If Mr. Tennant is correct in his assessment, then the church will be greatly
affected. We are based in a reality of relationships, proclaimed as relationship
to God, one another and creation.

The impact is already being felt in most congregations. Young people are
disappearing from the pews. They are no different than other generations in that they seek the truth.  They seek the truth, however, through computer technologies such as the internet and each other through social networks such as “Facebook”. They rely on one another to encounter and express ‘the truth”. As a result, Mr. Tennant says the younger generation has become a cynical, smart, isolated, media-savvy audience. They have an infinite number of ways to learn the truth and express it as they see fit. They don’t need the church to find the truth.

Communication technologies today have changed how the message is shared. In fact, more mileage is created by negative communication than by positive. Blogs are filled with angry comments and responses. Put something out there on the technological highway and you can be sure to get a response. Add to that, the fact that you don’t actually “see” the person you are talking to, so you don’t have to censure your voice, nuance, context and emotions. You can depersonalize the person you are “speaking to”.

Young people today do not trust the leadership of the church, and by that I don’t just mean the elected leaders in congregations, synods and national offices. I mean any older adults who on one hand proclaim that God loves all while at the same time has selected an elite group of people who can belong to the denomination, to the group.

A knee jerk reaction would be to question this trend and enter into debate about the value of the church and these life giving relationships with God, others and creation. I don’t believe, however, this would change what has happened. Access to information that young people have allows them to CHOOSE the truth as they see it and we as the older generation have not always modeled a healthy debate about the value of church. In fact, in an effort to excuse ourselves and our behaviours we have laid the blame for some of the world’s and our personal woes at the feet of the church, rightly so in some instances, but not always.

The challenge for the church and especially local congregations is to address this changing environment and become more accessible and visible. It may not happen in our buildings and our current programs. It may mean trying to build relationships through technological ways that are uncomfortable and don’t hold people accountable for their behaviours and attitudes.

Mike Tennant concluded his presentation by saying that Jesus attended to people’s needs and addressed what they wanted before he got to his message. Jesus spoke in their language and he had people spread the word FOR him. Our ELCIC brand has been “In Mission For Others”. We need to do this with authenticity and integrity AND then the message of Jesus Christ will be communicated as the truth “out there in computerland”?

To view Bishop Elaine's blog click on the link below:
mnosynod.wordpress.com