I believe there are 5 battles facing the church in the future. And since I did not get the chance to explore all of them in my sermon, I thought I would explore each of them in their own post here on the blog. I guess that is the kind of thing that this is for. =)
Battle #1 - Generational Transitions
Matthew 10:16 (New Living Translation)
“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
I think it is of great value for us to be aware of how culture is shaping the way we think. We cannot assume that the world will simply "come around" to our way of doing things. We must be aware of where they are and how they think so that we can present a correct Gospel message that is appropriate for the context we are speaking to.
Boomers desired a common enemy… This is the reality of the end of the Modern Era. Boomers wanted to know who they were fighting.
Gen “X” desired a common experience… My generation reacted strongly to this reality and the seeker sensitive movement was born. of course we took it too far and became "seeker driven." this led to an absence of any real content. and it lost the power and blessing of the Holy Spirit and mostly fizzled out. But we became very effective at branding our experience and creating big events that were "Christian Cool."
Gen “Y” desires a common cause… At this point in history, we are watching people of diverse world views, religious expression, and ideologies come together around common causes (i.e. Japan's relief efforts are seeing Muslims and Christians work side by side... something unheard of 60 years ago).
This reality was explored in the most full capacity in the sermon so I will explore it the least here. You can get further explanation from the sermon podcast @ http://www.liferotp.com/mediaresources/listen-online...
Some concluding thoughts... We can fight it all day long, but in the end we will not stop this shift from happening. So as the church we must find a way to respond to this and use the tools available to us to change the world we live in.
Whether we like it or not, the nature of relationship is being redefined and whether we agree with it or not, we will have to find away to build authentic relationships within the world that we live in or we will be left with little to no influence and the church will all but disappear.
Please join the discussion on this one. I know that the mixed generations that follow this blog will be a good indication that what I am saying is true. We are not trying to decide who is right or wrong. Generational shifts are "amoral." however understanding how we can impact each generation is a powerful tool in advancing the work of the Kingdom.
So may you have grace for people different than you. May you celebrate God's diversity and creativity. And may your life be an example of Christ's love that resonates across generational lines and world views.
Ok.....I'm struggling with this post and with the sermon today, maybe because I don't completely understand your thought process. I'm generation Y and I agree, we are a generation based on technology, and a common goal. We are stubborn and difficult to manage because we each feel like we have the best ideas on earth. I also agree that it is necessary to communicate with us in order to expand the church and ensure its future.......and then I lose you.....What I hear is that to "shift" with the times is important, and I agree. But the impression that I get is that you feel it's the only way the church can go, and this is where I lose you.
ReplyDeleteI work in an environment that is predominantly male and split between Generation Y and Baby Boomers. I am in a management position in my field and have had to learn to communicate with both my generation and the ones before me, it is imperative that I communicate at all levels so that we all might work together safely and peacefully. I translate this to the church in the sense that yes, the college students of today are a large portion of the future.....But so are the children, and they have parents who are not all Y's.....in fact a significant portion of parents with 2 or more children are from generation X, and they are in charge of getting their children to church.
So to me it seems that we are charged with moving forward, but in a way that also acknowledges the past and makes it feel welcome not alienated, because a large portion of the past influences whether or not the future believes. Yes, it is imperative that we embrace the future and shift with the times but we have to do it in a way that also accommodates the past. This is what I hope you mean, but it's not how I'm interpreting your words.
You gave an example in todays sermon about how we cannot just bring people to war and then leave them without the tools to fight. We also can't just leave our soldiers behind because they are old or out of date.
Thanks LMac... Great point. I hope that I am not suggesting throwing the baby out with the bath water so to speak. I am trying to communicate that we have a generation of people that are wrestling with the implications of reaching another generation. that goes both ways. this is one of the main battles that we will face as believers. How do we reach people who functionally see the world differently than I do?
ReplyDeleteAs believers we are called to reach across generational and cultural barriers and impact with the Gospel. The issue for me is that the church has tried to move people to its point of view without understanding the view of those they are trying to reach. We have stuck our head in the sand as if we need not think about who we are trying to reach. This is narrow and foolish. My goal isn't necessarily to answer the question, but to start the discussion. You have helped that along... thanks for the great input and for making sure that I am communicating what I am actually trying to say. Good stuff!