Reaching the next generation

Scot McKnight spoke at the Zoe Conference earlier this month about this new generation (20's and 30's) of "ironic believers". He said among other things:

1. They do not believe in the inerrancy of Scripture.
2. They do not frame the gospel the way we frame it--does the gospel speak to AIDS, Darfur, etc. For them going to heaven is not enough
3. Some of us believe that if science and the Bible conflict, throw out science. They believe throw out the Bible--make it myth.
4. They have been badly burned by the lack of integrity of Christians, and really question authority.
5. Beause of pluralism and multiculturalism, there is an increasing acceptance of other religions--they are not interested in how many missionaries we send out and how many baptisms we have. (Side note: our ironic faith--we
think we have truth, yet we do not promolgate it.)
6. Increasing suspicion of our OT understanding of God.
7. On the treatiment of homosexuality--why ostracize this group and not the greedy?
8. They suspect our use of language--all language has limitations.
9. They question the credibility of the church.

What we do? He said "Young people will believe our faith if they can see it alive. They are never persuaded by intellectual apologetics."

We must:
1. Try to bring some credibility to our lives in Christ.
2. Look to God and be truly different--especially about money and things. He cited Shane Claiborne and those like him who are bringing Christ to that culture--he "embodies the message that what we own doesn't matter, the kingdom is what matters."
3. Look to God and seek wisdom. He asked the same question Rhonda Lowry asked our women recently, "Where are the wise?"
4. Be better at relationships--God is relational. Making rules is easier, but relationships are harder and slower.

That's a lot to digest, but I thought it was a good take on post-modernism.

Stuff and more Stuff

I got eleven catalogs in the mail yesterday--argh! I am learning to throw most of them away without looking inside--no temptation that way. I guess the season of buying and spending is upon us.

Considering what Rhonda Lowry tried to teach us about simplicity this week, I shall be trying very hard not to add to to my stuff. Simplicity is not only an action, she said. It is an attitude of the heart--ant that is why is so hard.....

Our community recently had a garage sale, and I had Sheryl come and get down some stuff from the top shelf in my closet which I cannot reach to add to it. It was stuff I had not only not used in the last four years, but I had really forgotten.
So it was not very hard to get rid of.

If I write about simplicity some the next few days, forgive me--I'm just trying to change that attitude. Now I have to go to a used book sale (I am taking more to donate than I will buy--these are just those mystery novels I read at night, so no trouble giving them away--don't ask me to give away the book I recently bought, however.)