Let's face it before we lose them...
USA Today (Monday July 9,07) published an article called, "Holier Than Thou" front page cover story. I read it with a bit of anxious concern.
Cathy Lynn Grossman points out the divide between the parents and their kids referencing religious issues with several examples of young adults and their parents.
You must hear this to understand how the young adults think about the church and Jesus.
"George Moss feels the divide. He finds it harder to sit down with his mother to talk about Christ than it is to share the Gospel in the streets of Jamaica."
"My mom was always very churched," Moss says. "But it was habit without heart behind it. I wanted real faith, not just church. I wanted my faith to play out in everything I do all the time --raising my son, rapping Christian music."
"But his faith, like his nondenominational church, is too "free spirit" for his mother. 'I dress up and give my Lord respect,' says Pamela Moss, 53. I even saw someone barefoot there. And the pastor was walking around in a shirt and pants, and not on the pulpit in a robe."
"I was brought up in the Word, and I will never depart. But George takes this to another level. He's out there rapping, and I can't catch his words. He's going on missions trips. He's always out there witnessing. Now, I don't have a problem with witnessing, but I'm sorry I have a job and when I get home, I'm tired. On Sunday, I go hear the Word and leave."
The Planter: Does this small confessional story give you a glimpse into the problems we face in the American Church? It is apparent that mom professes Jesus but it is not evident in her life. It is apparent that the son (George) professes and lives it with deep and passionate consistency.
I believe that younger generations are longing for something real and genuine. They are tired of profession without possession. Many love Jesus but dislike the church. We have failed to show them that what we believe is something we live everyday. I think that if you will be honest with yourself, the world also sees our inconsistent connect between what we say we believe and how we lack living it.
What have you to say about this?
posted by Bob Carder @ 1:26 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
I find it interesting that Mom says, "but I'm sorry I have a job and when I get home, I'm tired."
It's interesting to me because I can relate to that -- and I'm only 48. I wonder if Mom was being defensive or if George doesn't have a job. Throughout, Mom is sort of comparing herself to George ... his faith to hers, his dress to hers, his music to hers...then she says, "I have a job and when I get home, I'm tired."
So is George living off his Mom? Don't know, for sure, but it could well be. Many kids his age are. If he worked 40+ hours, would George be as "on fire"?
See, I don't think you can just look at one side of things. Is there a real gap between our generation and how our children view faith? Yes, there is, but there always has been, hasn't there? This is not a terribly new phenomenon. My faith is quite different from my parents. In fact, I believe I came to faith before my parents even though they were the ones who hauled me to church every week -- with them.
As the parent of two twenty-somethings, neither one of whom have a very active faith, if any, maybe I'm out of touch. Or maybe not.
Mike!
I'm 52... or 53... hard to remember these days. My take on George's mother and her job comment is this... Too many churched folks think of their faith activity as a compartment in their ever-busy life. There is my bowling league compartment, my work compartment, my Lions Club (or Kiwanis or Jaycees) compartment, my kids sports compartment, my christian compartment. With all those compartments, I just have trouble finding time to do the things in the christian compartment, like loving hurting people, sharing Christ's love, praying for the wounded. Plus, the church has scheduled the things for my christian compartment activity at inconvenient times (they conflict with my other compartmentalized commitments). And with working 40-50 hours a week, you cannot expect that I have much energy left anyway. Maybe that his how mom thinks.
Better to say, "Hey, I'll take the Kingdom (of God)to my work, to Kiwanis, to the kid's t-ball game, or to bowling league." Maybe mom's problem is not one of time, but one of perspective regarding what the Kingdom life is all about.
Now, do not get me wrong... I do not have it all figured out, and the Kingdom often gets left behind in my busyness, but I think if I am right about mom's perspective, she holds a position common in the church world today. I hear it all the time!
My son knows George and George is right on track about his convictions. You're right Kirk, we have compartmentalized our lives. I used to think evangelism was an event(door to door) but the LORD has shown me it is about bringing HIM to those around us. What a priviledge!!! It's not for the professional(preacher)! Jesus said we are salt and light.
Mike, I hope you are reading these comments. I think mom represents churchianity and the son represents Christianity. In traditional church arenas we often disciple people to be good church members instead of authentic and incarnational Christ followers sent out to change the world.
Young 20 somethings long for an authentic expression of faith that is lived out 24:7.
Hey 20 somethings, where are you on this, I need to hear from you. Can you relate with George?
Kirk, you are right on the money. Thanks for helping us navigate through all of this.
Mike, mom needs no defending, she just needs Jesus in her heart and mind and not just in her mind.
When Jesus is a duty to fulfill then maybe one should consider if they really know Him. That goes for everyone including me and not just mom!
Maybe the full article says more, but you seem to be making a very big assumption about Mom, Bob, based on very few paragraphs that were picked and chosen by the reporter who wrote them. There is no way you can say, with any authority, that Mom does not have Jesus in her heart.
Remember, I've been there (as a reporter). I know how to use words to make whatever impression you want. If the ASSUMPTION of the story was to show the "vital" faith of George opposed to the moldering faith of his Mom (the difference in the generations), then that's the mindset the reporter is going to come from in asking questions and in selecting which responses to use.
If the reporter's any good at all, he or she has a whole notebook/digital recorder of quotes that WEREN'T used either because they were redundant or because they didn't fit the thrust of the article.
Kirk: Absolutely. Compartmentalism is a HUGE problem, and you could very well be right about Mom. Hard to tell from this small sample.
MOM GOES TO CHURCH TO FULFILL HER DUTY, THIS IS CLEAR IN THE ARTICLE. IF GOING TO CHURCH AS AN EXPRESSION OF FAITH IS A DUTY ONE SHOULD CONSIDER IF THEIR FAITH IS GENUINE.
MIKE, YOU ARE STICKING UP FOR THE WRONG ONE.
YOU SEEM TO RESIST THE THOUGHT THAT MANY IN THE CHURCH HAVE A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENY THE POWER THEREOF.
I AM NOT MOMS JUDGE, GLAD FOR THAT, BUT WHAT FRUIT SHOWS THAT SHE KNOWS JESUS OTHER THAN FULFILLING A DUTY AND GOING HOME BECAUSE SHE IS TIRED?
PEOPLE WHO PROFESS TO HAVE THE REAL THING ARE OFTEN THOSE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID OF THE REAL THING. MAYBE MOM IS NOT IN THIS CATEGORY, I FEAR SHE IS, BUT NONETHELESS THE CHURCH IS STILL FILLED WITH ALL THAT I DESCRIBE HERE. BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THEY ARE IN YOUR CHURCH TOO.
YOU NEED TO PICK UP THE USA TODAY ARTICLE AND BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY, THE AUTHOR MAKES A GOOD POINT AND ONE THAT IS QUITE ACCURATE CONCERNING THE GENERAL CHURCH POPULATION.
THE CHURCH IN AMERICA BETTER WAKE UP, WE ARE LOSING THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS WHO LONG FOR AUTHENTIC AND GENUINE 24 HOURS A DAY AND 7 DAYS A WEEK CHRISTIANITY.
MIKE IT IS ALL ABOUT LIFE ON LIFE REVELATION OF WHO JESUS IS AND WHAT HE CAME TO DO FOR ALL WHO DO NOT KNOW HIM BUT WHOM MAY SEEK HIM WITHOUT KNOWING WHO THEY ARE SEEKING.
CAN YOU AT LAST SEE THIS?
No need to shout, Bob.
All I said, I believe, is that we can't know Mom's heart in this. Just as neither can we know George's.
That's all I said.
I am not the one who said Mom does not have Jesus in her heart and neither did I say that she definitely does.
I know, from my long experience in the media, that there is ALWAYS another side to every story. Always.
Why is it when the media writes about something we don't agree with then they are "biased", but when they write about something we agree with, they are not? Do they "turn off" their bias? Do the stories we agree with suddenly become balanced? No, because it's not them, it's us. It's our perception that determines who "true" we believe a media story is.
I have bent fact, and have chosen quotes, to support a story focus I wanted to write. All writers do this, even if they swear they don't. Simply by selecting this quote over that quote you are selecting the impression you want to make. And where do those selections come from? From the worldview of the writer.
I will look for the story, and I have no doubt that (because of the way it's constructed and written) it says exactly what you say it says. (Even though we've only seen one small sample of it.)
But, that doesn't mean it's accurate. I'm not saying it's NOT accurate, I'm saying you cannot judge Mom based on this one article. All you know about her is what one reporter has chosen to tell you. How would you like your life to be represented by one article in USA Today written by Geraldo or Ann Coulter?
I do NOT resist the FACT (nor the thought) that many in the church have a form of godliness. I do NOT resist that at all. The Bible tells us that will happen -- why would I resist that?
I also do not resist the fact that people at my church fit this description. People in EVERY church fit this description.
The Planter screamed:
MIKE IT IS ALL ABOUT LIFE ON LIFE REVELATION OF WHO JESUS IS AND WHAT HE CAME TO DO FOR ALL WHO DO NOT KNOW HIM BUT WHOM MAY SEEK HIM WITHOUT KNOWING WHO THEY ARE SEEKING.
CAN YOU AT LAST SEE THIS?
I answer: I have seen this for a long time. Our differences are in method, not in message.
Mike, What is accurate is that youngins are leaving the church by the droves and they are not returning. They have seen enough. They want Jesus but they refuse to find him at the church (the building).
So what are you and I going to do about it?
I wasn't exactly screaming. I was in a hurry and it was easier the do all caps than worry about what needed caps.
I am glad we agree on the message. I don't care much about the method, as you can clearly see.
Absolutely, the problem is correctly identified, at the least.
As you know, my son and daughter are two of these young adults. My son checked out in his junior or senior year of high school and my oldest daughter has all but checked out, maintaining a personal belief in Christ but choosing not to live that out in any resemblance of a Christian community.
I am grieved in both circunmstances. And there is no organized "outreach" to our 20-somethings. They go off to college or the work world and we
watch
them
go.
I need someone to care about my kids as much as I do -- and no one comes forth. My kids won't hear the truth from me, or rather don't listen to it.
Mike - I want to encourage you that help is on the way. God has heard your cry for your children and is answering.
He is raising up people who will minister to them outside of the traditional institution that has caused a wedge between them and God.
For many years we have tolerated sin and corruption in our churches and our kids have seen it. They want no part of the institiution they see as corrupt and hungry for money. All the while we make excuses for our churches and point only to the good that occurs in them.
God is raising up a new generation that will lead them first to a deeper commitment to Christ and then back into community.
This is already happening in our church. About half of our church comes from this age group. They are disillusioned with church but hunry for God. They carry many scars from their church experience. They long for a place to be real and to open up without condemnation so they can be healed. When they realize they have found that place they quickly become transparent and find healing in Christ. Then they go and share it with others.
Help is coming but It requires time to turn this trend around. The sooner Christians start to examine their practices in light of their professed beliefs the sooner that help will get to them.
The sooner they let go of buildings, budgets, and butts and grab hold of the hurting in love, where they are, and help them find healing, the sooner your kids will be reached. The sooner we quit inviting them to church and start helping them find healing in Christ, the sooner this generation will bring revival to our nation.
Mike - I am there for your kids and others like them. I labor against the traditional flow, not because I am bitter or have baggage as some have suggested, but because your kids need someone to take the persecution and reach out to them where they are and show them the path to reconciliation.
You have my email - If you email me their names I promise to intercede through prayer on their behalf.
Mike, I join the ranks in praying for your kids more fervently. I also want you to know that when Terry commits to praying for your kids, the whole True Vine family prays for your kids. We have corporate intercessory prayer every Monday night. We will intercede on their behalf
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