Churches Want Boomers Back -- Will They Come?

Are American churches letting the baby boom pass them by?

It may seem a moot point, since many boomers stopped going to church regularly in young adulthood. But as that generation approaches retirement, some see a second chance for churches. Thom Ranier of the Southern Baptist Convention writes that:

• Two-thirds of the 76 million boomers are unchurched, which means they attend church no more than twice a year.

• Our early research indicates that many of these boomers are becoming profoundly nostalgic. Among the unchurched boomers, we found that a significant number would return to church if it resembled the church of their childhood.

• Typically, Gospel receptivity wanes as a person ages. But the boomers may defy this trend. Indeed, early indicators tell us that Gospel receptivity may actually be on the rise among the members of this huge generation.

Ranier says that "few churches have given much thought or resources to reaching older generations," and they will have to change if they want the baby boomers to come back:

• (they) will respond poorly to most forms of senior adult ministries in churches today. They will walk away from churches that focus on travel and entertainment as the primary “ministries” to senior adults.

• The age wave adults will desire more than an occasional mission trip as a means to make a difference. They want to invest themselves in something that is meaningful and longer-term.

• These new senior adults will not perceive themselves to be older adults, and any organization that communicates to them that they are old will quickly lose the allegiance of this generation.

This all ties together. Boomers won't come back unless they expect a meaningful experience, and that means more than bingo night. Churches that get this right will be hugely successful.