BRINGING THE GOSPEL TO THE ABSENT

GENERATION

Rev. Michael Bogart

2011 Barna Survey

Survey group: Americans between 18-30

• Dropped out of regular church: 61% Evangelicals

(56% Roman Catholics).

• Significant frustration with faith: 51% Evangelicals

(49% Roman Catholics).

• Significant doubts: 41% Evangelicals

(33% Roman Catholics).

2011 Barna Survey

Survey group: Americans between 18-30

These findings translate to eight million American twenty-somethings who were active in church as teens, but who will not be regularly involved by age 30

This number is equivalent to the entire population of Virginia or 20% of population of Canada.)

What is the Absent Generation?(18-35 year-olds)

They are people very close to us:• Some have walked away from

the Christianity completely. (Prodigals)

• Some have left church and are experimenting with alternative ways of following Jesus. (Nomads)

• Some are still in the traditional church, but feeling disconnected. (Exiles)

Many of them have embraced Postmodernism.

What is Postmodernism?

Postmodernism is the dominant worldview of the current period in world history, which rejected the values of the Modern Era (1900-1960s).

Postmodernism is a reaction to the Modern Era’s promises of progress and optimism.

What is Postmodernism?

Postmodernism is driven by the failures and disillusionments of the Modern Era.

Postmodernism is committed to: • Skepticism of tradition and authority

• Redefinition of truth

• Globalism

Postmodernism is committed to:

• Skepticism of tradition and authority. Postmodern people are convinced that those in authority have an interest in maintaining the status quo and holding on to power and wealth.

Postmodernism is committed to:

• Redefinition of truth, including:

Loss of faith in objective facts

A redefined morality

Postmodernism is committed to:

• A commitment to globalism: equality, pluralism and environmentalism.

Postmodern people may react to the gospel much as the Athenian philosophers did in Acts 17:20-21.

“You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.  (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)”

How can the Absent Generation be motivated to actively serve Jesus Christ in a world they claim to care so much about?

What is the gospel?

Maybe it is easiest to start with what the gospel is not: • The gospel is not a political agenda.

• The gospel is not a self-help program.

• The gospel is not the same as the Church, Christian doctrine or Christian culture.

What is the gospel?

As taught in the New Testament, the gospel is simply the good news about restored relationship with God and new life through Jesus Christ.

The Absent Generation: Four reasons for leaving:

Thinkers

Searchers

Casualties

Transplants

The Thinkers

Christianity doesn’t make sense to them.

Common issues: the inspiration of scripture, science conflicting with the Bible, intolerance, God sending people to Hell.

The Thinkers

The Athenian philosophers in Acts 17:22-34 were similar.

Notice: Paul doesn’t directly tackle their sin of idolatry, their immoral lifestyle or their worldly philosophy. He gets straight to the point that Jesus is who they have really been seeking.

The Searchers

Searchers are people who have explored Christianity or religion, but it didn’t seem to work for them.

They never sensed God’s presence in all the activity.

The Searchers

Nicodemus in John 3:1-5 would be similar in some ways.

Jesus invites him to new life on a spiritual plane.

The Casualties

Casualties are people who have been wounded by Christians and / or institutional Christianity.

The Casualties

The example of the Samaritan woman in John 4: 7-15 is similar.

She needed Jesus to heal, restore and use her in ways that brought great fulfillment.

The Transplants

Transplants are people who have been removed from regular association with Christian family, friends and church.

The Transplants

The example of the Israelites in 2 Kings 17:3-6 is similar.

Their removal from the land of Israel, its culture and religion caused a loss of faith in Israel’s God.

Action Step:

Write down the names of people you know who fit one or more of these categories.

• Commit to pray for them this week.

• As God leads, meet with them and talk about how Jesus has worked in your own life.

Give them Jesus!

Jesus is what postmodern people need. He is worth following. He is what they are really looking for!

BRINGING THE GOSPEL TO THE ABSENT

GENERATION

Rev. Michael Bogart