About the Author
Dr. Julie K. Smestad holds a Doctor of Educational Ministry (D.Ed.Min) from Dallas Theological Seminary (2020), where her dissertation focused on change processes for traditional churches to spiritually form Millennials while retaining older generations. She brings a passion for intergenerational adult ministry and connecting all generations with the truth of God's Word.
Abstract
With American churches losing approximately one million young people annually and 64 percent of Millennials raised in the church having dropped out, this article presents qualitative case-study research on how traditional churches can make changes to spiritually form Millennials while retaining older generations. The author's doctoral research identified that successful churches build common community identity through three practices: (1) fostering cross-generational relationships, (2) valuing Millennials and their contributions, and (3) creating intergenerational learning experiences. Drawing on case studies of Eastbrook Church and Blackhawk Church, the article argues that a humble, relational, and mission-focused church culture—rather than organizational strategy alone—is the key to discipling all generations for Christ.
Sign in to read the full article
Create a free account to access the complete text and PDFs of every article in the archive.
- Full text and PDFs of all four volumes
- Rate articles and share feedback with the editors
- Free, and takes under a minute