2012 & BEYOND

2012 & BEYOND
We are dealing with a serious sense of disconnect in a lot of our churches. Certainly the mantra of how to effectively reach out to society in culturally relevant ways, without compromising our message or mission has been discussed in Seminary courses all over the nation the last few years.
I am concerned about the fact that many do not seem to realize that the nation has changed. The generation that elected President Obama is not the same generation that elected President’s Clinton or W. This generation is quite different and they are not up and comers, they have arrived.
I am of the opinion that many, if not most leaders in the evangelical church do not understand them. They are environmentally conscious, not offended by same sex relationships, culturally and ethnically sensitive as it pertains to the treatment of others, and well educated. They think critically, are influenced more by education and social relationships than they are history or the church, and are fairly intolerant of the viewpoints of those they perceive the be out of touch with reality as we start the second decade of the 21st Century.
I could certainly list some of the deficiencies of this group, and strategic ways to convert and disciple them, but the point of this particular blog is to convey one simple fact; the leaders of the evangelical community do not understand how this group of people think, and so the church is out of touch with the group of people that elected President Obama.
The nation is not changing, it has changed, and we are going to have to think differently both and relate to people more effectively if we want to become more relevant in the years ahead.