DriveThru – Get What You Need

I promised I’d let you hear from Esther Fleece, Focus’ assistant to the president for millennial relations. She kicked off today’s Values Voters Summit at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in D.C. with a Q-and-A with our boss, Focus Action President Jim Daly, about the hearts and passions of the millennial generation.

Here’s Esther’s thoughts about today. Be happy she’s on our side … :   )

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We millennials are smart. We are go-getters. We are optimistic, family focused, and action

I was honored to join Jim Daly today in speaking at the Values Voter Summit. He truly is a role model for our generation, and he gets us. We can relate to Jim as we see his authenticity come through in the way he communicates with people of all different walks. We respect authentic leadership, and we see this in Jim.
 
The Millennial generation is crying out for mentors. We want to be taught, and the good news is, we are teachable. We are looking for dialogue, rather than a shouting match. We are looking for someone older who we respect to set an example and then to teach us, train us, BELIEVE in us and then let us lead.

I was approached after our session by parents of four millennials, three of whom are not currently walking with the Lord. Their children have turned their back on God and are living for things of this world. The father thanked me as he was challenged to listen twice as much as he speaks. He was challenged to invite dialogue in their family, rather than have a list of do’s and don’ts. He was convicted to take on more of a graceful tone with his kids, even in the midst of an extremely difficult circumstances. The response I received today was gracious and positive, but what excites me most is to see the fathers’ hearts turn to their children.

Between now and 2018, the number of millennials of voting age will be increasing by about four and a half million a year. 2020 will be the first presidential election where we will all have reached voting age, and we will be 103 million strong. This is a generation not only worth investing in, but absolutely crucial to invest in.

Will you help us grow in wisdom and in knowledge? Will you teach us history, how to have strong marriages, why the family unit is important, and what values matter to God? Will you believe in us and then – just as Jesus did – leave well, entrusting us to continue intergenerational ministry? I believe when you do this, we will not only be empowered, but we will see a generational cycle of hearts of the children turning to their fathers. God thinks generationally, and it’s time we start too.

 I’m late getting around to posting about this morning’s presentation by Focus Action President Jim Daly at the Values Voters Summit — but I’ve got a good excuse. The speech — a conversation, actually, between Jim and Assistant to the President for Millennial Relations Esther Fleece on how to reach the next generation with the biblical Truth that guides us — made quite the splash at the Omni Shoreham here in Washington. I’ve spent the hours since Jim and Esther shared the stage talking to conference attendees about what they had to say — and the reaction has been universally positive.

I won’t delve into much detail — I’ve asked Esther to put some thoughts down which I’ll post later; I’m a guest blogger sub-letting my space on Drive-Thru : ) — but I will say this: I got shivers up my spine when Jim asked Esther near the end to speak from her heart about what 20-somethings like her need from us “older folks.”

“We want you to teach us,” she said. “But we want you to believe in us, too.”

Powerful stuff.

So powerful that one of the attendees walked up to Esther later and said … oh, wait, I promised to let her tell that story. She’s typing somewhere in the hotel even as I’m posting this. I’ll publish her thoughts soon.

God is good. And He was with Jim and Esther in that ballroom today.

Gary Schneeberger, a longtime daily newspaper journalist, is vice president of media and public relations for Focus on the Family. He also loves the Packers, Cubs, silly film comedies aimed at teens and remains so fascinated by superheroes that he has a 7-foot-tall plastic Superman in his office. Really.

 Health care took center stage at the Values Voters Summit this morning, in the form of a town hall meeting featuring conservative congressional heavyweights discussing the latest on plans to overhaul the nation’s health-care system. The consensus, based on crowd response to speaker comments? The White House plan is too expensive, would result in too much government control over private health decisions and should not — either implicitly or explicity — provide for taxpayer-funded abortion.
No surprise there. Many in the audience today are those who have taken part in — or at least sympathetic to the message of — the tea party protests that have caught fire coast to coast. Those same attendees though, heard something that maybe not all of them were so comfortable with when the afternoon sessions kicked off. Radio hosts Kevin McCullough and Stephen Baldwin took the mics at the historic Omni Shorehan Hotel Ballroom and challenged those listening to stop doing public policy as usual and begin to meaningfully engage the next generation.

They’re called millennials, at this point young teens up through their late 20s, and research indicates that by 2020 they will make up 40 percent of the American electorate. Research also indicates the issues that resonate with the nearly 2,000 values voters gathered in D.C. this weekend don’t necessarily resonate with them.

That’s why McCullough and Baldwin are so passionate about their generation (and the ones before them) taking the time and expending the intellectual energy to reach these millions of young people.

It will be, from all inedications, an uphill battle. Among the findings of a May 2009 survey of 18-29 year olds by the Center for American Progress:

►    66 percent agreed or strong agreed with the statement, “Government has a responsibility to financially support the poor, the sick and the elderly; 21 percent agreed or strongly disagreed.

►    66 percent agreed or strong agreed with the statement that “The gap between rich and poor should be reduced, even if it means higher taxes for the wealthy”; only 19 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed.

►    64 percent agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “Religious faith should focus more on promoting tolerance, social justice and peace in society, and less on opposing abortion or gay rights”; only 19 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed.

►    54 percent agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “Our country has gone too far in mixing politics and religion and forcing religious values on people”; 29 percent disagreed or strongly disagreed.

►    29 percent agree or strongly agree with the statement that “Homosexuality is unnatural and should not be accepted by society”; 58 percent disagree or strongly disagree.

Don’t like that data because it comes from a “liberal source? Here are some similar findings from the Barna Group, the world’s most reputable Christian pollster, from a survey of 16-to-29 year olds included in the 2007 book unChristian:

►    91 percent of non-Christians and 80 percent of churchgoers think the word “anti-homosexual” describes Christianity.

►    87 percent of non-Christians and 52 percent of churchgoers think the word “judgmental” describes Christianity.

►    85 percent of non-Christians and 47 percent of churchgoers think the word “hypocritical” describes Christianity.

►    75 percent of non-Christians and 50 percent of churchgoers think the phrase “too political” describes Christianity.

►    70 percent of non-Christians and 29 percent of churchgoers think the phrase “insensitive to others” describes Christianity

►    16 percent of non-Christians believe the phrase “consistently shows love for other people” applies to Christianity

►    19 percent of non-Christians believe the phrase “offers hope for the future” applies to Christianity

►    11 percent of non-Christians believe the phrase “offers hope for the future” applies to Christianity

►    Among born-again Christians 23-41, 59 percent believe cohabitation is morally acceptable.

►    Among born-again Christians 23-41, 44 percent believe sex outside of marriage is morally acceptable.

►    Among born-again Christians 23-41, 32 percent believe having an abortion is morally acceptable.

►    Among born-again Christians 23-41, 28 percent believe having a sexual relationship with someone of the same-sex is morally acceptable.
Not pretty, is it? But what to do? Abandoning biblical principle — God’s Truth — is obviously not an option. Morality is not something you settle with an opinion poll. But is there a way to reach this “rising generation,” as McCullough and Baldwin urge, to show them to merit of our campaign for righteousness.

Jim Daly thinks so. That’s why the Focus on the Family Action President will devote his time with the Values Voters crowd to a conversation with a real, live millennial — Focus’ new Assistant to the President for Millennial Relations Esther Fleece — to explore how we can mentor a new generation of values voters.

Gary Schneeberger, a longtime daily newspaper journalist, is vice president of media and public relations for Focus on the Family. He also loves the Packers, Cubs, silly film comedies aimed at teens and remains so fascinated by superheroes that he has a 7-foot-tall plastic Superman in his office. Really.  

 Got in late last night to the Omni Shoreham, site of this year’s Values Voters Summit. But before I even unpacked my bags I bumped into some folks who are determined to make sure this year’s event captures the attention of the “millennial” generation.

Broadly defined, a millennial is someone from their teens into their late 20s — aka, somebody about half my age. And I’m probably considered, at 44, a little on the “young side” (thank you, Jesus!) when it comes to the profile of the average VVS representative/attendee. Millennials, the research tells us, are action-minded — they aren’t content to have philosophical conversations about helping others and making the world a better place; they want to roll up their sleeves and set to work helping others and making the world a better place.

One of today’s top speakers is a perfect example of that. Carrie Prejean, the former Miss California USA fired by the pageant after her from-the-heart remarks in defense of one-man, one woman marriage, is in many ways a typical millennial. In her early 20s, a college student, involved in a variety of charitable organizations, networking worldwide through various avenues of social media (FYI, I’m her Facebook friend … along with 4,900-some others), Prejean can relate in ways guys with my hairline and birthday can’t to the rising generation. Her bold stand — sacrificing the personal goal she had pursued for years in order to affirm something greater than herself — is the kind of example that resonates with millennials. I bumped into Carrie and her Mom in the lobby last night (we met when Carrie interviewed with Dr. Dobson at the Focus campus at the height of the controversy generated by her unswerving support of marriage) and she seemed in high spirits, eager to speak to attendees today. I’m sure attendees are eager to hear from her, too.

I also had a brief but important conversation last night with Stephen Baldwin, actor/conservative radio host/born-again Christian/and, yes, brother of that outspoken liberal guy on “30 Rock.” Baldwin is in town with his Xtreme Radio co-host Kevin McCullough, and I interrupted their late dinner to discuss their plans for today. Baldwin told me the seeds for their presentation were planted at last year’s Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) event, where he and McCullough noticed a whole sea of millennials looking to network and have a little fun after the formal meetings had ended — but there was nothing on the docket to allow them that experience. So, at VVS, the pair are in charge of next-generation engagement, not only gearing the message of their speech to the younger audience, but hosting a ”millennial reception” tonight with, Baldwin told me, computer stations allowing for live blogging, YouTubing, MySpacing, Facebooking and Twittering.

“These kids are just waiting to make a difference,” Baldwin told me. “We just have to give them a reason to.”

Prejean and the Xtreme Radio guys aren’t the only ones looking to inspire millennials this weekend. Focus on the Family Action President Jim Daly speaks tomorrow, and his presentation is one certain to cause a buzz among attendees. That’s called a “tease” in communications circles – come back for more details later. 

Gary Schneeberger, a longtime daily newspaper journalist, is vice president of media and public relations for Focus on the Family. He also loves the Packers, Cubs, silly film comedies aimed at teens and remains so fascinated by superheroes that he has a 7-foot-tall plastic Superman in his office. Really.  

Today I fly out to Washington, D.C. for the fourth annual Values Voter Summit, and I’m taking you, DriveThru blog reader, with me.
 
I’ll be guest-blogging and live-“Tweeting” this weekend, giving you a behind-the-scenes view of the happenings at the conference that will feature renowned speakers like Bill O’Reilly; Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann; Governors Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry; and Focus on the Family’s own Jim Daly.
 
What I’m really looking forward to, though, is being with nearly 1,500 other pro-family conservatives who are fired up and passionate about defending the principles we hold dear – faith, life, family and limited government intervention and spending. The “silent majority” isn’t silent any more. We’ve attended tea parties, town hall meetings, and last week’s march on the Capitol – and now we’ll meet in D.C. to become better equipped to defend families at home. 

During my time at Values Voters I not only want to relay to DriveThru readers the wisdom and insights the pro-family movement’s experts and leaders will share during their presentations, but also share the sense of purpose felt when social conservatives gather with a common goal. 

So visit us here starting Friday morning and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/drivethrublog. It’s going to be a great ride.

Gary Schneeberger, a longtime daily newspaper journalist, is vice president of media and public relations for Focus on the Family. He also loves the Packers, Cubs, silly film comedies aimed at teens and remains so fascinated by superheroes that he has a 7-foot-tall plastic Superman in his office. Really.