My message Sunday on The Lutheran Hour will be about Millennials, that generation of people between 22 and 35-years-old. You’d expect I’ll be talking about them, but Millennials don’t want to be talked about. They don’t want to be lectured to. Most of our Seminary students are Millennials and they get frustrated when older generations talk about them. They want us to talk with them, to hear where they’re at and then hear our stories.
Ted and Chelsea Doering are Millennials who have written a new book, “The Myth of the Millennial.” From Concordia Publishing House, it’s well worth reading. They describe myths about their generation and offer suggestions. One suggestion is mentoring. The Gospel for this Sunday tells how Jesus spent time with Peter and the others. While He preached to large crowds, He spent a great amount of time with just a few disciples. He was in fact mentoring them in the faith. Older generations look for a silver bullet, some program that will bring Millennials into the church. Sunday’s Gospel shows how Jesus was one-on-one with Peter and the Twelve, and – this is interesting – Peter mentored Mark, whose Gospel will be read Sunday.
Ted and Chelsea write: “Why mentor? Why even try to pass knowledge on to the next generation? Because we imitate those in the faith who came before us. Scripture is full of men and women who mentored the next generation…. Mentorship is a gift of age…. Others have grown wise through the years (and) have the knowledge and ability to pass on what they know to the next generation” (160-161).
What young person can you meet where they’re at, listen to them, and tell them all that God has done in your life?
And… Happy Birthday to my brother Bruce. You’re no Millennial!
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