Goodbye Generation

Thoughts have been flying through my head over the past week.

I don't know if this will make any sense with what's been going through my head.

Over the past week this is what's been going through my mind…

Twice over the past month I have heard knocks against this generation. 1. This is a generation that lacks respect. 2. This is a generation of quitters. I doubt this generation could have won World War II. I have started to read a book Goodbye Generation: A Conversation About Why Youth and Young Adults Leave the Church, this brought me to ask people on my websites, "Why do you or don't you go to Church?" Just looking for honest answers. I am also looking at Zephaniah chapter 1.

I doubt I will have a conclusion on any of this, but I will try.

My heart aches when I here people talk down about this generation.

I think this generation will be the best generation we will have seen. If I stop believing in the next generation and that they improve upon past generations, God can take me right now.

As a youth minister I get a chance to serve this generation. I see the pro's and con's of the people. I love these people and I learn so much from them.

The youth of today have the ability to observe better then any other generation.

They see how parents get in personal fights, screaming and yelling at each other, then watch as these same people walk into Church on a Sunday with nothing but smiles and saying it's a good day.

They see how people and parents praise God on Sunday and go to Sunday School (or not) but then put their Bible away til the next Sunday.

This is a generation that looks at if people follow Jesus' simplest commands, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. Love your neighbor as yourself."

This generation sees that people are very good at acting Church but not living it.

At what point do we become real?

There are so many questions that come up with the Bible and so many people don't understand the Bible.

They are lost when they hear verses like Zephaniah 1:13-14…

"The great day of the Lord is

Near –

Near and coming quickly.

Listen! The Cry on the Day of the Lord

Will be bitter,

The shouting of the warrior there.

That a day wil be a day of wrath,

A day of distress and anguish,

A day of trouble and ruin,

A day of darkness and gloom,

A day of clouds and blackness."

If looking at this, you would be confused.

How could a loving God say a great day would be awful?

They don't get the answer they expect because often the ones they go too, never looked into scripture like this.

They don't understand that God was like this in the Old Testament because after hundreds and hundreds of years of the people mistreating God, he gets angry, but in a couple of chapters you will see the grace of God on his people.

God doesn't stay angry.

They don't understand how God changed when he brought Jesus.

This generation sees that people don't apply what they learn in Church in their own lives.

What's the reason this generation is turned off to Church?

Me.

At some point this is the harsh answer. (I think everyone could say this).

It took me seven years of being a Christian before I started to read and write down what God was teaching me from the Bible.

I have been married for six years before Hailee and I have finally got in the habit of starting to read one chapter of the Bible together talk about it and pray daily.

This is our goal, we are still falling short, but one day will get up to that level.

I am a Christian, I am a minister, yet I have to admit this is the first time I am reading the Bible all the way through on my own. I have never been on a mission trip outside of this country. Or within this country.

This generation sees people that have been going to Church every Sunday with nothing to show for it.

What do you think a waitress or waiter thinks Sunday afternoon when the crowd comes in?

Do they think, "Wow this is the nicest group of people I have ever met. Even when the steak isn't done to their liking, they our polite when bringing it up to me. They do not take it out on me like I cooked the steak. They show the most grace by tipping me great even when I made mistakes."

Or is it…

"Great another Church group. I have never met such a high demanding group who are never satisfied. Even when they have great service and a great meal they are the lousiest tippers I have ever met."

No correct answer, but which one do you think it is?

This is a generation that sees through the fake example of being a Christian.

Words still hurt this generation.

I will leave you with a couple of quotes from David Sawler (Author of Goodbye Generation)

"The future of many of our congregations will be determined by how they view the younger generations. To some, the younger generation are a nuisance, to others the future, and then there are those who just aren't sure what is up with the hair, clothing, or attitudes." Pg 50

"As this was my father's prayer for me, I now pray and peak it over my own children…That ever good thing that God has given and imparted to me will rest on them in double proportion. I pray that they would experience things in God that I never have, that they would go further, believe for greater things, and that the world would be a different place because they serve God. I pray this also over those I lead and this generation." Pg 52

I don't know if this makes any sense or if it tied together, but thanks for reading til the end.

Have a great day.