Audi and I talked with some friends over Thanksgiving break. We tossed around pleasantries and eventually started talking about church. They were - like us - in their 20s and we together contemplated our generation, life stage and passions. We are "that group". The group that is the most unchurched for dozens of reasons. It seems that most of current Christian leaders are talking about "that group" discussing how to understand us, our needs and frustrations. Bill Hybels says that the local church is the hope for the world. In fact, for the baby boomers, the church has been an incredibly powerful organism. Yet, us up-and-comings simply haven't been interested. Luce says that 4% of upcoming generation will live for Christ. Barna talks about how the church will no longer be the agent of change for the Gospel in years to come.
I have a passion for the local church. Yet, so many have been disenfranchised. So many love Jesus but hate church. Why? So many want Christ but want very little to do with Christians. What happened?
So, Bill, us to? Or has the church become a machine of our parents and a function of fundamentalism? Has it become a relic of religiousity? My friends and I are asking. We live with a desire to live in relationship and to make a difference ... but what about the disconnect we have seen? Why so many leaving the church?
I believe that God has assigned the church the duty of being the agent of change in the world. But, how? ... how?
Do we bite the bullet, call our questions and frustrations arrogance and go the way of our parents?
or ... ?
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6 comments:
It seems to me that we need to stop assimilating to our culture, we need to create an authentic and alternate community. Something so odd that those that see or experience it will be compelled to join it or reject it out of hand.
We can't compete will our culture, it has too much money, is too sexy. If church begins looking like a rock concert, well its really just a lame rock concert with out the sex and pyro-technics (actually, it wouldn't surprise me if some churches have pyro-technics)
What we can offer the world is communion, washing each others feet, sharing money and resources. The world knows nothing of these things, its the best we have to offer.
Remember, the church is the people of Christ, not an organization. If your generation moves out of buildings and into homes, you are still the church. Still you must "no forsake the assembling" however that occurs. We need each other. We need accountability.
Great note Ben.
I think my reaction to this whole church/20something equation is Redemption.
I know that many people have become disenchanted by the church for one reason or another (and I have been one of that number often). But the truth of the matter, is that if we give up on the church, I think we're really giving up a part of our spiritual heritage.
If you don't like how things are going, or you think that your local church is hypocritical, than work to change it...to redeem it.
Christians, almost by definition have always been counter cultural. Now is not any different, we just need to let our love differentiate us - not judgment - which has too often been the trend of "christians" over the past several years.
So basically, I think we just need to remember that Christianity hasn't changed - Christians have...and Jesus wants His religion back.
What are You going to do?
-this is rachel on pat's account cuz I don't have my own.
-the only way to build something new in the same place is to destroy the old...and since the baby boomers are still alive, that will not be permitted to happen due to the generations of legalism and judgement about the way it "should": be.
Therefore...stop giving yourself a headache trying to fix the unfixable...once you have a bad taste in your mouth about church its not going to just go away with "change" in the church.
Thus the simple answer is...screw the church and go find a community elsewhere. (this is rachel on pat's account cuz I don't have my own.)
testing. does this work? i hate technology. but i love you!
audi is anonymous.
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