As some of you may know, I have lived all over this country
and have friends, from many backgrounds and all branches of Christianity. One
of my friends from MS recently shared an online magazine article, Here’s How the New Christian Left is
Twisting the Gospel, by Chelsen Vicari. Vicari makes a few valid points, if
not general points, yes: members of the Millennials generation is leaving, in
larger numbers, Vicari places the blame on the “traditional” church, pop
culture, and that they are taking Christ out of church.
The first big issue with Vicari argument is she splits
the church into political parties, then splits the “left wing” Christian into
three different groups, couch potato Christians, Cafeteria style Christians,
and Conventional Christians (what she is).
Vicari main issue is that all Millennials generation, who have left “traditional”
churches, because they believe homosexuality is not a sin, sexuality, coexistent
are all just fine and dandy things. Vicari states,
“Millennials' religious practices depend largely on how the
actions make us and others feel, whether the activities are biblical or not. For example, we
only attend churches that leave us feeling good about our lifestyle choices,
even if those choices conflict with God's clear commandments. We dismiss old
hymns that focus on God's transforming salvation, love and mercy and opt for "Jesus
is your boyfriend" songs,”
This statement is very one side view, and largely diminish the
strengths of this generation, my generation. My Millennials
generation, is a generation, which is about being, who truly are and not being fake
and not judging people because of that, which is very much a Christ like attitude,
which is something that traditional churches don’t always do. There was a story
of a rant coming from one of my undergrad biblical professors, who thought that
any worship leader, who followed the trend not ware shoes to remind them that
the church is holy ground, was a great disrespect to the church. For many Millennials it is not about feeling
good, but about being real. I am the first to say that some may take this too
far, but most that I know this not the case. We believe homosexuality is wrong
and a sin, but only way to reach that people group is by love, just like Christ
did he would not have judge a roman male, who kept slave for homosexual
reasons, he would have loved just as he was because he was created in His Fathers
image. If this a liberal view point, so call me a liberal. I currently serve on
a worship team, and know that we would never sing songs about Jesus be our
boyfriend, not only would a little odd with the other three members being straight
males, but because we don’t see worship like that again Vicari is generalizing and
throwing a whole generation under the bus.
Vicari, does make the point that Millennials generation
was taken to church by their families, but what she forgot point out that the
past generation was also a swing generation, leaving free love Hippies of the
60’s to the extreme conservatism of the 80’s they threw the baby out with bath
water, and said that everything, which came out of 60’s was bad. The Millennials
generation, went back to a few hippie trends like, organic food, green living
and environmental conservation neither of wings would say that these trends are
bad things, if not taken to extremes. This
movement is just another movement of the pendulum, going the other way of the
past generation, could this swing go too far maybe. What we must find is a balance
of strong doctrine, based in the truth of word of God and not in the legalism
of man, which very much rampant in the “traditional” church that Vicari is such
strong supporter for. What need to do is stop this swinging and find the balance
of Love your neighbor as yourself, which is the second greatest commandment,
the other is love God as yourself.
Vicari would like to argue that the Millennials
generation is taking Christ out of the church, but I would like to argue from
my personal experience that they are bring back, Christ to the church, how they
are not a judgmental group, who love as Christ loved.
