Gen Z
Are We Doomed?
There’s a saying that I’ve heard for many years stating that “We are only one generation away from a dying church.” Growing up, I heard that my generation (millennials) would ruin the world, and would be the demise of every good thing the generation before had built. I have heard this conversation being repeated for this next generation, Gen Z. After all, they are addicted to their phone, take random selfies, and who can forget, making eating Tide-Pods a dangerous trend.
While this has potential to be true, I refuse to believe that Gen Z is doomed! As the years go by, we watch as terrible things begin to sneak into the lives of our teens. The enemy (Satan that is) whispers lie after lie after lie into the hearts and mind of our youth. Slowly but surely he begins to chip away their identity.
But, I’ve had the opportunity to witness youth and teens all across America come together and bow down in worship before their Creator. I’ve seen students perform gifts and talents that God has equipped them with. During a specific event, in a moment of prayer, one night I heard a young man break the silence. From the back of the room, he cried out in surrender to God “God, have your way in my life, I surrender my will over to you!” In front of thousands of people, he cried out unashamed of those around him. He didn’t have a care in the world who heard him because in that moment, it was only Him and Jesus in that room.
I’ve also witnessed the next generation step up and commit their future to God pledging to take the baton of those who went before them. They promised to run the race of endurance and change the world only to raise up leaders in their place when their time has gone. I’ve heard the voice of God as He clearly spoke through several leaders who exclaimed that this was the generation that will raise up and be the light to this dark and hurting world.
This generation is not broken but a masterpiece. Not hopeless but our only hope to find our way back to God. Not failures but our future. This generation is not lost but still searching for salvation. They are not yet full because they are still hungry for more of God. This generation is not just the church of tomorrow, but the church of today.
BUT, this generation will never reach their full potential if the generation before them continues to feed into the lies of the enemy and continuously speak false identity over them. If we want to see this generation succeed into the warriors God has called them to be, it is CRUCIAL that we speak the hope and life of Jesus Christ into them. We are to refrain from telling them all of the things they are doing wrong. Instead, we must stand hand in hand with them, equipping them with the tools and platforms they need! It is time we speak the TRUTH of their identity upon their lives and recognize that THEY ARE A CHILD OF GOD…CALLED TO CHANGE THE WORLD!
