Ryan's Reflections

Sherpas are natives of Nepal who coach those who attempt to climb Mount Everest. Sherpas know more about the massive mountain than anyone else because they have taken the 29,000 ft. journey numerous times. They know when to climb and where to climb. They know where danger lies and they know where it’s safe. These Sherpas are trained and willing to guide people through the exciting and daring adventure of reaching the highest peak in the world.

Do we have qualified and eager coaches (Sherpas) in our lives?

I often wonder how valuable it is to have generations worship separately. The buffet of worship options today is stunning. Do I worship with the older crowd while singing hymns and seeming out of place because I didn’t wear my “Sunday best?” Do I enter the baby boomer service declaring that “I am a Friend of God?” Or, do I enter the lazer light show with fog and rock’n worship? Is this right? Is this what the writer of Hebrews had in mind when he stated “Let US not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let US encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Depending on the cultural setting and contextual surrounding of the church, having a smorgasbord worship selection may be okay, but it seems that young adults are hungry for connection and are, in fact, interested in building relationships cross-generationally. According to Lifeway research, 68 percent of churched young adults identified the opportunity to receive advice from people with life experience as very important. Sure, young adults do desire relating with people their own age in the context of a small group; however, they also appreciate opportunities to connect and worship with older mentors/coaches. Those who attempt to take the journey up Mount Everest are eager to connect with a Sherpa who can show them the way. Similarly, most twenty and thirty-somethings would love for an experienced ‘Sherpa’ to come along side them to assist them through the challenges of life. Young adults place a high value on education and often times their methods of learning are through other people’s experiences. How often do we allow older people to speak into the lives of the younger people?

I’m not necessarily suggesting that we stop offering multiple worship venues, but rather that we also offer times where multiple generations can come together. Young adults need Sherpas who can help guide them through the challenges of their life and the complexities of their faith. How does a newly engaged woman learn to love her fiancé unconditionally when she had an abusive father? Where does a young man go when the woman he thought he would marry just left him? Where does a new believer begin in scripture when he’s never even opened a Bible? These are real questions from real people who need real answers from experienced “Sherpas.” Perhaps you know of a few “seasoned saints” who could serve as coaches to those in your ministry. You can approach them with humility while simply asking them to begin praying about specific people that they can build a relationship with. I suggest that forced relationship is not the best method, but that organic relationships, which will require some intentionality, can be a healthy solution. It’s a bit surprising  just how “relevant” older people can be by not even trying to be. After all, young adults will take authenticity over relevancy any day of the week.

Here are some other ways to be intentional when trying to narrow the generational divide…

Support other ministry events
If you are a leader to young adults or just simply a young adults, don’t only attend your own events, but discover how to serve and support the women’s, men’s, and senior’s ministry events.

Include other generations in what you are doing
Invite a few 70 year olds out to your bowling night, ask a 55 year old couple to share at your next small group meeting, and talk some baby boomers into showing you how ultimate Frisbee is really played.

Lead by example
If you lead a ministry than young adults will take your lead. If they are constantly complaining about other generations, you may want to look internally. They need to hear positivity coming from your mouth and they need to see some healthy interaction between you and the other generations.

Always ask yourself, “how can we better serve the people of the church?”
It could be meeting people at their car on a rainy day and offering an umbrella. It could be greeting people at the door. It could be taking care of their kids in Children’s Church or nursery. Whatever it may be, get young adults actively serving your congregation.

Originally appeared in the Teen Girl’s Ministry Magazine.

Relativism is defined as the belief that knowledge and truth exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute. Relativism accepts that truth regarding faith is not exclusively found in Christ, but is rather determined by the environment you find yourself in. According to Josh McDowell, 94% of all teenagers believe that truth is relative. Furthermore, McDowell’s research indicates that 91% of all Christian teenagers affirm the belief that truth is relative.

The idea that truth is determined by our cultural context is an intriguing concept and one that is actually played out…to some degree. From example, I recently visited one of the British Isles and quickly noticed something different about their vehicles and how they drive. While Americans share in their affinity of cars and roads as the main source of transport, the vehicles on the island came equipped with steering wheels on the right side of the cars and drivers were instructed to drive on the left side of the road. It seems odd to us Americans, but for those living in a British colony, it is the right way to operate a vehicle. Considering the cultural context of a British Isle, it is absolutely the best idea to drive on the left side of the road.

Driving in a different part of the world can cause drivers to think differently about the path they’re going to take to their intended destination. In America, people tend to avoid left hand turns into busy traffic. We often discover a longer, yet less burdensome path by turning right. In British countries, however, the tendency is to avoid making a right turn. We all eventually make it to our destination, but we get there the best way that works for us. Similarly, many people go down all kinds of different roads hoping it’s the right road to Heaven. The assumption is that getting to Heaven is like trying to maneuver a car through busy streets on the way to the mall. A growing thought of many Americans is…as long as I arrive to the destination (Heaven), it doesn’t really matter how I get there. At the core of relativism is the belief that there are many ways to Heaven, and that we get to decide which way works best for us. It sounds fascinating, but the problem with that view is Jesus.

Jesus repeatedly said he is God.

The belief that Jesus is God was not made up by Christians, but is something Christians believe because Jesus said it himself. Mark 14:61-63 writes, Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus, “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming of the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” Also, in John 8:58 Jesus claims eternality when he says, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!” In addition, some pop culture celebrities may claim that they can point you on your path to Heaven. Jesus, however, not only points people to Heaven, but promises that He is the only way to Heaven, saying in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” If there is another way to Heaven besides Jesus, then His 6 hour painful execution on a cross for our sin was pointless.

I was recently in Washington State with my family. One morning we decided to visit my wife’s aunt and uncle who live on an island. The only way to get to this island is by driving on a narrow bridge. There is no other way to get there. If people want to go to this particular island, they have to drive across this one bridge to get there. No one argues that there must be another way. No one suggests that the bridge is inconvenient. No one claims to know a better way. And no one demands that the bridge doesn’t work for them.  You see, Jesus is the bridge to Heaven. Paul writes to young Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men. He is the way and only way to Heaven. While there may be several roads to take on the way to the mall or our favorite restaurant, Jesus provides one road to Heaven. This is great news.

Even though culture may try and sway us from our sincere devotion to Christ, we can rest assured in knowing who Jesus really is. He not only knows the way, but He is the way. The Bible clearly proclaims the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the one and only bridge between God and man. It is His death which is the sacrifice that cancels God’s hatred toward sin, and it is His resurrection which proves the value of His death. It is faith in Him which enables His people to enter into Heaven. How we enter Heaven is not relative. The only way to Heaven is absolutely through Jesus.

Romans 3:22-25 (New Living Translation)

²² We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

 ²³ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. ²⁴ Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. ²⁵ For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.

About 10 months ago I sat down with Chuck Bomar. Chuck is the author of College Ministry 101 and The Slow Fade – Why You Matter in the Story of Twenty Somethings. Chuck served with Frances Chan in Southern California as the College Pastor for several years before moving to Portland, OR in 2008 to plant a church.

This is an interview with Chuck Bomar. Chuck is a college ministry expert who talks about what churches are doing to engage “twenty-somethings.”

Slow Fade: Interview with Chuck Bomar from Damon DeLillo on Vimeo.

You can purchase The Slow Fade here

Below Glenn Lucke interviews Gabe Lyons.

http://theresurgence.com/v/pd5qh7c4nbta

Interview Outline

The Founding of Catalyst: 0:24
The Formation of Relevant: 1:47
Compelling Factors: 3:40
Changing Trajectories: 6:05
Finding Mentors: 8:41
Recovering the Gospel: 13:10
The Role of Politics in Christianity: 17:01
Humble Change: 20:50
The Idol of Relevance: 23: 07
The Motivation of Relevance: 26:03
Using Technology: 28:27
Six Characteristics of the Next Christians: 32:38
Taking the Gospel into Dark Places: 37:07
Q Gatherings: 40:45