the self-centered spirituality
There is a millennial void in churches. Young adults groups are slimming, attendance is declining and my generation is seemingly struggling to find its place and voice in assemblies.
I have read many articles about this phenomenon, one that concerns me deeply. I think our approach to this issue is however faulty. We are emphasizing again and again how the Church can be made further relevant to millenials- make it authentic! make it quality! make it clear! make it proactive!
Perhaps you, like me, think there is more to it than this. Quite honestly, I think these are feel-good solutions.
Instead, I think many of us need to pray for a heart change.
Do I think millenials should be effectively silenced and not share their vision? Of course not. After all, Joel prophesies about the collaborative movement of the Church. I read "Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams" (Joel 2:28). The Spirit empowers all generations to work together to bring God's Kingdom here.
I absolutely believe that some of our concerns about the Church are legitimate. However, other frustrations are quite honestly a manifestation of our sin. There is nothing biblical or life-giving about a chronic complainer, especially one who feels the need to express his or her constant grievances yet does not care enough to get involved. If we aren't actively seeking to invest our time, money and efforts in change and transformation in our local church, I would go so far as to say we do not have the right to criticize the way it operates. Caring about the church involves doing things for and in the church, not just sharing unsolicited advice. Having lately become a pastor's daughter, I now see that I have often failed to recognize how much prayer, thought and work is put into a church's every move.
This is why I believe so strongly that our first reaction must be active, diligent prayer. Let us pray that God would soften our hearts. Let us pray for peace which transcends all understanding. Let us pray for gentleness and patience. Let us pray so as to savor His character, and understand more fully His love for His Church.
Millenials, we need to shift the guilt from our churches and our leadership and look into ourselves. And as we delve deeper into where our heart is, I pray that we all come to the humbling realization that it's not about us.
Music doesn't speak to my soul? Sermon is too long? I don't click with anyone my age? The building is not set up the way I'd like?
It' s not about me.
And just to quell my sense of entitlement a little more, I have to remind myself daily that God actually doesn't owe me anything. Not even the worship, teaching and church community of my dreams.
Coming to terms with this hurts. And I won't pretend like I don't struggle with this.
We live in a consumer-based culture which communicates to us that our desires are what is most important. We bring this mentality into the Church and it permeates our spirituality. We have a self-centered faith, focused on what I get out of a worship set, a Bible study and a sermon. We all want comfort. I sure do. But in the upside down economy of God, comfort is not apart of the equation. Far from it.
Learning to surrender our opinions, preferences and desires to Him is a biblical principle. Again and again through Scripture, this theme is emphasized like neon signs against a dark sky.
In Luke 9, Jesus says, "Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head."
In Matthew 16, He tells his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
Discipleship is costly, not comfortable.
Being a follower of Jesus is messy, not sexy.
I'm not called to be a consumer in my church. I'm called to be apart of its mission.
A church is not established for me to be entertained or to feel good about myself. It's a place of gathering of broken people where Christ's name is exalted.
And guess what? In the midst of discomfort, that's where the Spirit is at work. That is where grace is. Are we so blind that we can't see that this is the gospel? That it's in the uncomfortable, messy, imperfect and broken places that God carries out His plan to impart Himself onto us and dwell among us?
In Genesis, we read that God promised a land to Abraham and his descendants. We then follow Abraham's trajectory through Mesopotamia. He, his family, his servants and his herd moved from Ur to Haran to Canaan to Egypt to Hebron and I'm certainly missing more than a few. He had to separate from his nephew Lot. He dealt with the infertility of his wife Sarai. He faced conflicts and threats. This nomadic (and rather dramatic) journey seems anything but comfortable. And to make it worse, he never made it to the Promise Land. Last week, I heard a preacher point out that, despite these incessantly uncomfortable circumstances, the very knowledge of the promised land was enough for Abraham.
Brother and sisters, we need to accept this for ourselves, too. Truthfully, we might never find true comfort in our churches. But may the very knowledge of the comfort, joy and abundance we will find in the Kingdom of God satisfy us today.
For now, I pray my roots will run deep in the messy places, the places of discomfort that I feel out of place in. And when my need for comfort manifests itself, I pray the Spirit would remind me it's not about me, because it's about Him. Unto Christ be our focus and praise.
I have read many articles about this phenomenon, one that concerns me deeply. I think our approach to this issue is however faulty. We are emphasizing again and again how the Church can be made further relevant to millenials- make it authentic! make it quality! make it clear! make it proactive!
Perhaps you, like me, think there is more to it than this. Quite honestly, I think these are feel-good solutions.
Instead, I think many of us need to pray for a heart change.
Do I think millenials should be effectively silenced and not share their vision? Of course not. After all, Joel prophesies about the collaborative movement of the Church. I read "Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams" (Joel 2:28). The Spirit empowers all generations to work together to bring God's Kingdom here.
I absolutely believe that some of our concerns about the Church are legitimate. However, other frustrations are quite honestly a manifestation of our sin. There is nothing biblical or life-giving about a chronic complainer, especially one who feels the need to express his or her constant grievances yet does not care enough to get involved. If we aren't actively seeking to invest our time, money and efforts in change and transformation in our local church, I would go so far as to say we do not have the right to criticize the way it operates. Caring about the church involves doing things for and in the church, not just sharing unsolicited advice. Having lately become a pastor's daughter, I now see that I have often failed to recognize how much prayer, thought and work is put into a church's every move.
This is why I believe so strongly that our first reaction must be active, diligent prayer. Let us pray that God would soften our hearts. Let us pray for peace which transcends all understanding. Let us pray for gentleness and patience. Let us pray so as to savor His character, and understand more fully His love for His Church.
Millenials, we need to shift the guilt from our churches and our leadership and look into ourselves. And as we delve deeper into where our heart is, I pray that we all come to the humbling realization that it's not about us.
Music doesn't speak to my soul? Sermon is too long? I don't click with anyone my age? The building is not set up the way I'd like?
It' s not about me.
And just to quell my sense of entitlement a little more, I have to remind myself daily that God actually doesn't owe me anything. Not even the worship, teaching and church community of my dreams.
Coming to terms with this hurts. And I won't pretend like I don't struggle with this.
We live in a consumer-based culture which communicates to us that our desires are what is most important. We bring this mentality into the Church and it permeates our spirituality. We have a self-centered faith, focused on what I get out of a worship set, a Bible study and a sermon. We all want comfort. I sure do. But in the upside down economy of God, comfort is not apart of the equation. Far from it.
Learning to surrender our opinions, preferences and desires to Him is a biblical principle. Again and again through Scripture, this theme is emphasized like neon signs against a dark sky.
In Luke 9, Jesus says, "Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head."
In Matthew 16, He tells his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
Discipleship is costly, not comfortable.
Being a follower of Jesus is messy, not sexy.
I'm not called to be a consumer in my church. I'm called to be apart of its mission.
A church is not established for me to be entertained or to feel good about myself. It's a place of gathering of broken people where Christ's name is exalted.
And guess what? In the midst of discomfort, that's where the Spirit is at work. That is where grace is. Are we so blind that we can't see that this is the gospel? That it's in the uncomfortable, messy, imperfect and broken places that God carries out His plan to impart Himself onto us and dwell among us?
In Genesis, we read that God promised a land to Abraham and his descendants. We then follow Abraham's trajectory through Mesopotamia. He, his family, his servants and his herd moved from Ur to Haran to Canaan to Egypt to Hebron and I'm certainly missing more than a few. He had to separate from his nephew Lot. He dealt with the infertility of his wife Sarai. He faced conflicts and threats. This nomadic (and rather dramatic) journey seems anything but comfortable. And to make it worse, he never made it to the Promise Land. Last week, I heard a preacher point out that, despite these incessantly uncomfortable circumstances, the very knowledge of the promised land was enough for Abraham.
Brother and sisters, we need to accept this for ourselves, too. Truthfully, we might never find true comfort in our churches. But may the very knowledge of the comfort, joy and abundance we will find in the Kingdom of God satisfy us today.
For now, I pray my roots will run deep in the messy places, the places of discomfort that I feel out of place in. And when my need for comfort manifests itself, I pray the Spirit would remind me it's not about me, because it's about Him. Unto Christ be our focus and praise.
Now may the God who gives endurance and who supplies encouragement grant that you be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify and praise and honor the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, continue to accept and welcome one another, just as Christ has accepted and welcomed us to the glory of [our great] God. (Romans 15: 5-6)
-Words of the Apostle Paul to the Romans,
in a time of struggle and conflicting visions within their church.
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