Is it just me or have we, as the church, forgotten about Generation X? So much attention is given to the Baby Boomers because of their narcissistic view of what it means to be church (a generalization but based on truth). A ton of attention is turned to Millennials and we wait on bated breath to know if they really like the church or not.
Generation X is there, stuck in the middle. X marks the spot of transition in our country, society and church. We stand between competing generations and at times...well it sucks. Generation Xers were raised with divorced parents, called latch-key kids, buried themselves in Hip-Hop and Grunge, and were eye witnesses to some of the best and worst humanity had to offer (see image for some examples).
Generation X is stuck on a ladder with the Boomers going nowhere because they have to work later in life and do not want to give up leadership positions and power. Then the Millennials, who want to take our place, are nipping at our heels.
I felt like I needed to vent after reading the 2,428th article about what Millennials want out of Church. We need to be looking for what the 35-and-under crowd is looking for in a church because we need to adapt what we do for the sake of the Gospel and reaching people for Jesus. Yet, who will be doing this moving, adapting, transitioning, leading, and calling out to the generation coming if we are going to survive? Who will be the ones to give up power earlier, relinquish control of committees and leadership roles to make the church more fluid and pliable to work with the next generations? What Generation has to figure out how to straddle a childhood and worship with limited technology and mix it with an adulthood where both are soaked in it?
The generation that will do that, is Generation X. Not the Boomers or the Millennials, but the latch-key, grunge, broken home kids that became adults in the last decades of the nineteen-hundreds. I know we will do it, and we will do it for the sake of the church and mission of being Christ's body. Just don't forget about us during the whole transition.
Here is an article that echoes my opinion. Here is a great article that kind of proves my point.