The Boomers (Part 2)

Senior Advisor's article continued their information on the Boomers with this post on their website again 3 years ago:

"Popular lore says the rising tide of births in 1946 and beyond (over 3 million per year in some of those years)was because of young married couples reuniting after the end of World War II. Historians say that’s not the only reason so many babies were born during the boom years. History.com points out that older couples who had waited to start families because of the Great Depression began having kids of their own once the war ended and the economy finally seemed stable and prosperous enough to raise children in middle-class comfort.

The generation having these babies was, by and large, a group known now as the Greatest Generation. News anchor and writer Tom Brokaw gave the group that name in his book about these Americans, who came through the hardships of both the Great Depression and WWII. Some Boomers may have had young parents or older siblings who were part of the Silent Generation born between 1925 and 1942. And when the Baby Boomers started having kids of their own, those children became known as Generation X, a much smaller generation than the Boomers, born between 1965 and 1984. Many Baby Boomers now have grandchildren in the Millennial generation, which is almost as large as the Baby Boom was at its peak.

Besides sheer numbers, the young Baby Boomers were a new type of force in American culture. As children, many grew up in what we think of now as traditional family settings: suburban homes on neatly kept lots with stay-at-home mothers and fathers who commuted to work. That’s a far cry from the experiences of the Greatest and Silent Generations, who had to cope with financial insecurity and the rigors of war when they were young. This generational difference in upbringing shaped the way the Boomers approached nearly every aspect of life.

-The Baby Boomer work ethic:

Sally Kane, writing at The Balance, describes Baby Boomers’ approach to work as competitive, goal-oriented, and career-focused—and also nonconformist and willing to question authority. Women and people of color in the Boomer generation also led the way in building careers outside traditionally female and/or minority jobs, and many are in leadership positions today. Well-known Boomers in business include GM CEO Mary Barra, Microsoft cofounder and philanthropist Bill Gates, IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, and American Express CEO Ken Chenault.

-Politics, Baby Boomer-style:

Boomer politicians have dominated the American landscape for decades now. In addition to our four Baby Boomer presidents, Boomers now make up the majority of Representatives and Senators. While it makes sense that a generation raised on idealism would seek long careers in politics, some observers point out that these Boomers’ deeply entrenched idealism can contribute to legislative gridlock.

-Baby Boomer lifestyles:

That Boomer idealism has reaped some big results over the years. Compared to their parents’ generation, Boomers were more likely to protest policies and social practices they saw as unjust. Many Boomers were children when the Civil Rights Movement was breaking down Jim Crow-era barriers of segregation and they observed how the adults in their lives viewed that cause. Later, Boomers were the driving force behind anti-war protests during the Vietnam era, the push by women to move into “non-traditional” careers like business and engineering, and the gay rights movement to protect the LGBT community.

-Baby Boomer tastes in entertainment.

Baby Boomers made over the American arts and entertainment twice—first as audiences and later as musicians, writers, actors, and fine artists. From Elvis’ scandalous moves on the Ed Sullivan show and Chubby Checker’s dance hits to Beatlemania and Woodstock, Boomers made rock and roll the centerpiece of their youth culture.

Film studios catered to young audiences’ tastes with movies featuring Presley and the Beatles. Boomers flocked to the movies to see James Bond films, John Wayne’s westerns, and sci-fi movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Planet of the Apes, and Westworld.

Later, Boomers who worked in film, music, and TV reshaped those mediums with their approach to their work. Oprah Winfrey made over the daytime talk genre by focusing on personal development and empathy rather than scandal. Ellen DeGeneres, another Boomer, later broke a longstanding taboo in television by coming out as a lesbian. In film, Boomers like Meryl Streep and George Clooney have built decades-long careers as actors and second careers as philanthropists. Boomer musicians like Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Billy Joel, and Michael and Janet Jackson influenced not only their peers but younger Generation X listeners with their work."

The Boomers are coming back to church more than any other generation before. As Boomers close out their careers and retire, they are searching for somethings significant with meaning and purpose. 10 years ago the experts on the Boomers reported that Boomers were moving into a spiritual phase of life. Statistics prove that Boomers volunteer more than any other generation, they go on cause vacations, and some of them are going back to church. However, one of the greatest injustices the devil can do is to make sure that the church pays almost exclusive attention to Millennials when Boomers are the generation that seem ready for the harvest.

The Boomers are a huge generation who has, by their sheer size and economic power, always commanded attention. While the Traditionalists are loud about worship styles and how much personal attention the pastor should provide, if the past fifty years of Boomer behavior are any indication, we ain’t seen nothing yet. Experts say the  Boomers value youth more than anything else, not so much because they worship looking younger, but so they will not be pushed aside and lose their influence. That’s one of the biggest reasons most Boomers aren’t interested in traditional retirement. 

Most Boomers don’t have the patience for poor management. Whereas in the past traditionalists would volunteer even if things were not well-organized, many Boomers are used to working in corporations where things are often better managed than even in the large churches. Where churches are used to retirees showing up with time on their hands and asking the staff what they can do to help, Boomers are used to walking in and telling what they can contribute. Many more Boomers than traditionalists have management experience that exceeds that of their pastors. Many of them see needs in the church staff or church ministries that the pastors don’t even recognize because their pastors think that’s just the way things are in church.

Hayden Shaw, church resource researcher, said:

"Boomers can be a major force for impacting the world, but churches of all sizes will need to up their management game or the Boomers will go someplace else to make a difference. The Boomer harvest is ripe. Don’t overlook them or let them surprise your church. This is the critical time for your church to give Boomers a vision of what’s possible for their spiritual life and what of the difference they can make with this next stage of their lives. For fifteen years we’ve been telling Millennials that they can be a generation of difference makers. Isn’t it time we tell their parents and grandparents the same thing?"