Reaching the next generation is easier and harder than you think

The easier thing

It is true that it is easier and harder to reach the next generation. Let me start with the easier one. Sometimes we feel this burden that if we are going to be effective as pastors, Christians, or parents, we must have this cultural experience. You need to know what Taylor Swift is singing about. In fact, my kids will just say, “Dad, please don’t ever mention Taylor Swift in a sermon. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Or on a more sophisticated level, we think we need to understand what it’s all about The New Yorker or what exactly is critical theory. Those things matter, and we need people—at least some of them, not so much the end of pop culture—to really help us understand how we got here and how we dissect things.

But the fear is that we will be so tied up in knots of thought, I can’t reach the next generation because I don’t understand how TikTok works. I don’t know what he’s into.

And then people almost do the worst thing, which is try to make an awkward cultural connection that just seems like an old or middle-aged guy trying too hard. So I want to tell people that it’s easier than all that.

The harder thing

But here it is more difficult: he loves people.

In a good way, I think many Christians try to use cultural connection as a shortcut to the harder work of love. I mean, what are you trying to do? At best, you’re trying to make those cultural connections to say: I care about you. I want to understand your world. I’m someone you can trust, someone you can listen to.

Again, some of this is fine, but it’s much more important to be the kind of person who invites people into your home. Are you giving people the gift of your curiosity? We all know people who, even at a very old age, can play a very important role in the life of someone very young. And I don’t know everything about culture. And actually, sometimes it’s kind of refreshing. But they love them and there is wisdom.

So it’s easier in that you don’t have to have a PhD in cultural apologetics; and it’s harder, but even better, in that what God calls us to do is to love them, to tell the truth to the next generation, to be the kind of person whose life is marked by holiness.

Second, Peter says that if you have these godly qualities in your life to an ever-increasing degree, you will not be ineffective or unfruitful. If you are a growing godly Christian, you can be effective in ministering to other people and leading others to know Christ and follow Christ.

That’s the good news. And this is easier and harder, but better than we might think.

Kevin DeYoung is the author The secret (not so secret) to reaching the next generation.

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