The Big Baby Boomer Opportunity for the Church

In the 1830s Alexis de Tocqueville wrote about democracy in America: “Each new generation is a new people.” At the time, America was rapidly expanding. Political thinkers like de Tocqueville were watching to see how American democracy would balance liberty and equality. The American experiment that began in 1776—a political miracle of sorts—created a climate in which each generation could reinvent, change, and become something unlike their parents.

Fast-forward to the 1960s, and the Baby Boomers started demanding change within American democracy. War raged. Hoses sprayed. Postmodernism was undermining absolute truth. At least music got a whole lot better. Ironically, the Boomer challenge of democracy in the 1960s was only possible within the democratic system that de Tocqueville observed coming to life in the 1830s. This American ethos was represented well in Steve Jobs, who perhaps in many ways was the quintessential Baby Boomer. Jobs once quipped, “Never trust anyone over 30.” Alexis de Tocqueville was barely 30 when he wrote on democracy in America. I’m sure de Tocqueville would have loved the Apple I. Jobs certainly typified de Tocqueville’s prophecy. Each new generation in America really is a new people.

The Boomers are now 30 again. They doubled-up on years and are in their 60s. From this point until 2030, about 10,000 Boomers will retire every day. The leadership baton is passing to Millennials. A new people are beginning to lead churches. As one among the oldest of my generation (I was born in 1980), I have been the first Millennial pastor of a few churches, following Boomer pastors in leadership. Like a lot of new, younger pastors, I inherited a large population of Boomers in my congregation. We are left with a key question: What should we do with all these Baby Boomers?

Let’s look at three simple truths about Baby Boomers. Here’s the Boomer reality most churches face in America.... Read More