S:
Millennials think and feel
differently than previous
generations. Their behaviors,
buying habits, and brand
loyalty (or lack of it) are far
less predictable than those
of their parents, and certainly
grandparents. Yet the one
thing that appears predictable
among most millennials is their
abandonment of Christianity.
Despite the 24/7 streaming
and uploading, millennials
feel alienated, and carry with
them a skeptical spirit about
authority—especially in the
church and in government.
I have spent the past twenty
years working with millennials,
and have seen the good and
the bad with these young
people. I love this generation
and feel they get a bad
rep most of the time. So, I
would like to briefly touch
on three key areas that are
commonly underdeveloped
in millennials, and provide
insight on how you can build
relationships with them. Now
before I go any further, my
purpose in using the term
“underdeveloped” is not a
put-down of millennials, but a
cultural and generational fact.
Underdeveloped Brains
In certain areas of life
millennials are not progressing
as quickly as previous genera-
tions did. This is causing many
parents to be concerned,
and has resulted in a rise of
depression among millennials.
According to psychologist
Laurence Steinberg of
Temple University, by the
late twenties, “There’s better
communication between
parts of the brain that
process emotions and social
information—like what people
think of you—and the parts
that are important for planning
ahead and balancing risk and
reward.”
It’s important to understand
the underdeveloped brain
because it affects the identity
formation of every young
person. If you have a twenty-
something right now, your
son or daughter is still figuring
out who he or she is, what he
or she likes, and what he or
she should do. Choices and
Solutions 7