Pat Robertson, who heads the Christian Broadcasting Network, is 70. Jerry Falwell, who leads Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University, is 66. A remarkable shift in leadership brings new values to Protestant organizations because of generational differences. Duty and conformity are significant values for builders, who respect authority and are loyal to institutions like churches and corporations. Boomers tend toward personal fulfillment and pragmatism.
Different values mean new directions.
One shift is in style. Boomers articulate the vision of their organization, unlike builders, who assumed everyone knew the organization's purpose and would remain obligated to it. A second change concerns institutional loyalty. Boomers are less committed to traditional programs than their elders. Boomer leaders are likely to create new coalitions around common interests, even if they cut across time-honored ecclesiastical boundaries.