There seems to be common theme that I keep reading, hearing and witnessing. There must be something to it.
I've heard it or read it from people of different occupations and ages (I'm gonna guess on their ages):

Andy Stanley (preacher in his young 40's)
Jim Collins (author, researcher, doesn't claim to be Christian that I know of, and probably about 55).
Seth Goden (marketing guru, blogger, author, speaker, not a Christian, probably in mid 50's)
Dave Ramsey (financial planner, author, CEO, former preacher, Christian, probably in his 50s).

What they are all saying is that every church, company or organization needs to give some young, creative, free-thinkers a voice. Collins says, "Get young people in your face. Get the right young people in your face." He then told a self-depreciating story of how a group of young people showed him that he was wrong on a decision.

He also said "Every generation needs to create its own practices in order to carry-on the values that span generations."

I think that it's tough for us, as we get older, to realize that new practices are needed to carry-on the values. We think that the new practices mean that our values are changing. When church leaders decide to stop doing something and start doing something else, people often get upset because they falsely assume that their values are changing.

Ramsey talks about the young people in his organization who help their organization stay creative and cutting edge.

Goden says, "Most people work in a balloon shop, and they get nervous when the unicorn shows up." His point is that those unwilling to challenge the status quo often just try to protect it. He says every organization needs to give "unicorns" or "rule breakers" a voice.

Stanley said that their church leaders have been wrestling with the following quotes:
"The Next Generation product almost never comes from the previous generation." (Al Reis).
He believes that the way in which we will reach the next generation will come from someone in our student ministry. He says this idea "probably" won't come from the older generation. He says that for the most part, "If you are over 45, you won't have the great idea, but your responsibility is to recognize it and support it. Without you, it probably won't go anywhere."

I think churches need to figure out how to give younger people a voice. Typically the people who have been there the longest have the voices that are heard. We should hear their voices, but we should also hear from others. The next great idea is most likely not gonna come from the person who had the great idea 30 years ago. It might, but we can't assume that it will.

Ideas can be threatening. We have to move beyond this. We have to realize that God could speak through anyone. We have to realize that any good idea comes from Him, and be thankful for it.

Does someone need to be an Elder to share creative ideas about how better minister to people?
Can church leaders be humble enough to listen to ideas from the person who hasn't "put in the time" that they have?

Collins says that mark of every "level 5 leader" (the absolute best leaders he's ever studied) is HUMILITY. I think one area that humility helps them be so great is that they can hear and listen to the young and old alike.

You might read this and think that I'm slighting the older generation. I'm not. I recognize that they may have some great ideas, and I know that we need them. But the truth is that in most churches, we already listen to them. They already have a voice (as Elders, staff, ministry leaders). It seems that the glaring weakness is in listening to younger people.

Also, I realize that this challenge can't lead to arrogance for the young. Because by the time they finish reading this, they will be older. They won't be the cutting-edge thinkers with a grasp on their culture for long. Someone else was just born. Humility has to abound both ways.

It struck me that all these guys I heard are cutting-edge, creative thinkers. Yet they all recognize the need to be challenged, pushed and questioned. And they recognize that young people are pretty good at this. I'm sure that they have plenty of wise, experience people in their lives & organizations too. These people hold them steady, recognize dangers, and can sniff good ideas. Both groups of people are needed.