Mark Driscoll makes some observations on the younger generation.
My personal experience having preached all over the country reveals three things:
One, adolescence is extending into the early thirties. Practically, this means that young people are delaying most major life decisions from career path to marriage, children, and even which set of spiritual beliefs they will adhere to. Subsequently, their ambiguity and lack of certainty about Christian doctrines is not surprising in light of their entire life.
Two, young people are committed to churches not built for them but built by them. Around the country young people are flocking to churches that have clear authoritative Bible teaching about real life issues, are lead by authentic leaders, include night services, use online social media, embrace technology, serve the poor and suffering, strive for community, encourage creativity, and allow young leaders to lead at the highest levels.
Three, young people are more spiritually honest. The days of feeling some sort of cultural pressure to adhere to historic Christian truths is simply gone. Subsequently, we may not be seeing younger people less devoted to Jesus Christ but simply more people being honest so that those who in the past would have professed faith they did not possess or practice are simply being honest which is more admirable than being a hypocrite.
As a church leader, the second observation is the one that strikes me. What am I doing to engage younger people to build churches (ours or others) (house churches, small groups) that will reach out to their generation? What is your church doing?
As a father, it is the first observation that strikes me. What am I doing to raise my children to live a life of certainty and commitment in their twenties? What are you doing?
