The Silent Sandwich Generation

For the last 30 years, the emphasis has been on the “seeker sensitive” approach to reaching the “boomer generation”.

The Boomer generation was heralded as the cure-all, both financially and numerically, for the church. Paradigms were changed dramatically in the hopes that they would recognize and appreciate the changes that were made on their behalf.

Based on the 2006 U. S. Census estimates there are some 78 million boomers born between 1946 and 1964. In the 9 counties in the Cincinnati metro area, there are approximately 577,000 Boomers who will be in their “bonus round” by 2012.

Dr. Thom Rainer, in an article entitled The Church In 2011: Catching The Age Wave, estimates that two thirds of the Boomers remain unchurched.

A second people group that has been highlighted, and rightly so, is the generation referred to as the “Greatest Generation” (WWII or the GI generation). This generation has provided the leadership and stability for the church for many years.

However, sandwiched between these two generations is a generation that has been largely forgotten. They have been called the Silent Generation. This generation has stood silently by while the hymns they grew up singing have been scuttled. Many have patiently endured many “seeker sensitive” watered down feel good sermons. Many have faithfully given their tithes. They have remained faithful while “contemporary” has been redefined in ways that are foreign to them.

Consider this: In these same 9 counties, according to the US Census estimates(2006), there are approximately 647,743 members of the “Silent Generation”. Many of these folks are still able to take an active part in the life of the Body. In many churches, they are recognized once a month when an announcement in the bulletin alerts them to the monthly potluck luncheon and a monthly or quarterly bus trip to either Gatlinburg or Branson.

In this era where we are constantly encouraged to recycle and conserve energy etc, I am concerned that we are wasting some of the most significant resources God has given us.

The Boomer Blogger