Western Divisional Field Director Rachel Lohman recently formed a group of Christian Millennials (ages 20-32) who want to introduce their peers to Jesus Christ.
At their first meeting, they compared Christian Millennials’ needs and struggles to those of Millennials who don’t have a relationship with Jesus. The group concluded that their needs are the same and they have many struggles in common.
Rachel says, “We posed the question: what if we gathered our non-Christian friends with us together in a way that meets our mutual needs (relationships, deeper discussions, authenticity) over struggles we share. The idea of sharing our faith in this environment feels natural and authentic. It was so neat to see eyes light up with excitement about doing this!”
Rachel led the group in a simple evangelism exercise to help them communicate their faith story in a concise and natural way.
They are now planning their first outreach meeting. Each woman in the group will ask a few non-Christian friends to a casual dinner. At the dinner, they will invite their friends to start a women’s group that discusses meaningful topics, shares struggles, and talks about spirituality.
Allison Volivitch, a 24-year-old event specialist taking part in the group said, “I think my generation needs to be shown God’s love instead of [simply] hearing about it.”
Katie Spencer, a group member and university student, said, “I think there is such an opportunity for us to create a welcoming and understanding community for our peers. To provide for them in ways that the world does not. …”
“This generation isn’t afraid to talk about its brokenness,” said Rachel. “Millennial women are talking about their addictions, their broken families, the abuse they’ve suffered, the eating disorders they’ve hidden, the trap of comparison they can’t escape. They’re talking about it: and it will only be a matter of time before they’re looking for answers.”
Katie Spencer said, “I think when young people realize that Jesus and His followers are here to embrace them and meet their needs, they are more likely to open their hearts to Him.”