Not Into Generational Differences

Even if you don’t care about generational differences, you’ll still love this book. I wrote Generational IQ because people of faith constantly come up to me and not want to talk about generations as much as they wanted to ask the ten questions that worry them.

If generational differences don’t interest you, just skip to chapters 7-10 on families, or chapter 11 if you wonder if Christianity is dying, or chapters 12-13 to see what your church can do to reach the younger generations while keeping the older generations growing spiritually.

Who knew that generational research offers so many practical insights into what worries you most?

Not A Pastor

This is not a book for pastors, it’s for “everyday” people. Maybe I’ll do a book for pastors later, but this one is for regular folks who ask me the questions that keep them up at night.

Even the chapters about what churches can do to reach the different generations are written to help the people in them understand how they can help their church and their pastors. That’s why your pastor will love it and love that you are reading it.

Families & Twentysomethings

Nothing drives twenty somethings crazy more than parents and grandparents who continue to treat them like they are in junior high. But nothing confuses parents more than trying to figure out when to be a parent versus a friend.

Things are more confusing now not because the Millennials are more messed up, but because a new life stage called emerging adulthood makes the twenties more complicated.

The info in my book helps both parents and twentysomethings to relax. The topic is so important I dedicated three chapters to it. It will change your life, your communication, and your family, whether you are the parent or the emerging adult.

Not Religious

You don’t have to be religious to get smarter about religion. Maybe you read my first book, Sticking Points, and wanted to see what’s next. Maybe you see yourself as spiritual but not religious and you don’t get how less secularized (classically orthodox) Christians think. Or maybe you are a journalist or researcher looking for a summary of the best research about the generations and faith.

This book helps you better understand Christians by understanding the forces that impacted classical Christianity. You’ll also see why I think most people, including many less secularized Christians, don’t understand classic Christianity because they define it through the language of psychology rather than theology.

Pastors & Leaders

Pastors and church leaders will find it valuable for three reasons:

1. I avoid jargon so your people can better understand the challenges you and their church face, which can lead to more productive conversations and a growing church.
2. I lay out the options on whether or not your church should try to reach Millennials and Gen Xers or if your church ought to grow old together and impact the younger generations in other ways.
3. When 70 percent of our young people drop out after high school, we focus on other things because we don’t know what else to do. I offer ideas that could cut that in half.

Want To Love Like Lola

Generational intelligence doesn’t make Jesus’ key teaching to “love one another” easy, but it does make it easier. Often we miss opportunities to connect with others because our assumptions are based on our own generation’s experiences and culture.

My friend Lola learned enough about generational differences to better love her family and the people in her church from different generations. Maybe you want a better understanding so you can love others more sincerely. Maybe you are frustrated and feel critical toward other generations and need to learn to love like Lola.