Over the last few months I have had the privilege of spending time with the younger generation of 20+ year olds and boy, have I learned a lot!  Not only are they very aware of what is going on in the world at large but also what their generation needs to find purpose and fulfilment.  As I pondered the things they have told me, the activities they’ve invited me to, and watched their giftings in action, I have been inspired!  So here are my top 5 reasons why you should go out and connect with the younger generation and I’ll label it as SMART.

1) While we often plan goals that are Safe – they look for Sensational!  So many times I have been in meetings where we are looking towards the future and we set goals that are achievable and boring and safe.  Goals that anyone could accomplish.  Goals that really don’t require much faith at all.  The younger generation long to see the power of God at work in their lives, in the lives of their friends and family, and in the community.  They don’t want Safe — they want Sensational!  And why shouldn’t they?  Why shouldn’t we?  We serve and awesome Sensational God!

2) As we get older we want to Make God in our own image – they desire the Mystery of a God who is bigger than their own problems and challenges before them.  Modernity has brought us many marvelous advances in society.  It has also brought a spiritual rot to the church.  Everything must be quantifiable and understandable – especially God.  For thousands of years the Mystery of God and His “higher ways” were accepted with faith.  Today, unless a person can understand God in their finite mind or have His ways explained so they are acceptable to the individual, there is either a) no God or b) because He cannot be contained we don’t want to acknowledge Him.  The next generation is thrilled that our Creator God sees them, loves them, and wants to be with them in REAL WAYS!  Reason 1 and 2 create what they crave the most in 3…

3) Adventure.  Its not enough for them to look for our Sensational Mysterious God but they want to actively test Him by obediently moving forward in an adventure of faith.  As we read the book of Acts we see the early New Testament church responding in the same way!  They came face to face with the grace and power of God, received the Great Commission to go out to the ends of the earth to make disciples and they did it!  Everywhere they went people came to know the healing and life-giving power of Christ!  The next generation wants to see the sick made well, demons cast out and people brought out of darkness into a life of light!  They are willing to risk the secure religious life for one of anticipatory adventure walking alongside of God!

4) What resonates most for them in this adventure is seeing Restoration brought to our world for the glory of God.  Most middle class suburban churches are consumed with buildings, inner politics and keeping “the flock” happy (and their denominations) that they rarely have the time, energy or resources to look outside of their own congregation and get a world view of people and where they are at…what they need.  The younger generation sees no discrepancy between partnering with an effective secular organization in order to best meet peoples’ needs be it clothing, clean drinking water or food.  When this gets married with their faith and desire for people to meet and believe in a powerful God who loves them there is an amazing effectiveness.  Since the Fall of Creation God has been working to restore the world and people back to Himself.  The younger generation gets this, understands they are called to participate in this and they desires to make this a major focus and priority in their lives.  They don’t have the desire or time to waste on church politics…perhaps we shouldn’t either.

5) Temptations and Trials…it is no secret in our congregation that I love our women’s ministry and want to see it flourish BUT my heart is to see men reached for Christ and young men grown up with a love and commitment to God.  Men are a priority for me.  In watching our church grow in the past few months I have been excited to see my prayers being answered by God…we are getting more and more young men!  Young men who are seeking God, seeking to grow and develop in their own lives.  But what they have really been teaching me…is they are driven to deal with their Temptations so they are holy before God.  They are teaching me that every Trial needs to be covered in prayer through sharing these things with each other as they “walk along the road” with each other and seek God’s heart with each other.  There is an transparent honesty that is inspiring and it develops a humility between each other allowing them to truly be iron sharpening iron.  They have realized its safer to share and support each other then to hide their sin and shame and struggle in isolation.  And to them I say, “Bravo!  Well done!  Keep going!  And thank you for including me in your adventure of spiritual development!”

For a generation many have written off as lazy and without work ethic, I can say with enthusiasm that what I see is a generation who will set our world on fire for God.  So if your spiritual embers are barely glowing.  If you are tired of hiding behind a facade of spiritual perfection while internally you are struggling…ask a member of the younger generation if  you can pray with them, be a part of their prayer walks and hear their ideas to grow God’s Kingdom.  I know you will be as inspired as I am by their testimony and witness in their lives.  To God be glory both now and