So, whenever I can, I like to point out the significance of this newest wave of generational churches, the Xer churches. For one thing, while at this point they are newer, fewer, and smaller than the Boomer churches, the Xer churches represent a significant sociological phenomenon in their own right. But there’s another, much more important reason than that: these Gen X churches give us our first clear glimpse into what the postmodern church will be like.

Everyone’s story of what postmodernism is and how it has arisen seems to be a little different from everyone else’s, and yet one point on which most agree is that postmodernism began coming on strong in the U.S. only in the 1960s. But by that time, most Boomers were already in their teens or early twenties. In other words, their formative childhood years were mostly modernistic. And for that reason, even though postmodernism has continued to exert an ever firmer grip upon this generation, many Boomers feel pulled one way by the old paradigm and another way by the new. And so it is that Baby Boomers are the hinge generation when it comes to the passage from modernism to postmodernism. The honor (or dishonor, take your pick) of being the first truly postmodern generation belongs not to the Boomers but to the generation perpetually in their shadow, the Gen Xers.

If Boomers are partially postmodern and Xers are fully postmodern, as I have suggested, then you would expect their churches to represent the same breakdown. They do. Boomer churches tend to be casual in dress and rhetoric, are open to a constant process of change, and are attuned to the needs of the unchurched in our post-Christian society. All of these characteristics and others apparent in the Boomer churches show the influence of postmodernism. And yet, in other ways, the Boomer churches remain modern. Let me illustrate how the Xer churches are different from, and more postmodern than, the Boomer churches by presenting half a dozen contrasts between the two.

• First, while Boomer churches tend to be highly structured and organized, Xer churches tend to operate by what you might call charismatic leading. Church staffs are smaller and less hierarchical. There’s a strong emphasis on all church members helping out in the activities of the church. These churches take seriously the idea that God is the leader of the church, moving mysteriously and powerfully in individuals’ lives, and so church ministries are not always planned by the church leadership but instead are instigated by church members who feel led by God to start a ministry.

• Second, while Baby Boomer churches tend to rely heavily on programs, Xer churches put their emphasis on relationships. There’s a very clear understanding in Xer congregations that programs are means and not ends. Their purpose is the lacing together of souls. Church events, as well as spontaneous gatherings of church members, are less about learning or doing than about just being together. Xers seem willing to take the time that is required for developing relationships; that’s where their priority lies.

• Third, while Boomer churches emphasize "excellence" in church ministries, Xer churches emphasize "realness." Xers don’t seem to care much if the preacher stumbles over his words or the singer is of merely karaoke quality or the small-group leader doesn’t know much about the Bible. But they insist that people be authentic. Don’t pretend you’ve got it all together, spiritually or otherwise. Admit your mistakes and struggles, for then we can work on them together. No posers allowed.

• Fourth, while Boomer churches often tout themselves as "contemporary," Xer churches are typically "ancient-future." That is, the Xer churches have a dual orientation when it comes to time: they are naturally and comfortably up-to-date with the culture (such as by using the latest technology) and simultaneously they have a high degree of respect for the traditions of the Christian past. It’s not unusual for an Xer pastor to refer meaningfully to Thomas à Kempis and Bill Gates in the same sermon. More than one hip Xer Web designer practices the lectio divina.

• Fifth, while Boomer churches are basically rationalist, Xer churches are more holistic, honoring intellect and emotions, doctrine and intuition. You can see this in Xer preaching, which is highly narrative, emphasizing both the stories of the Bible and the stories of Christians of today. You see it as well in worship, which involves a broader and more frequent use of the arts than ever before. You can see it in Xer apologetics, which is not a matter of presenting evidence and demanding a verdict but rather of urging people to say yes to Jesus on a daily basis.

• Sixth, while Boomer churches often have a competitive streak, Xer churches are more cooperative. It’s not us-them; it’s all us. Xers see, on the one hand, that God is working in the lives of non-Christians and that, on the other hand, Christians are not too different from nonbelievers in a lot of ways. Xers note things of value in other congregations and don’t care for the walls put up between denominations. To many Xers, even the walls between the big three—Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism—seem as ready for demolition as was the Berlin Wall.

One side of these six contrasts is not better than the other. Let me say it again: Xer churches are not better than Boomer churches, nor vice versa; both are serving their target populations appropriately. My point is merely that the Xer church movement happens to be the more postmodern of the two because it came along later. If you want to know where the Christian church is headed in the future, you should drop in for a service at the Xer church starting up in the storefront down the street.