood experiences for Generation Z that have caused an epidemic of anxiety and mental health issues. While that is more about what has happened in the past 5-10 years, the effects of that project outcomes that affect ministry many years from now."

Yes, to understand how younger people will take their baggage into the future, we may want to look at developmental psychology and the work of people such as Erik Erikson in The life cycle completed (1982).

Erikson's theories are not the only ideas out there, but they are a good starting place. Erikson and others look at how people at different ages react differently to life, opportunities, and stressors.

Being aware of the baggage young people have and the stages of life they are going into can help churches better minister to them as they mature. The church leader with foresight will want to project how Generation Z and Generation Alpha might work out anxiety and mental health issues after becoming parents, empty-nesters, etc.

Developmental psychology looks at the stages people go through in life and how the baggage they bring into those stages forces them to react in different ways.

A church leader might want to become familiar with Erikson's Psychosocial Stages. Erikson noticed similar stages people grow through as they age. Here is a sample chart of Erikson's stages:

Adapted from https://www.simplypsychology.org/erik-erikson.html

If you are involved in ministry to adults, it's important you not only be familiar with where they've coming from, but also the life stages they are soon to face. Knowing this as Christian leaders, we can plan ahead to help them meet the challenges of future life stages in a Christlike manner.

Let's look at some possible ways to address generational needs.

Young people in the early adult stage, 19-29 years, may be afraid of being isolated. And so they will look for intimacy. They may be looking for good friends with whom they can share their heart. Ministries such as small groups would be helpful to develop deepening relationships. It's not just about going to large events. But it's mostly about getting closer to a few good friends.

In the next stage, middle age (30 to 64), it's about helping younger generations and being part of a family. At this age, they often want to feel they are helping younger generations. Erickson coined a term for this, "generativity," meaning they want to pass on to younger generations what they have learned. During this time, congregants may be interested in volunteering in children's ministry, youth ministry, and/or young adult ministry.

And finally, those who are 65 and above often seek to making sense of life and their contributions. They are usually interested in questions about the next life and eternity. They also want to look back at their own life and feel they've contributed something meaningful. This is a time when church leaders can help them deal not only with questions of eternity, but also give these aging saints opportunities to serve others in ways that give them a feeling of satisfaction.

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Bob Whitesel (D.Min., Ph.D.) is a foresight coach, professor, and award-winning author of 14 books. For over 30 years, he has guided leaders and churches to pivot and engage what’s next. He holds two earned doctorates from Fuller Theological Seminary and teaches on leadership foresight, church health, and organizational change. His website is www.ChurchForesight.com. Learn More »

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