I believe the year was 2015 and I was attending a newly formed theology conference that a good friend of mine had begun. I believe 2015 was the second or third year of the conference and the attendance was impressive. The conference was held in the church where my friend is the pastor, and I would have guessed there were some 700 or more in attendance. Thankfully, today that small gathering of 700 has turned into thousands as God has blessed and expanded my friends dream beyond anything anyone could have imagined. However, let me get back to the early days because it was then that I began to understand some things that would shape my ministry and challenge me on many different levels.

As I look back on that particular conference that year, I can remember walking around talking with people and I began to take notice that the vast majority of those I was speaking with were a lot younger than I was. Now, please understand, I wasn’t that old myself as I was in my mid 40’s, but the reality remained the same, there were a lot of younger 20–30-year-old men and couples attending a theology conference. A conference that featured preacher after preacher teaching deep doctrinal truth from the Bible. There were no laser lights flashing, no big band and booming sound system, no cool trendy young speaker with holes in his jeans and cool hair; none of that sort of thing was there. The speakers were generally older men (one in his 80’s), wearing a tie and jacket, the music consisted of a few musicians playing some old and modern hymns, and the setting was a church sanctuary with fluorescent lights lighting the way. If there were ever a setting that would repel the younger generation, this would be it; at least so we are told.

That conference had a major impact on me and how I view the generation that is coming up behind me. I can’t tell you how impactful it was to see young men leading their families in the worship of God. Young women embracing the honor of motherhood and some even wearing head coverings (now I’ve done it). These young people didn’t come looking for a grand production and a concert style atmosphere. They didn’t come looking for the next great trend in the Christian church. They came to hear men of God open the Word of God and simply preach it to them. They came, not to “lean into” the latest life principle, or to be sure the “posture of their heart” was inclined to the latest self-help trend going on in the church. No, they came to chew on the meat of God’s Word and learn how that might lead them to a greater view of who God is, and to a greater degree of faithfulness in their lives. It was as counter to the prevailing notion of what many believe about the younger people in our culture as it could be, and it was glorious! 

So, why write about all of this, and why does it even matter? Well, it is important to be reminded that for all the lamenting and handwringing concerning this younger generation, all is not lost with the younger folks. Yes, it is true that the younger people being raised in this current culture are very different, and the difference is more than what many older folks are comfortable with. Sadly, far too many are all about themselves, disengaged, unless it is on some app on their phone. The vast majority have rejected the idea of objective truth and instead embraced a type of relativism that lives in the grey areas of life, and certainly has no place for God or His Word. They have rejected the church and embraced a type of humanism and liberalism that forces them to convince themselves that a man can be a woman, or a man can have a baby, or whatever else a wicked and depraved culture can dream up. These are the young people that find prominence on the nightly news tearing down statues and burning flags, and destroying buildings. 

As insane as many of them in our culture seem to be, they are not the entire story. There are some good, less radicalized young folks among us. All in all, they are not trouble makers and they desire to have whatever is left of the American dream. Some will try to start a family, and some may even get married (imagine that). Sadly, many will simply shack up with each other as that is no longer looked at as shameful anymore. Babies will be born to parents with different last names and the façade will be celebrated, but I suppose that is better than burning down a city right, I suppose. But what about young people and the church? I mean we hear all the time about how young people are fleeing the church, and sadly, in many respects that is true. However, there are still some church goers out there that are under 50; what about them? The young church goer that many are familiar with typically go to larger, trendy, and very programmatic type churches. Churches in very large cities typically have the greatest advantage in drawing people in. Many younger folks like to be in the center of activity, and churches that position themselves there will find it easier to connect with younger people. Now, of course those churches must have what the consumer is looking for. The music and atmosphere must be right, and the preaching must be relevant to the needs of younger people, and the programs must be top notch so that their kids can be taught the Bible and have lots of fun at the same time. This model has success in drawing people in, and many a desperate pastor in small rural towns have tried to implement it only to be run out of town. 

What I have noticed over the years is that many of these types of young church goers get bored with it after some time. What happens when the music gets old, and the preacher loses his “cool edge,” and the things that used to seem so creative and cutting edge, falls to the ho-hum, big yawn status; what then? Well, for some, it is on to the next great thing the church gurus are putting out. However, this is not true of all the young church goers. Let me revisit the young people I spoke about above, because I am fully convinced that they are the true future of the church. 

As I have had the opportunity and privilege of joining with an amazing group of people to start Christ’s Church of Hartwell, these younger people that I met at the theology conference have been heavy on my mind. As I have said, there is a demographic of young Christians that desire something more. There are those who have developed a renewed interest in the great doctrines of Scripture and a greater appreciation for a simpler, more robust historical faith that was handed down to us. These young people have rejected the pragmatism that is embraced by a great deal of contemporary evangelicalism. They have come to understand that Christianity is about truth over emotion. The truth they embrace must be defined and not watered down because some in the church refuse to put in the hard work of study to understand. These young people just want to know what God has told us in His Word, and they want to center their lives to what it says. 

In reality, what they want is what all of us should want who call Christ Lord. They desire to see and be part of a true, authentic expression of the body of Christ. They desire real community where young and old are together, learning from each other and greatly edifying one another. They want a church that doesn’t make them the center of attention. They want music that is rich in theology and message. They want to sing about the beauty of God and not about themselves. They desire to make a difference right where they are. They desire to sit in a sanctuary with their family, with the lights on, and have the man of God preach the Word of God to them. It really is that simple. For me, that is what I desire for Christ’s Church to be. I am not knocking any other churches. They can do what they believe God is leading them to do. But for me, I have a great desire to stand before a group of young men and women who are not looking for me to be awesome, but who are looking for me to point them to the One who is truly awesome. 

If you are reading this and you find yourself in this demographic of young people, I would say to you do not settle. We would love to have you join with us at Christ’s Church and if you come to feel it isn’t the place for you, we will do all we can to help you find that place. To the older generation out there, take heart, all is not lost. There are some wonderfully godly young people who are in need of some godly older people to speak wisdom into their lives. God has not allowed you to live this long to simply complain about those who haven’t lived as long as you. He has a work for you to do and part of that work is to pass the baton off to those behind you. This is what we desire and what we will seek to do, by God’s grace, and for His glory and the good of His people.               

Pastor Michael