Dear Church,
Maybe you can help me with something. Something has been on my mind for quite some time and after looking at it from all angles; I still just can’t put my finger on an explanation. Here’s the dilemma that has been bugging me lately. Why is it that seemingly an entire generation of people lacks commitment? I know, I know, that’s a pretty bold and generic statement, but let me explain. My generation, known as the “Millennial Generation”, aka “Generation Next”, aka “Net Generation”, aka “Echo Boomers”, or aka “Worst Generation” lumps people born between the mid 1970’s to the early 2000’s. And, it just seems that one of the characteristics that describe it is a lack of commitment to really anything.
Think about it. Service groups like the Lion’s Club or Kiwanis Club are shriveling up across the country because the majority of their members are 50 or up. Or think about the Church. Why is that so many young people are vacant from Churches, only to re-appear like some long-lost prodigal son or daughter when they start their families and watch their kids to be baptized? Or think about relationships. Why is it that we hear more and more stories of people living together, raising kids together, and doing holidays together, but forgoing ever getting married? Could it be that we simply lack commitment?
Why is that? Obviously I don’t have all the answers. But maybe it’s because we’ve grown up with things that have a short life span. We get new phones and computers every few years, so perhaps it’s the same case with the turnover in our lives? Or maybe it’s because we’ve been spoiled rotten our entire lives and have never really been told “no,” and have been preached to that we can grow up and be anything we want when we’ve flunked out of organic chemistry first semester freshman year in college. Or maybe it’s because we simply can’t comprehend longevity. No one anymore gets through school and works at the Lumber yard, or at the Bank or in the same job for their entire working career.
Now I just might be all wet on everything I’ve said (written), but then again, I might not be. This past week, I pulled a three-bowler of chili at our Wednesday evening church dinner hosted by our “Weed & Feed” group that tends to the beauty of our Church campus. I saw Glenn Gouwens who taught school for the better part of 30 years and now has anteed up in the life of the Church. That’s faithfulness. I had a warming conversation with Nell DeYoung, who hasn’t missed a Sunday in worship, even after standing beside the graveside of her beloved husband, Hank, just a few months ago. That’s commitment. And I had a conversation with Charles Dix who was already planning what the Weed & Feed group would be working on next before the snow comes. That’s loyalty. I could go on, but you get my point. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy I’ve grown up in a generation where I can get a new cell phone every two years. But I think we’ve lost something from previous generations. I think we’ve lost a willingness to commit; a desire to put your name on the dotted line and be held responsible; an earnest interest in sticking with something, even if it’s not “successful” in the short term.
How do we combat this problem? Again, I’m not so sure. I don’t think it’s really worth rattling off all the positive benefits of service, commitment, and faithfulness throughout the years. Maybe it’s enough to look to the life of Jesus. You don’t think Jesus had all the excuses in the world to give up on us? You don’t think Jesus had all the reason in the world to get off the cross? You don’t think Jesus had all the logic to take the road most traveled? But he didn’t. He stuck by us. He hung there for us. And he walked with us. Would it be too much to ask that we do the same?
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Matt
