Where Have We All Gone?

Since I finished college 8 years ago, I have had the opportunity to be a part of 6 congregations. No, I’m not a church-hopper. I’m a pastor. At one point a church plant pastor. At another, an unemployed pastor. At another, the pastor of two churches at once. I am 31 year old. 

                One of the saddest realizations for me, is that I am keenly aware that at all of those places I could count the people my age who came regularly on one hand. And many of those people came in connection with a family in that congregation. And it breaks my heart. Now let be clear, it does not break my heart because they are the church’s future. I know many generations older than mine are concerned about this. I am not. It breaks my heart because they are my people.

                Some of the reasons it breaks my heart our pretty selfish. There are not enough people to have a serious small group for intentional faith development. There is not a majority to advocate for the things that make worship meaningful for our generation. Even more, there are not enough voices setting the priorities and values for reaching this generation. So my voice and my generation’s voice becomes a whisper among the enduring faith of the “Great Generation” and drowned out by the drums of the “Baby Boomers” contemporary worship. There is no one to share similar life stage issues with like the balance of family life and the two careers in our household. There is no voice that can say, “I know what you mean, that just happened to me last week.” It is incredibly lonely.

                But even more than that, my heart breaks for God’s kingdom. I grieve for the families, for my friends who don’t know Christ, who don’t have the support of his Body on earth. I grieve that they have to rely on the government when times get tough, which is only concerned with their survival and has stigmatized Capitalism’s losers. I grieve that they don’t have people to hug them, to come to their house and teach them how make laundry detergent for a cheaper price, or take them bargain hunting. I grieve that in those times, they are told they are worthless, instead of being told they have gifts to share with others.  I grieve when I see how lonely, how tired, and hoe empty they are.

                I have been told consistently by baby boomers about my generation and what they need in a church. But I have yet to be asked. When I have shared things, they have told me I am wrong. So I go on, serving the generations before me, who tell me there are no people my age in this community. And I wonder, where have we all gone?