The Older I Get...The More I Wonder???
Recently I was given the senior's discount at Bob Evan's. I have to admit that I found it rather offensive, after all, I'm only 47 and the discount is for those who are 55 and older. I am a middle aged man doing my best to remain young, to act my age, and to look relevant. I wear jeans and my shirts untucked, I wear Ed Hardy tennis shoes, I'm open to all sorts of music and events, I'm not old and I refuse to think that way!
But I've noticed that the older I get the more I wonder about things. Each generation has it's own sounds and views, they create their own look and culture. I have no problem with that, in fact, I want to embrace it, realizing there will be places I won't fit, things I won't understand, and things I won't agree with...I have no issue with that either!
As a pastor I want to lead my people into new pastures, to feed them fresh food, to be cutting edge, walking and living in present truth, to be a part of what God is saying and doing right now. And this is where I wonder most, because as much as I love and embrace new music, new methods, new mannerisms, I also believe that the Gospel is simple, that Jesus is source of life, that the Word of God has the answers to all of life's questions, that the Holy Spirit able to direct and empower us, and that the church remains relevant in an ever changing society.
What is it that makes life so complicated? Why is it that people no longer accept the simple truth that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life? How do we reach this generation with the simple truth?
Just thinking out loud!
Neil
15 comments:
Good stuff Neil
Thanks for Sharing!
Nice.............
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Only a few years ago, I was a member of that 'Impossible to Reach' generation of twenty somethings. But I've learned that God's message can break through to anyone who has ears to hear, even the most unlikeliest of suspects. Every new generation is labeled the hardest to reach and still, God moves and many heed.
BTW... take that discount and run with it!
Did you take the discount?....
I would have totally enjoyed the discount..:D And I love your blog...thanks for sharing:)
How do we reach this generation (or any other generation) with the simple truth?
You said that the older you get the more you wonder about things. I recently recovered from being 47, and am a wonderer just as you are. As we wonder, we wander into deep ponds of pondering (at least I do) and wonder when we will come up for air. Through our quest we find how deep the simple truth really is.
We want so much to share this deep truth with others! Oh, how we forget sometimes that the ones we want to have dive into the ponderings along with us, have yet to merely dip their toes into the waters, and are not yet ready for the deep!
Before I find myself writing a reply that is longer than the original post, let me end with this:
Keep the simple truth, simple!
The younger generation seems to be all about instant gratification.
I don't know the answer. We just pray for them and pray that God will reach them anyways I guess!
I had given up on church because when I was younger and I took a friend of mine to church with me people were rude to him because he was gay. I thought Christians were hypocrites. My husband changed my mind. He made me realize that I hadn't lost my faith in God. I had lost my faith in people and the two were mutually exclusive. He gave me back my faith in people so I decided to give church another try too. I have even gotten friends to go with me to the Methodist church I now attend.
Music is big with us too. I know that one of the things that made my hubby able to drag me back into the church was that I thought it was cool our Methodist church was doing some of the hymns with electric guitars and a drum set. It was a neat blend. Silly reason to start going back but it got me willing to step in the doors and give it a chance.
IT also got me talking about it to my friends. I am even considering joining the choir.
I don't know what got my kids so fascinated by church too but it is wonderful that when I am sick or if I oversleep they get up and call their grandma for a ride and go to church without me! My 9 year old and 12 year old love church so much they go even when I don't. My 12 year old was confirmed last week.
Returning to church has been wonderful for me. I have reaffirmed my faith. I have gotten back my faith stronger than ever and I truly feel I am on the right path to where God wants me to be in my life. God will reach people even when we can't! He reached me. :)
olá tenha um bom fim de semana. Parabéns pelo teu blog. Gostaria que conhece se o meu informativofolhetimcultural.blogspot.com espero que goste.
Ass: Magno Oliveira
Ed Hardy Shoes??? Who dude! That is cutting edge and freaky! I'll bet you have your scrot' pierced too.
oh l age importe peu il suffit d etre bien dans son corp et bien dans sa tete j ais quelques années de plus que vous disons beaucoup mais j essaye de rester en forme et ne pas trop me regarder dans une glace pour eviter de voir le type qui fait des grimaces voila salut depuis la french riviera
I've been given the Senior discount at a few places, because they dont have the military discount. Maybe the cashier thought you were cute and was trying to earn brownie points? Maybe they knew who you wer, but didn't want to flatter you to much by letting you know? haha, good blog, mate.
Today I met a lot of lovely child. Very happy~~~
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In my opinion:
1. We need to accept who we are and where we are at with our age, gender, etc. Ie. not appropriate to act like a 21 yo girl when you are a 47 yo man.
2. It also matters who we associate with and how much of their mindset we absorb. Ie. kids relate better to older people who spend time with kids cf to older people who don't.
I'm blog hopping here. Came across yours and this post struck a chord with me. I was pondering this same thing about the younger generation.
One day - shortly after questioning the younger generation's views - God was really speaking to me. I heard this on the Christian radio station... They were speaking about the difference between the "older" and "young" generation in how they view the Truth and God's ways.
The older generation has the mentality "if it's the Truth, it works." The young generation says, "if it works (for me), it must be the truth." I've never heard it put so well. We just have to keep praying for them and be examples that God's way DOES work!!
May God richly bless you!
Stephanie
http://daily-victories.blogspot.com
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