The Changing Generations and the Church
By Norman Kissinger
I recently came across some commentary online by a couple of ex-teachers discussing the attributes of the youngest generations. It spurred some reflection on my part about the relationship between the church and younger generations.
As someone approaching 60, I find I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Millennials and those after them. On one hand, they've grown up with the notion that anything from before their lifetime is old and obsolete. There's a belief that things always improve over time. But people's basic nature doesn't really change. What saved people 2000 years ago - the power of the Holy Spirit, the truth of God's Word, the cross of Jesus Christ - still saves people today. The fundamentals of the gospel are timeless. Old isn't necessarily bad.
At the same time, younger generations have made positive contributions. Millennials have pushed important changes in areas like work-life balance and workplace norms. Their facility with technology is invaluable.
I believe those in ministry need to listen to young people to understand how the culture is changing. But we can't compromise on biblical fundamentals - the unchanging truths about salvation, family, and God's Word.
If we listen while holding our ground on the gospel message, we can connect our timeless faith to their rapidly changing world. The culture today is drastically different from even 20 years ago. Effective ministry requires understanding young people's perspectives without sacrificing the power of biblical truth. Even as the generations change, the old, old story still has power to save.
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