Our grandkids are spending much of this week with us as their mom makes final preparations for school. She drops them off pretty early. My job is to make sure the door is unlocked so they can get in and rest before we start our days.
You can read much these days about why young people are leaving the church. My duty in keeping the door unlocked makes me think maybe the wrong questions are being asked. We want more than our kids in church. We want them to join us in the walk of faith and the great relationship which is Christianity. Church is a part of that but just a part.
I think where we may be failing is in “locking out” the next generation from our Faith. Here’s why.
Do we fail in making clear what faith is about? I think we talk too much about church and the importance of church. All you have to do is look around the Christian world to see that “church” means a lot of different things to folks. Most of us would be very uncomfortable in the churches most of the rest of us worship in each week. It shouldn’t be a surprise if the generation that comes behind us wants something a bit different in the place they gather.
We talk about our “personal” relationship with a “personal” savior. We need to make sure those who come behind understand that what is important to us is that Jesus meet us where we are and takes us where He wants us to be. We are all different. We are motivated differently and tempted differently. The miracle of Christianity is that Jesus sees, understands and deals with these great differences. We don’t need to have folks join us in our faith, but to want to find answers in faith. By this I don’t mean that any “way” is okay. I’m not talking about different paths to God. I’m not saying that Jesus is “a” way. I fully understand that He is “the” way. My point is that many of us start off in different places. The destination doesn’t change. The “Way” doesn’t change. The path may differ.
We need to live so that the importance of our relationship with Jesus is evident. Our goal is not to put others where we are, but to introduce them to the one who can meet them where they are. When I consider my grandkids I am amazed at our differences. They are growing up in a different world. They will face different challenges and be blessed with tools I never had. But the same Jesus that leads me, can lead them. The only answer to me is the only answer to them.
We need to make sure that we do not, by our attitude, make others think that the minor things are major. We need to keep the main thing, the main thing. The version of scripture we favor, the order of serve we prefer, the denomination in which we exist, even the language of “church” that we use. . . these are the minors and not the majors.
Don’t drag your kids to your church, unlock the door of faith to them by living your life fully and following your Lord completely. We can admire a fan but we love and follow a follower of something great. As Christians that’s what we are.
Be blessed.
Nick
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