Local Faith Leaders Comment on the Findings

“I think it’s now time to believe that God can do something. And also have compassion for Millennials. There are a lot of easy, cheap shots to be made, but they were made at the Boomers at one time too, so remember that. How do we actually think forward? How do we reach across?

To a Millennial generation, it can feel sometimes like it’s hopeless, but I actually think there’s a wonderful new thing in this chaotic moment. Chaos comes at the beginning of Genesis. The world is this chaotic place – but then the Spirit hovers over it.”

Mark Sayers, Pastor, Co-host of This Cultural Moment

“Relationships matter! [This includes] personal relationships with Christians; being able to observe and participate in the 24/7 life of a Christian community; and experiencing face-to-face friendship with those who suffer, are marginalised or impoverished, both nearby and in third world contexts. Personal engagement with crippling global issues through meeting and coming to personally know those who suffer frees our 18–35-year-olds from the dominating concern for their own well-being and anxieties. It allows them to become more concerned about the struggles of others and empowers them to be active in providing solidarity, care and help. This research confirms anecdotal hunches that practising Christians have higher senses of connectivity and shows that such personal and deep belonging positively affects the degree to which events around the world matter to us.”

Alan Jamieson, Senior Pastor, South West Baptist Church

“The message is timeless; the methods of sharing it are not. Over the centuries, the message rings out. ‘Come follow me’, said Jesus, ‘and I will make you fishers of men’. That message still resonates today. But how it is implemented, articulated and activated has to be addressed by each generation. It was to this age group that Jesus’ invitation first came. So there must be ways of seeing them discipled today. We need knowledge and understanding. In asking for wisdom from the Holy Spirit, we walk the pathway of faith and the commission of discipleship.”

Melinda Dwight, National Director for Alpha Australia

“I can think of at least two ways that global events and issues can be sources of stress. The first is a constant pressure to be aware of the right things in the right ways – which are always evolving. Millennials have admitted to me that they fear the scorn of the mob if they miss any of the latest developments in global politics, race relations, sexuality, the environment, etc. The second source of stress is simply that much of our information comes to us unfiltered and uncontextualised, a never-ending feed of (usually bad) news. The top 10 world stories on the NZ Herald app as I write [include] child pornography, espionage, infanticide, rape, bribery, a drug bust, two (increasingly unpopular) world leaders and a hurricane. I think one of the gifts that organisations like World Vision can provide for this generation is the context behind the issues, and the balancing of harrowing stories with redemptive ones.”

Sam Bloore, Senior Teaching Fellow & Residential Host for Venn Foundation