Keen insight into Generation Rising

One of the interesting things about reading the various book reviews of Generation Rising has been the different approaches the reviewers have taken.

The most recent review to appear is by Dr. Rebekah Miles, a professor at the Perkins School of Theology (SMU) and a clergy colleague of mine in the Arkansas Conference. Her review appeared recently in the United Methodist Reporter, the Dallas-based publication for which I am a regular columnist.

Dr. Miles focuses on a certain tension in the book, represented on one side by Eric Van Meter's description of Gen X leaders in the church as "sentinels of a border country" and on the other side by the fact that these same rootless outsiders are those who are now expected to take up the reins of ecclesial leadership. In this, she offers a keen insight into the reality that I think the book represents.

The only point in her review that I would push back a little bit is in Dr. Miles' suggestion that Generation Xers do not represent the "younger generation" in church leadership. Consider this stat from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership: in 2005, the average age of clergy elders in the UMC was almost 52 years old. And I believe the average age of laity (in the U.S.) was even older. That means that - statistically speaking - Generation Xers are indeed the younger generation in the sense that every single Gen Xer is younger than the average age of either clergy of laity in the church. But of course, those very demographics may well point to one of the church's biggest challenges.

I appreciate the time Dr. Miles took to write such a lucid and insightful review of the book. I hope you'll check it out, and I hope it will make you want to check out Generation Rising as well!