Generational Differences 6: Advice to the Young Generation

Here is my hope and prayer for the 35-and-under crowd as they face generational differences with their elders (see my prior five posts):

1. Stay strong, be yourself. You really are different than your elders in many ways, and different is OK (usually).

A few of the cool college students I work with

2. Be humble now or be humbled later. One day you'll be passing 35, 45, 50, 60. I know it seems a long way off but that's what everyone says. It comes faster than you think.

The NEXT generation may have some strong opinions

Remember that the generation after you will do things differently than you -- and they'll think it's all a big improvement. They'll be mocking your old ipads and i-anything and Google+ and "contemporary" praise music and wondering why you're so stuck in the mud.

Knowing the transient nature of your own styles and preferences will help. Nothing is permanent except God's truth.

3. Cash in on your gains. That is, take advantage of the steps forward you've made in inclusiveness, social justice, racial reconciliation, community and your Jesus-based theology.

My generation has much to learn from you in these areas -- as do the even younger ones mentioned above.

4.  Seek out older wisdom. I hope you'll act now because older wisdom may not always be readily available. At some point our lips will grow silent.

It will happen like this: We will release to you all the positions of leadership and influence in our churches -- the churches that we and our forbears built from the ground up which stand as symbols of God's presence in our culture.

Then you'll need to be intentional about inviting us to teach, pray and give counsel.

(Note to church and family: Someday, to reach me in the months of Jan/Feb, you'll need to call Florida :)

Generational Differences 5: Worship

First hour at a church I visited this morning, we sang contemporary praise songs.

Second hour I led a few hymns for an older adult Sunday School.

It was a study in contrasts . . . as reflected in the following chart:

Worship music can be a sensitive subject for the oldsters. Many feel disenfranchised by the turn away from hymnody.

Young people, however, have a quite different response when their style of music is not played. They don't sit there fuming in the pews (or write nasty emails to the pastors).

No. They simply don't show up.

It seems to me we all need to hold on to our worship style preferences pretty lightly -- or be defeated by disunity.

Generational Differences 4

What are the implications for young people in the inter-generational church?

I promised to respond to this question but I need to put it off for a week or two.

Instead, here are a few more generational differences. Category is evangelism:

It seems to me that white evangelical leaders have spent the past 50 years reacting to the *social gospel. We've defined ourselves, in part, by what we're not.

But 20 years ago, following the lead of Christian colleges and parachurch youth ministries, white evangelical churches began taking kids (and adult sponsors) on service projects to the inner-city and overseas.

They pounded nails, fed the poor and cleaned up waste areas.

Then the critical next step: They rediscovered community service in the Bible.

This was a little confusing to the older generations. Was it a return to the social gospel? Or a new strategy for preaching the gospel?

Actually, neither.

Rather, service and proclamation were integrated. They were both "gospel" and became inseparable for young people (and many people of color, for whom this was always true).

Yet, white oldsters on the whole remained wary.

Ergo: Generational difference, and thus the chart above.

* "Social gospel" refers to an earthly kingdom of God which is established by education and service. It generally rejects the ideas of original sin, personal salvation and Hell.

For further reading: I'd recommend books by Wheaton evangelism professor Rick Richardson. His Evangelism Outside the Box and Reimagining Evangelism are excellent.

On Vacation

See you in a week or two!

Generational Differences 3

With one foot in middle-age boomer culture and the other foot in collegiate ministry, I offer the following observations on the differences between generations.

This is part 3 in the series.

See if you agree with me:

What does it all mean for my generation?

1. We've been rightfully disappointed in young people for abandoning the church the past 20 years.

2. But will we stick around when they come to power in our churches (as they already are), the next 20 years?

Middle age trying to connect with students at Michigan State

What does it all mean for 35-and-under's?

Tune in next week.