When you look at today’s generation of young people, are you frustrated or do you see potential? Today on the Multiply! Podcast, Brian talks about Gen-Z. Tune in as we discuss the culture that is raising this generation and how to reach Gen-Z youth with the Gospel.
Takeaways:
- Post-truth – “The idea that objective facts are less influential than appeals to emotion and personal belief”
- Truth means less than feelings and experiences do
- Students are being saturated in this cultural mindset
Secularization – the church is losing it’s influence in our society and in our culture
Privatization – a chasm is created between the private and public spheres of life
Pluralization – individuals are confronted with ideologies and faith options that are competing for their attention
- Do we spend our time fighting the people who are trapped in this system, or do we spend our time loving them and giving them an answer to their greatest problem (sin)?
- The people in our world are not our enemies – Satan and his system are our enemies
- The individuals who are in between non-religious and very religious are drawn to whatever is culturally accepted
- We need to start sharing the Gospel with children as young as possible so that they are not as influenced by the culture
This generation:
- They want constant stimulation
- They communicate in short thoughts more frequently
- They crave constant and immediate feedback
- They are very visual
- Three values they hold to:
- They are value-oriented but not traditional
- They are spiritual but not necessarily religious
- Tolerance is redefined as validation
How do we reach this generation?
- If you teach students, engage them in talks that are visual and have the right starting point (they may not even know who Jesus is)
- Respect their social media space
- Find out how your students like to be communicated to
- Be careful how you talk about today’s culture
“Youth-quake” – a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people
Resources:
James Emery White – http://home/283089.cloudwaysapps.com/bnfxndjgwh/public_html.churchandculture.org/james-emery-white
Brian has been in youth ministry for 23 years. He is passionate about communicating truth to young people and the leaders that work with them. Brian loves to play, watch and talk about all kinds of sports. He and his wife Lynn have three awesome teenagers and live in upstate, NY.