GenZ and Psalm 78

I had the opportunity to teach at Grandcamp for the grandparents in attendance and focused on GenZ and Psalm 78:1-8. Thought I would post my notes in case anyone found it helpful. (If you do, please share the article) I’ll post it in two parts.

The future is always on my mind. I literally can’t stop thinking about the future of the church, our society, our nation, and our world. Everything around us is changing at a continually accelerating pace. And to be honest, things look bleak. It all seems to be falling apart. The church is in decline, our country is divided, the world is in disarray, and I frankly hate chaos. Our only comfort is in the sovereignty of God: our creator, redeemer, and Lord.

Yet tomorrow is always a new day that brings hope. Lamentations 3:22-23 gives us comfort and confidence with these words…

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Generation Z is the term given to those born between 1999 and 2015 who are the largest American generation. They are today’s students and children – 21 and under. According to a recent study, today’s teens are twice as likely as adults to say they are atheist. Author James White, in his book Meet Generation Z, notes “the most defining mark of members of Generation Z, in terms of their spiritual lives, is their spiritual illiteracy…They do not know what the Bible says. They do not know the basics of Christian belief or theology. They do not understand what the cross is all about. They do not know what it means to worship.”

George Barna, leading researcher in the religious life of Americans, tells pastors that the highest priority ministry in the church should be to children. We need to reach and teach scripture to the young in our congregations and communities. Why? According to Barna, a person’s worldview is largely formed by age 13. If we want each generation in the church to have a Biblical worldview the work needs to start young. Currently Barna estimates that only 4% of Gen Z have a Biblical worldview.

A worldview is the lens through which one views the world. It informs the way everything is interpreted. The lens that Gen Z is looking through is predominantly post Christian. There is no basic Biblical understanding of the human condition, the nature of God, our purpose for being, or how we should live. Many of today’s teens are surrounded by those promoting Critical Theory which is antithetical to Christianity.

George Barna emphasizes that worldviews are mostly formed by age 13 and after then it is very difficult to reach and influence people. He stated “America has a profound spiritual deficiency and what that has done is produce a worldview crisis which is responsible for the ongoing cultural demise in the United States”

Today’s younger generations struggle with loneliness despite being the most connected generation to date. Social media distorts relationships and perceptions of others. Nearly 1/3 of GenZ say they have no trusted adults in their lives. 35% say they have no one to turn to when they feel stressed. Nearly 40% have no one to talk to and feel left out. 45% feel as if no-one understands them. Younger generations need stronger relationships not only with each other but with older generations as well.

Last year a leader in the ACNA commented to me that the church is the last intergenerational institution in our society. This notion strengthens my resolve that the church is the hope of the future if it will take on the crucial task of prioritizing younger generations. We can do this!

In speaking to the 2020 diocesan convention, I urged all members of our congregations to be praying regularly for younger generations. Specifically, the call was to pray daily for children and youth in your home, at Bible studies or Life groups, and for congregations to include a prayer every week in the prayers of the people.

Why do this now? What would compel us to pray so intentionally for one generation when we all need prayer, especially in a pandemic? We are facing the least reached and most spiritually illiterate generation in the history of our country. It is reminiscent of what happened after Joshua passed away and the generation that followed. Judges 2:10 tells us… “And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel.”

The gospels remind us that Jesus had compassion for the lost “because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” And he assures us “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:36–38)