Gen Z - Hope for the Future
We are living in a time where we are the most connected and informed generation ever, yet this generation, Gen Z is suffering ,in ways that most of us cannot fathom. Somehow, this generation is lonely. It is my supposition that this is a result of a generation furthest from the truth of the Bible than any generation of the past century.
Nearly half of teens say they never read the Bible and for the most part they believe all religions teach equally valid truths that can earn them eternal peace. More than half of all teens believe that marriage is archaic and that the definition of marriage needs to include more than just the idea of one man and one woman. The exposure to worldly and even ungodly ideals is obtained by the internet. The average teen today spends nearly 8 hours online each and every day and without that online social presence, they feel left-out or less-than.
As a Pastor, it is my heart and the heart of our leadership to see this generation experience all the beauty, wonder and excitement of life that goes far beyond the internet. Churches as a whole are losing touch with this generation and seemingly unable reach them and that is mainly because we have taken the wrong approach. We have categorized and reduced them to statistics instead of open our hearts, listening and allowing them to express their ideas and thoughts in an open and judgement free environment. Truth should never be afraid of questions. This generation has been bombarded with cultural and social ideals that the church finds offensive, and rightfully so, however, Jesus dealt with nothing less. Love is still the answer. Love, openness and an appreciation for this important generation. The truth will be brough forth, but it must be presented in the light of love and respect, so that this generation can see the truth for what it really is….. protection of significant and substantive values based on the Judeo-Christian ethic that are timeless. These truths will speak for themselves, if we allow them to be presented in an environment of learning and sharing and not one of oppression and force.
In my opinion, this generation is the most open of any I can remember in my lifetime to truly experiencing the power and reality of the Holy Spirit. If we squander this opportunity, we will be responsible to God for not being intentional in sharing and teaching the truths of the Christian Faith. Far too many churches are embracing the cultural norms of today even to the detriment of the very doctrines upon which Christianity is based. This generation does not need for us to lower our standards for them, instead we need to express and show why the ethics, standards, and foundation of Christianity are important to life, liberty and freedom as well as peace, righteousness and justice.
So many in this generation feel unsafe. They feel as if there is little to no hope, and that is the furthest thing from the truth. There is hope, hope for them, hope for the family, hope for our state, our country and hope for the world. There is hope for a good and expected future and it is all found in Jesus the Christ.
I am not suggesting we ignore culture, neither am I suggesting we embrace it. I am simply saying that we must provide a clear and concise understanding of what and why we believe what we do.
This next generation is lonely and unconnected, but we must be devoted to changing that by investing in the youth of this generation. They need to be exposed to the timeless truths of Christian Doctrine, because these are under direct attack in our society today. This generation wants to be heard, so we must work hard to equip our leaders to foster small groups of students to engage in honest and transparent ways to build honest and relationships. They need to understand that difficult questions are OK. And we as adults must be willing and ready to give an account of our faith. This generation is counting on us.
For students to understand why they should not adopt some of today’s popular cultural beliefs, we must be patient and listen to their claims, while simultaneously presenting what the Bible teaches. This requires time, thought, and the patience of the Lord. The next generation is open many things we maybe never confronted, and they are eager to learn—but are you open to being challenged by someone younger than you?
Nearly half of teens say they never read the Bible and for the most part they believe all religions teach equally valid truths that can earn them eternal peace. More than half of all teens believe that marriage is archaic and that the definition of marriage needs to include more than just the idea of one man and one woman. The exposure to worldly and even ungodly ideals is obtained by the internet. The average teen today spends nearly 8 hours online each and every day and without that online social presence, they feel left-out or less-than.
As a Pastor, it is my heart and the heart of our leadership to see this generation experience all the beauty, wonder and excitement of life that goes far beyond the internet. Churches as a whole are losing touch with this generation and seemingly unable reach them and that is mainly because we have taken the wrong approach. We have categorized and reduced them to statistics instead of open our hearts, listening and allowing them to express their ideas and thoughts in an open and judgement free environment. Truth should never be afraid of questions. This generation has been bombarded with cultural and social ideals that the church finds offensive, and rightfully so, however, Jesus dealt with nothing less. Love is still the answer. Love, openness and an appreciation for this important generation. The truth will be brough forth, but it must be presented in the light of love and respect, so that this generation can see the truth for what it really is….. protection of significant and substantive values based on the Judeo-Christian ethic that are timeless. These truths will speak for themselves, if we allow them to be presented in an environment of learning and sharing and not one of oppression and force.
In my opinion, this generation is the most open of any I can remember in my lifetime to truly experiencing the power and reality of the Holy Spirit. If we squander this opportunity, we will be responsible to God for not being intentional in sharing and teaching the truths of the Christian Faith. Far too many churches are embracing the cultural norms of today even to the detriment of the very doctrines upon which Christianity is based. This generation does not need for us to lower our standards for them, instead we need to express and show why the ethics, standards, and foundation of Christianity are important to life, liberty and freedom as well as peace, righteousness and justice.
So many in this generation feel unsafe. They feel as if there is little to no hope, and that is the furthest thing from the truth. There is hope, hope for them, hope for the family, hope for our state, our country and hope for the world. There is hope for a good and expected future and it is all found in Jesus the Christ.
I am not suggesting we ignore culture, neither am I suggesting we embrace it. I am simply saying that we must provide a clear and concise understanding of what and why we believe what we do.
This next generation is lonely and unconnected, but we must be devoted to changing that by investing in the youth of this generation. They need to be exposed to the timeless truths of Christian Doctrine, because these are under direct attack in our society today. This generation wants to be heard, so we must work hard to equip our leaders to foster small groups of students to engage in honest and transparent ways to build honest and relationships. They need to understand that difficult questions are OK. And we as adults must be willing and ready to give an account of our faith. This generation is counting on us.
For students to understand why they should not adopt some of today’s popular cultural beliefs, we must be patient and listen to their claims, while simultaneously presenting what the Bible teaches. This requires time, thought, and the patience of the Lord. The next generation is open many things we maybe never confronted, and they are eager to learn—but are you open to being challenged by someone younger than you?
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