The Millennials, written by father-son team Thom and Jess Rainer, provides an insightful statistical analysis of those persons born between 1980 and 2000. Based on the extensive research of LifeWay Christian Resources, this book seeks to put its finger on the pulse of what has become the largest generation in American history. While both are evangelical Christians, the Rainers seek in their book to remain as unbiased as possible in their study of America’s next great generation.
Both Thom and Jess Rainer are uniquely qualified to undertake this work: Thom, because of his extensive statistical experience and his position as the CEO of LifeWay, and Jess, because of the fact that he is, himself, a millennial. The research that is the basis of this book was conducted on a representative sample of 1200 Millennials, and had a sampling error of less than three percent. Each of the main hallmarks of the study results is featured as a chapter of the book.
The millennial generation is notable for the way it has progressed from its parent generations. The study indicates that the great majority of Millennials hold great optimism for the future. It has become evident that the new generation is much more open to diversity. However, it was also found that only 13 percent of Millennials considered spirituality to be very important in their lives.
Overall, this book provides a very accurate body of knowledge on the millennial generation, yet it makes this information very accessible to the average reader. The authors do a good job of not foisting stereotypes on those they are studying, and they remain laudably unbiased. This book will be an excellent resource for anyone seeking to interact with the up-and-coming generation, and will be especially valuable to those in ministry who need to learn about who they are ministering to. – Aaron Johnson, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com
At more than 78 million strong, the Millennials—those born between 1980 and 2000—have surpassed the Boomers as the larger and more influential generation in America. Now, as its members begin to reach adulthood, where the traits of a generation really take shape, best-selling research author Thom Rainer (Simple Church) and his son Jess (a Millennial born in 1985) present the first major investigative work on Millennials from a Christian worldview perspective.
Sure to interest even the secularists who study this group, The Millennials is based on 1200 interviews with its namesakes that aim to better understand them personally, professionally, and spiritually. Chapters report intriguing how-and-why findings on family matters (they are closer-knit than previous generations), their desire for diversity (consider the wave of mixed race and ethnic adoptions), Millennials and the new workplace, their attitude toward money, the media, the environment, and perhaps most tellingly, religion.
The authors close with a thoughtful response to how the church can engage and minister to what is now in fact the largest generation in America’s history.