The Young Church?

Evangelical Outpost is linking to Jollyblogger.

Yet, we've got everything backward. The biblical pattern is that youth are to adapt to the wisdom of the aged, but in the church today the aged are told they need to adapt to the whims of the youth.

Hmm, is this why the church keeps chasing it's tail? We'll try anything and everything to be relevant to young people, the old honor the young, whereas biblically the young are to honor the old.

My response to this is 1 Corinthians 9:

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

To the youth I become like the youth. The biblical pattern is that the saved must adapt to the lost in order to share the Gospel with them. There are vast numbers of young people born to parents that have forsaken the Gospel in the social/sexual revolution of their own youth. A generation may be lost if we do not act.

Now we must not forsake the wisdom of our parents and elders, that is where this whole mess started in the 1960s. But why must we tie the Gospel to mere cultural concerns like styles of worship? Or styles of dress? Or smoking or drinking wine with dinner or card playing? To do so is foolhardy. Stick to the basics: Christ is risen and through him we are saved. Everything else is negotiable.

UPDATE: To answer David's question in the comments about how we disciple the young to respect the old, I have a simple answer. Get the older people involved in discipleship. The bible doesn't just honor the aged for their years, more importantly it honors their wisdom and experience and instruction.

Yes there will be some old curmudgeons the kids won't respect but this is mostly because the curmudgeons refuse to respect the youth. The older folks have to do unto others and treat the young like the young adults they are. It will take a certain temperament not everyone will have. There will be amazing men and women of God who have been following Him their entire lives in the congregation. Get them into positions where the youth can meet them and learn from them. The youth will see that and if you are teaching them to respect God and wisdom, the light of God will attract them to the older folks like a moth to a flame.

I remember a man at my church named George Yost. I was in high school and he was at least 80 and in declining health. He was also a WWII hero (hence the limp), an ex-engineer, and the greatest man of prayer I have ever met. Yes, he was old and a little kooky, but he could pray God down from the heavens. Retired, he prayed "professionally" for people, especially missionaries, worldwide. He spent hours a day doing that. And he had stories of answered prayer that were incredible, I wish I had paid more attention.

He died several years ago now and I truly miss walking into church, hearing him say "Hey buddy!", and then shaking his hand. He was always there and always friendly and damn I miss him. Thank God I'll get to see him again, only without the limp and the chronic pain. "Hey Buddy, welcome to Heaven!"