Millennials have turned away from God in record numbers. Now is the time to reach out, understand them, and bring them back to the kingdom.

From Family Research Council. Generations fascinate Americans. Among other things, we study them for clues about who we are becoming as a nation….

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Defining Millennials as those born between 1984 and 2002, keep in mind that this group constitutes the largest generation living in the United States today. Some 80 million strong (and growing, thanks to immigration), they are roughly one-quarter of the nation’s total population and about one-third of the adult population….

Millennials are known as poster children for the narcissistic lifestyle. That encompasses their pervasive yet uncomfortable materialism; hypersensitivity to criticism; and inconsistent and fluid norms, values, attitudes, and lifestyles. They are seeking to rewrite employment norms by valuing achievements (rather than hours worked) and the social value of the tasks performed. They are leading the “cancel culture” movement. Millennials are redefining religious norms as well, responsible for a long list of faith-related transitions. These include fewer self-professed Christians, less acceptance of the Bible and absolute moral truth, severely diminished interest in organized religion or institutional faith commitments (e.g., church engagement, prayer, Bible reading), strikingly low levels of trust in Christian pastors, common perceptions about Christians being hypocrites, and record levels of biblical illiteracy….

Worldview Is the Root Issue

Given the breadth and depth of the changes characterizing Millennials, some people question how worldview can be the central issue behind those transitions. The explanation, though, is deceptively simple. Worldview is the foundation of every decision made by every person every moment of every day!…

How, then, do we explain the fact that seven out of every 10 American adults claim to be Christian but so few—just six percent of all adults and only nine percent who claim to be Christian—have a biblical worldview? The answer is that families and churches have been neither intentional nor strategic at shaping the worldview of their children; it has largely developed by default, influenced primarily by media, government, and schools….

Because one’s worldview drives their choices every minute of every day, why would we expect our nation to reflect biblical behavior when we do not accept biblical principles? After all, we do what we believe. Most Americans do not really believe biblical principles; therefore their behaviors do not reflect those principles. Millennials are simply a more extreme example of these realities in practice.

The Millennial Worldview

To gain insight into Millennials—and the future they will create in America—let’s take a look at a few of the most significant spiritual perspectives of the generation. What we are about to examine are the most common perspectives; millions of Millennials are exceptions to every one of these views, but we are seeking to understand the flow and momentum of the generation’s thinking.

Millennials perceive themselves to be “good” people….

They believe the purpose of life is to experience as much happiness as possible….

The much-discussed Millennial identity crisis is due to their excessive and biblically-unwarranted trust and belief in themselves. As a result of that self-reliance, they define their identity based upon a variety of self-determined attributes: gender, education, wealth, personal accomplishments, titles, and so forth.

Their relational challenges are not surprising in light of their worldview. After all, young adults typically harbor intolerance of opposing ideas and a conditional disrespect for the value of life….

We might like to think that if they would just turn to God and understand who He is and how He is involved in their life, things would be better. Unfortunately, the foundations for such insights are missing. Consider the implications of these beliefs:

• 74 percent believe that all religious faiths are of equal value.
• 56 percent reject the existence of absolute moral truth; they list feelings, personal experiences, and advice from family and friends as their most trusted sources of moral guidance.
• 35 percent believe that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing, just and perfect Creator of the universe who still rules that universe today.
• 40 percent are “Don’ts”—that is, people who don’t know if God exists, don’t believe that God exists, or don’t care if He exists; they are increasingly inclined to think of themselves as being their own “higher power.”
• 16 percent believe that when they die, they will spend eternity in God’s presence because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.
• 22 percent believe that life is sacred.
• 11 percent define “consistent obedience to God” as the best indicator of a successful life….

See the Connections

Can you see the connections between Millennial’s worldviews and their life challenges?

No wonder many lack a sense of direction, purpose, and meaning in life. They have closed their eyes, ears, and hearts to their Creator….

No doubt they are having relational troubles. They have not invested in their relationship with God. They have placed themselves at the center of their reality and expect everyone to serve and care for them….

Of course, they are mired in emotional and mental health issues. They embrace wacky ideas from worldly philosophies, such as karma….

The anxiety and depression that most Millennials admit to is a natural consequence of a worldview that submits the God of Israel does not exist. Imagine waking up every morning thinking that it all depends on you, that there is no higher power to control evil or supply truth and guidance; you’re it!….

It is no surprise that young adults are feeling spiritually bankrupt. They have rejected the God of all creation. They have rejected the Savior of humankind. They have denied the existence of the Holy Spirit whom God has graciously sent to help us from moment to moment….

They have bought into the notion of love as a feeling….

Millennials are self-centered enough to think that because they choose a sexual identity based on emotion and desire, that is their identity….

How heartbreaking it is to watch a large majority of an entire generation so completely and unknowingly miss the truth of life and eternity….

Can They Become Disciples of Jesus?

Those with eyes to see and ears to hear understand Jesus is the only hope for deliverance from the devastating lies of the world. … Can we do anything to help them see God’s truth?

Of course we can. There is a remnant of believers in America— you are likely among them—who are called to be the salt and light so desperately needed by these young adults.

Here are four ideas for you to consider as you pray and prepare for your role in renewing the heart and soul of America, especially through your interactions with Millennials.

1. Know what you believe and why

This suggestion is neither new nor groundbreaking. Unfortunately, it is inadequately practiced by the Christian body, an unfortunate consequence of only six percent of American adults possessing a biblical worldview. The ability and bold willingness to articulate and demonstrate God’s principles and truths to a doubting and hurting world is crucial to Christ becoming more real to the people we encounter….

2. Build relationships based on trust

Young adults these days are suspicious of other people’s motives; that’s part of their daily fear and anxiety. We are most likely to defuse their suspicions if we do not perceive them as evangelistic projects but as the beloved sons and daughters of God whom we have the privilege of getting to know, love, and serve.

The research indicates that the most effective form of outreach is Socratic dialogue. That practice relies upon objective listening, followed by non-aggressive responses in the form of questions….

3. Tell your story

Millennials are sensitive to what postmodernists call “the grand narrative”—an explanation of the big picture of life and its foundations. The arc of the Christian story represents a grand narrative. Consequently, our hope to lead young adults into a deep, life-transforming relationship with Christ can be more easily accomplished by placing biblical life principles within the larger context of the creation-fall-restoration account….

4. Model it

Millennials are famously judgmental of others, but that often simply means they are looking for people, practices, and philosophies that seem genuine and authentic. Their immersion in the brutal world of social media exposes them to constant judgment, personal drama, and conflict.

Disciples of Jesus who are confident but humble regarding their worldview and immune to the criticisms of the world arrest their attention….

How are you praying for millennials to come to Christ? Share your thoughts and prayers below.

(Excerpt from Family Research Council. Photo Credit: Austin Distel on Unsplash)