It's the Gospel, Stupid
Generation X and Religion
Jim Belcher
April 1, 1995
The "Baby Busters," "Slackers," "Disillusioned," or "Thirteenth" Generation-whatever you call them, the thirty-eight million young men and women born between 1965 and 1977 comprise our country's first post-Christian generation. Douglas Coupland's term, "Generation X," is a useful tag because it highlights the rootlessness that marks these individuals. To use another of Coupland's phrases, this generation is living "life after God"-looking for meaning largely outside the confines of the orthodox Christian faith. Thus within our borders waits one of the neediest mission fields-and one of the most challenging. "We have a generation coming up that doesn't speak the same language, doesn't go to the same places, doesn't have the same needs, and isn't looking to Christianity to answer its spiritual concerns," says researcher George Barna, author of Baby Busters: The Disillusioned Generation. A lively discussion now rages as the American church struggles with how to "contextualize" the gospel to its first post-Christian generation. Many, including Barna, are suggesting that churches need to find fresh ways to communicate with a generation that does not share common Christian assumptions. "We either change or we lose them," says Barna. Understanding a Generation in Chaos
The first step toward any cross-cultural ministry is education. We must understand the Xers so that we can reach them with the gospel. Social critics including Robert Bellah, Christopher Lasch, and Os Guinness have addressed this topic and have pointed to the formative influence of what has been described as the "crisis of modernity." Xers have grown up in a society characterized by incessant cultural and economic change. Crumbling institutions, fractured families, ...
Like the preview? To read this complete article
and 18,013 more in the archive—JOIN NOW!
Easily find high-quality, well-researched materials that provide a Christian perspective on topics ranging from headlines to history.
Start using this invaluable tool TODAY for preparing your Bible studies, presentations, class lectures, sermons, meetings, and more.
|
It's easy and quick to join:
Brought to You by Christianity Today Int'l |  |
|
| 
Find similar articles
E-mail this page
