Shaun Groves
Last night a sang a few songs and then spoke at a church service full of twenty-somethings. You know the type: veins full of kool-aid and Ramen noodles, part-time jobs, splitting rent with a couple or four room mates. Not exactly folks who consider themselves to have more than enough.
There were 130 of them. 33 of them sponsored children.
I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating: This generation just after mine is very interested in doing something about what they believe. Whether it’s a belief in a political process or candidate, belief in science, belief in God – these people don’t separate belief and action the way my generation and I do so easily.
All we have to do is give them proof that this action or that works, actually brings about the change they’re after, and they take it.
I’ve never seen any room of Baby Boomers or Gen-Xers do what a room of twenty-somethings did last night…and does almost every time I speak to one.
To put this in perspective, at an average Christian concert full of mostly youth groups and middle aged women, 5% or fewer of the crowd will sponsor a child when given the opportunity. And that’s an incredible response really, with all the opportunities these folks have to give every day, that they would choose Compassion is beyond kind. But twenty-somethings somehow, for some reason, go beyond beyond kind. And they do it routinely, in my experience.
Somebody smarter than me, explain the cause of this phenomenon without belittling other generations in the process.
Thanks to everyone at Rhythm for releasing so many kids from poverty last night.
——
The podcast of last night is now available at Rhythm’s site.
Joseph Barbier says:
I’d like to find out how to do the “book Shaun Groves for free” thing that’s been advertised here before. Is that still available?
Ron Woods says:
I’m not sure it can be done without seeming to “belittle other generations in the process.” Because it’s the other generations that help to form the next generations. I’m 53 and a year ago I finally stopped being a youth pastor. I’ve watched many generations. the age group you are talking about is often very responsive to needs … regardless of the decade or the generation they are from. It’s the tenderness of the age. The hungry desire to see change. to help. to make a difference in a pure way. I LOVE IT. the problem is figuring out how to keep that as a part of your life once you graduate from whatever you are doing at that stage. Once you get a spouse, kids, a mortgage. That’s when we so often tend to “close the flaps” on our own personal tent and take care of ourselves, protect ourselves. And in the process … we lose so much.
Just my thoughts.
Jen says:
I would agree with your assessment Ron. The only thing I would as is, we in our 20’s, tend to be inconsistent in our giving. A lot of us are moved by a need presented to us, become gung-ho to follow it and then somewhere down the line, we stop for whatever reason. I think that inconsistency comes from the lack of evaluating the consequences of said inconsistency. Whereas older people, with responsibilities, would be less likely to jump into something without careful thought and consideration because they better understand the commitment made. They have to evaluate how this will affect their lifestyle and families. But, when they’ve made the commitment, they’re solid at following through.
All of this being said with an understanding that there are fringes on both groups. Responsible, consistent young people and irreponsible, inconsistent older people.
That’s just my opinion as a 20 something observer.
Veretax says:
Okay, I’m puzzled, what is Generation X anyways? I’m not sure which Generation I am :/
Ron Woods says:
Yeah, but just BARELY 20-something, Jen. Don’t get use to it! I read your profile. You WILL be honest and update it when the big 3-0 hits, won’t you?”
Veretax, “Gen X” is, according to the vast source of wisdom known as “Wikipedia,” consists of people born between 1965 – 1981.
Veretax says:
Guess since I’m 3-0 I’m Gen X, but I’ve always felt a bit like a misfit when compared to GenXers :/
Jen says:
Okay, actually I’m 29 but I’m STILL in my 20’s. Please don’t rob me of that. Please.
And per you and Wikipedia, I’m a part of genX. Yes!
Ron Woods says:
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
Jen says:
Someone has a little too much time on their hands?
jenn says:
Okay, I was about to ask if I was Gen X, but someone answered it for me. I’m 28, so I barely made it.
Ron Woods says:
So many Jens/Jenns …. and so few ticks on the clock.
Excuse me, Shaun? Mr. Soft Rock Star, sir? Blog Administrator? Can we get a priest over here? I believe “last rites” are in order?
Ya gotta love it….
Jen says:
Shall I remind you that the title of this post is “Beyond Beyond Kind”?
Doh!
Embrace it. Ha!
rachel says:
i’m 23.
in my experience, it’s usually because we just can’t seem to find a good reason NOT to act. (other than “i don’t feel like it.” and that’s pathetic.)
i only hope that we don’t start finding reasons not to act as we get older.
Ron Woods says:
I repent.
And Rachel … I’m cheering for ya. As you “grow older” don’t forget to “grow closer.”
shaunfan says:
(Sarcastically) Maybe because you seem like an older and wiser Gen Xer with the gray hair now Shaun. But seriously…I agree. My brother is 8 years younger than me (29), somehow making him more apt to follow what Rachel said about making a good case for something somehow gives cause to act with less cynicism than my generation (perhaps because I’m pre-internet and this post-internet generation seems to believe anything)-again tongue firmly in cheek-but probably related to the phenomenon.
According to President-elect Obama he’s going to double the size of the Peace Corps (in one of the debates), so that would be an interesting indicator of activism amongst Gen Yers (or unemployed due to the poor economy), but he also promised to turn the economy around, so I guess we’ll see.
Shaun Groves says:
The “free thing” is still going on. Just e-mail Ben at booking AT shaungroves DOT com
rachel says:
call me gullible or naive. maybe i am. or maybe i think that cynicism that keeps me from giving of myself is really just thinly veiled selfishness and pride. yes, organization X is asking for my hard-earned cash. it’s a ploy. it’s a gimmick. it’s a system. it’s game.
it’s not a good enough reason not to give. everything has flaws, and just because some gimmick is involved, i’m not going to let that keep me from connecting my theology and my reality. i’m going to be authentic.
in the words of jars of clay, “i’m enough a cynic to believe.”
i don’t know if that applies to my generation … but i wouldn’t be surprised if it did.
Prairie Rose says:
I know nothing about the “whys” of this phenomenon but have a thought which may be related…
In my observation, people who have not are *generally* more generous than people who have… perhaps it’s because they understand need so much more and are therefore driven to give what they can—even when they really can’t—to help others in more need than they are.
I also agree with the, “Yes! We can change the world!” mindframe typical of the early 20s age—not just this particular generation of early 20s—and by the time these people reach their 30s or 40s, they’ve often lost that.
rachel says:
what i mean to say, if it’s not clear, is that i don’t think the internet generation believes everything they hear. i think we’ve been fed so much garbage packaged as gold that we’ve PASSED the mark of cynicism and moved on to the only thing that will actually make a difference: action.
Stretch Mark Mama says:
Hubs and I (both Gen-Xers) left church ministry after ten years for these very reasons. Moved on to something far more hands-on with the needy. I just see it as this generation’s response to the previous one…a generation that built a big and shiny church but lost sight of being the church to the world.
This is not to say that the previous generation did not do any good or that today’s churches are not meeting the needs of the community. I also imagine that the next generation will clamor to the church buildings for in-depth Bible studies and prayer meetings–after being in a culture that hyper-focuses on serving the needy.
Biblefanmaryann says:
I liked Ron’s theory.^^^^
ConsciouslyFrugal says:
After working for more than a decade in the non-profit industry, I have to agree with Prairie Rose to some degree. Those who are closer to poverty tend to give more (proportionally) than those who are not. As a fundraiser, I’ve found that the very poor and the very rich tend to be the most generous. I suppose it’s yet another example of the ol’ bell curve.
I also agree with Ron. It has more to do with the age (and economic status) than whatever external label has been placed on the generation. Or maybe kids just dig your rock star ways more?
Kristie says:
I am a twenty-something and I work with a twenty-somethings ministry. I think it has something to do with this generation’s craving for authenticity, sincerity, and all that is genuine. Shaun talked about the different responses to seeing povery first hand and a couple were along the lines of “pretend it isn’t happening, pretend you didn’t see it”. I don’t think this gen likes pretenders nor does it like to pretend.
As for the philinthropic, action-oriented, giving nature- that’s a lot of grassroots effort. It’s like a hum or a buzz that’s been getting louder and louder over the past 10 years. And it’s contagious. And now it’s hip and trendy. And so it proliferates. I usually can’t stand what’s hip and trendy, but we’re not talking about baby tees or wwjd bracelets here. I’ll hang out on this bandwagon any day.
Kelly @ Love Well says:
Very interesting comment thread. My first inclination (before I started reading) was to say what Ron said—only I wouldn’t have said it nearly as well, nor would I have the experience to put muscle behind my thoughts.
That said, I do think the 20-somethings today want to engage in personal ways with how they give away their money. My youngest brother (26) is actually getting his master’s degree right now with this as his thesis topic.
Michelle says:
Wow, I don’t know, because my 18 year old thinks *only* of herself. Where did I go wrong!?
Ron Woods says:
Yeah, we’ve been doing a lot of generalization here. That wasn’t very thoughtful and/or wise. At least on my part. I apologize. There are plenty of selfish people in every age group. I’m sorry we made it appear otherwise.
What did you do wrong? Maybe something. Maybe nothing. People make their own choices, Michelle. Ultimate responsibility lies with each individual regardless of their upbringing. So blaming yourself is probably pointless. Examine the past. Confess to God whatever you might need to confess. Make right anything you might need to make right. Keep loving your kid … no matter what.
I’m sorry that, for my part, I might have made it sound like producing generous, caring young adults is always a done deal. It just isn’t so. But remember, the ball game isn’t over yet. Perhaps God will yet bring home the positive things you taught. He loves you kid even more than you do.