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Subject: Conversation 2
Time: 2:48:00 AM EDT
Author: kpchprather4
Music: Subway-Alex De Grassi
I had a wonderful conversation this Sunday night-it may have been around two hours, maybe a little more, but it was one of those conversations where you lose track of time because you know you are on holy ground.
The conversation was three college age students and me. I am continually amazed at this generation. They are often discounted, dismissed, marginalized, forgotten-and God have mercy on us for doing this because this generation is the lowest "churched" generation in American history-the lowest percentage of professing followers of Christ in American history. These "Postmoderns"...well, for many...they are either a "lost cause" or simply too far out there to be reached. Tragic assumption. Tragic reality-we are losing a generation-and the figures don't look good. Unless this generation is reached in some profound way, the spiritual landscape of America will look very much like that of Western Europe within 20 years or less.
This conversation was incredible. These kids were wrestling with Scripture, what it meant to live out the Christ-life, wrestling with God, what it means to truly abandon themselves to Him-what it means to truly be in an authentic relationship with Him. It's sad to say, but that conversation was more spiritually in depth than most I've had with people twice or three times their age.
They want more than external religion. More than "churchianity." They know that the church of Jesus is the redeemed people of God, not a building. They know that Christianity is at its essence a subversive movement against the pattern of this age. They know Christ calls them to the edge and they are willing to go-eager to go! They just want someone to model, assist, listen, process things with. The believers of this generation are crying out, but few are listening. They want to be a part of a movement, to be on mission, to live for something, rather someone much larger than themselves.
All too often the subtle message sent by older believers is this: "Well, that's just youthful zeal. When you get older you'll settle down. And speaking of settling down, sit in your pew and be still. This is what Christians do."
But they see through that. They see through that because when they read the Scriptures, they don't see the Christian faith as a spectator sport-it is a journey, a pilgrimage, a movement. Not something you 'do' once a week. And, to be frank, when many of them look out at the American evangelical landscape, they wonder why so many professing Christians seem so content to live compartmentalized lives in which Jesus is just another "add on" to their daily routine. Call them idealistic. Call them "postmoderns"-but don't call them naive.
Yes, postmodernism raises new issues for the world, the culture, and yes the church. But some, in knee-jerk reaction, flip out and quickly condemn the postmodern worldview assuming that every postmodern professing believer must certainly deny the Scriptures and probably believes in the end every person goes to heaven and that there is no hell (universalism), and probably doesn't believe absolute truth exists...all sorts of assumptions. But I have not found this to be anywhere a universal truth when it comes to postmodern believers. Sure they have some issues to work through because the postmodern worldview denies absolutes exist (but it would be wrong to assume that someone who comes from the "postmodern" generation denies absolute truth), and there are some other ideological and philosophical elements in that worldview that need to be measured against Scripture. But let's not prop up modernity, fueled by the Enlightenment as the "Scriptural" worldview.
Many "moderns," because of the Enlightenment, because of their ultimate trust in the High Priests of Science and Rationalism have their issues as well. Miracles, believing in the unseen (heaven and hell, angels and demons)-well, a lot of "moderns" have a problem with these things. And-a lot of moderns have this idea that they have completely figured God out-the creation defining the Creator, the finite fully grasping the Infinite. There is a lack of wonder, awe, reverence at times in the "modernist" camp.
So, as postmoderns do not have any problem believing in what they cannot see, being amazed at the wonder and mystery of God (for those who think they have God "figured out" and placed in their nice and tidy theological boxes, read God's response to Job when Job demanded God give an account of Himself, or just read Isaiah 6-our God cannot be taken lightly, controlled or tamed)-these postmoderns are amazed at just how awesome God is and see Christianity as a journey of continually growing not only in relationship with Christ, but also growing into Christlikeness.
And sometimes we "modernists"-well, we have lost that sense of wonder and awe. We are uncomfortable with any mystery, so we tell ourselves and others that we have everything figured out.
So here I was, caught in between generations myself in terms of worldview, having this incredible conversation that still reverberates within me. A holy time. An incredible time.
Part of me wishes a lot of believers could have heard what was discussed-because I believe these are the types of conversations that should be normative for followers of Christ-edifying, sharpening, challenging, encouraging, God-saturated conversations, because a big part of me wants to shout from the rooftop that this generation is worth investing in, is eager and hungry and searching-that God cares deeply for them and we should as well.
And part of me wants to shout just how much these young people energize my faith. They certainly keep me on my toes. They can pick off inauthenticity in a heartbeat. They can smell a "Sunday school answer" a mile away. They want to see the Christ-life fleshed out-and they want to flesh it out themselves.
Take a look around you. Notice the 18-25 year olds with the wild hair, the strange piercings, the body art or maybe it's just that hungry look inside. Don't dismiss them. They remind me of someone. Remember the "Jesus People" (well, some of you are too young) of the 1960's and early 70's? Those "hippies" who came to Christ and were so radical they wanted to do things like stay up all night studying the Word, singing praises, praying, talking about God and the things of God-telling others about Jesus Christ?
This generation reminds me a lot of that one. I only pray they don't turn out like that generation-eventually homogenized, institutionalized, consumers, not investors, spectators, not doers. But I don't think they will. They are unlike anything we've seen. God could do amazing things with this generation if we would simply pray for them, come alongside them, invest in them, train them, and turn them loose.
They honestly believe God can use them to change the world. Some call that naivete-I call it faith that moves mountains.
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6/12/07 12:45 PM
but stay off the roofs. at least church roofs. at least while I'm around. if I see it and you slip and break your face, then insurance guy won't cover it. but if you fall and your face falls off and i didn't know about it and wasn't around then that's o.k.