20 and 30 Somethings

All over the nation there are cries going out that there is a young generation that is turning from the faith. Parents and grandparents are concerned that their young ones are going to be lost to this world. Churches are concerned that there will not be anyone to continue the work of God's church after they pass on. Books are being published and articles written on what to do to save the declining church.

What do we do? How do we reach this generation?

One article in the November 2010 issue of Christianity Today stated that three out of four teenagers will leave the faith. The article was entitled "The Leavers" and Drew Dyke used stats when he wrote, "The Barna Group estimates that 80 percent of those reared in the church will be 'disengaged' by the time they are 29." The jest of the article was how to reengage this generation and he went on to say, "Ultimately we will have to undertake the slow but fruitful work of building relationships with those who have left the faith."

Relationships are the answer to reaching this generation.

What does it mean to build a relationship? How do we do this?

It is as if I was hit by a ball bat when I heard a music minister, "They (the lost) know where the doors are to the church and they can just come on in when they want." I still remember the statement made by a lady in response to me suggesting a way to build a half pipe for skateboarders to use on the church property. She said, "No honey. Don't do that. You will have every kid in the neighborhood up here." I walked away from both conversations in shock. It is shocking to me when is see the church try to keep everything the way it has always been and expect this generation to just follow suit.

How do we build relationships with people when we are not inclusive? 

2 Timothy 3 states, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God -- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."

Christians everywhere would jump up and scream thats right. Have nothing to do with them. I would go so far to say that this generation is saying this verse is a good description of the people in church today and they are doing what the verse commands. They are having nothing to do with those Christ followers. They would rather go join the cults and false religions where they experience love.

Our relationship with God is the key to our relationships with everyone. When one reads the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 one can see that the first half deal with our relationship to God and the second half deal with our relationship with others. The same is the case when looking at the Beatitudes in Matthew 5.

Believers in Jesus Christ that are in the church today need to embrace spiritual maturity. Let go of all the laws that we have created for worship, and discipleship (just like the Pharisees). Get before God through prayer and reading His word in order to be more open to His way of loving and reaching this generation.

What is the alternative?

The definition of insanity is to do the same thing you have always done and expect different results.

   

So Many Questions

Remember when you were in school and the English teacher always told you about the who, what, where, when, why, and how? Some men might label those as the women questions. You know how men will simply except the fact stated and not have all the answers for a woman when she asks more about an issue.

So many times in my life I have failed at asking more detailed questions about issues in order to answer all of the questions that all of the women in my life ask about a situation. Yet, so many times when God asks me to move in a direction I would like to have all the facts up front. We all want the who, what, where, when, why, and how questions answered before we step.

I still laugh when I think of when my family and I moved to New Orleans to attend the Baptist Seminary. As soon as I arrived I was getting hit with questions about my calling. With whom are you going to serve? What position are you going to get? Where are you going to serve? When are you going to get to it? Why are you serving in that capacity? How are you going to balance school and serving?

My reply to those questions showed that my who, what, where, when, why, and how perspective was totally different. I was asking who they were, what was I to do to get my family settled, where was my apartment, where were my kids to attend school, when do I have to pay, why are you asking me to serve, and how do I do all of this at one time?

God is the creator of the world and the one that loves us more than we can understand. If we are truly trusting Him then we do not have to have all of the details. The funny thing is that if we are focused on the Bible then we have all of the who, what, where, when, why, and how questions answered. On top of that we have the Holy Spirit that guides us through our calling. Wow, it is easier to follow Christ than it is to follow man.

The answer to all of the questions is found through the Bible and prayer.

What source are you using to get all the answers?

Can one discern God's will without reading His word?

I challenge everyone to read a book of the Bible. Start with John and then read John again. When you finish that book, read the book of John. Get with me after that and I can help you with a more complex reading plan where you start at the beginning and read all the way to the maps.