Evangelical Christianity has been angry long enough at the lack of spirituality from Generation X to Y. The story we hear at BCM from the “typical” Gen. Y & Z Christian goes something like this. “I grew up in church with Christian parents, made an early profession of faith, then I struggled with some major issues in my teen years; for the most part these students kept the issues “under the table” during those dark days because of embarrassment, guilt etc...
Is there a reason that most Gen. Z Christians struggle with such serious issues?
Parents have contracted their children’s spirituality out to the local church through hiring “Christian professionals) and sending them to youth camp to find spirituality. Many times, parents take their children to church every time the doors open for youth choir, bible drill, etc. The misconception is that every ritual makes them more spiritual. We can’t compartmentalize discipleship. Discipleship should be the context of our life not a compartment. Unfortunately, parents can often focus on the externals (do’s and don’ts) and not the internals (namely, the hearts of their children). Could this be the reason Gen. Y is leaving the church?
My parents understood the spiritual value of modeling familial discipleship in the home. This example taught me that Christianity is about relationship not rituals.
We have a great opportunity at our disposal to teach this generation a different way of holistic discipleship.
Great post! Children sometimes are "made" to attend so many church things that once they get a little bit of freedom they don't go to church because they built up resistance to it because they always "had to". I personally "had" to always be at church and sometimes I didn't want to be there because of the fact of "I had to". It kinda is like a book you "have" to read for a class. If you didn't "have" to read you would, but since you have to then you build a resistance to it and don't want to anymore.
ReplyDeleteI feel our generation hates to be told they "have" to do anything. People want to do what they want and when they want it. It could be something they enjoy but once they are asked or told to do it then they immediately get a distaste for it because it isn't what "they thought or planned".
Hopefully things will change and as we mature we will not look at things including church as "have to" but "commanded to" by Jesus and are "blessed to" be able to worship together with fellow believers.