When you’re an elder at a church and happen to be a millennial, the job may come with its fair share of challenges.
For Elder Aquyla Walker of Greater Zion Church Family in Compton, Calif., one of those challenges is leading her peers.
“It is often difficult to have to assert authority over those that are your age and those that have watched you grow and even make mistakes during your growth process,” she revealed in a recent Los Angeles Sentinel report. “Millennials, especially, tend to be more relationship-oriented, so I’ve learned the importance of establishing and maintaining relationships to curtail this particular challenge.”
The Young Adult Overseer explained that her duties consisted of helping young adults reach their full potential in God. Even with its challenges, the teacher and church elder explained why she was devoted to where God has placed her.
“I persist because I am sure of the calling of God on my life; and there are other women in ministry who need to see models of women in ministry,” Walker said.
Even though studies have revealed that a number of millennials are leaving the faith, Walker pointed out that her generation is unique in the church today.
“Millennials are probably the last generation that was ‘raised in church.’ Thus, we know how to ‘do’ church,” she said. “We know the traditions and routines and we know that we’ve been doing it the same way for years. And we also know that a lot of what is done isn’t rooted in Biblical principle and we’re tired of it.”
While many reports reveal the issues that millennials have with church, Walker believes that many want to get involved in their places of worship.
“We want to be a part of ministries that are changing the way church is done, but without compromising the integrity of the Word and the name of Jesus,” she said. “It’s possible.”