Church pastors and Christian leaders significantly underestimate the influences on the next generation. That is the conclusion of David Kinnaman of the Barna Group. They have conducted more than 5,000 interviews with youth and young adults. He believes we underestimate three aspects of discipleship.

First, he says, we underestimate the profound impact of social changes on the millennial generation. This generation is “more conversant with technology, less likely to come from married families, and more financially indebted than any previous generation.” They are more diverse than any other generation. That includes ethnic diversity as well as religious diversity.

David Kinnaman quotes from the book, After the Boomers, which talks about how this generation is “launching” later in life. They are taking longer to get through maturing events in life (like marriage, education, and parenthood). David Kinnaman calls them “digital urban tribes” of 20-somethings and 30-somethings.

Second, he believes we underestimate how much these young people are shaped by the power of the digital tools in their lives. As I have mentioned in previous commentaries, the Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that the typical teen is using more than 10 hours of media per day.

Third, we also misunderstand “the potency of youth culture’s gravitational pull.” In other words, we assume that we are influencing youth culture, when in reality it is probably having a more significant impact on us. David Kinnaman says that this “fixation on all things young in changing the way we do Christianity. It’s also shaping the workplace, advertising and marketing, fashion, and media, to name a few spheres of society.”

Obviously, if we are to make a significant impact on this next generation, we need to understand the impact media and youth culture are having on them. And then we need to develop messages and programs that will influence them for Christ.