“Deconstruction, Pornography and Social Media — Oh My! What’s a church to do with today’s youth?”
An intriguing title for a breakout session during the recent New Mexico Baptist evangelism conference.
Samuel Bierig, vice president of undergraduate studies and dean of Spurgeon College in Kansas City, Missouri, led the session with, “Let’s discuss the difficulty factor of the current and upcoming congregation of students. I hope to ground you in what you can trust — in the timelessness of God’s plan.”
Noting newer generations find ways to hurt themselves at younger ages than in the past, Bierig pointed to statistics about screen time to help leaders disciple them.
‘Courageous confession’
“There is a tendency to shrink back and give the kids a break,” Bierig asserted. “Do not lighten the load of what Jesus says. Show them that they are to be otherworldly and often social martyrs.
“It takes courageous confession, especially around the sexual sin of the younger generations,” Bierig noted. “This implies that we are a safe enough place for students to confide in us. We are to put our value in Christ. And the youth will have to do the same thing.”
The younger generation will fail since it takes time to kill bad habits, Bierig asserted, but leaders must stand by them.
“We know that Christ will complete the task that He starts.”
Bierig explained that sin’s cost is significant and should prompt leaders to speak the truth in love. Drawing from Exodus 34:6–7, he noted leaders must be patient, according to God’s call, encouraging them to accept the reality of awkward discussions, engage students in conversation and urge growth from “where they are.”
“What does their soul need? Be bold, crucify [the] fear of man. I need to love them enough that I do not care what they think about me.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Isaiah Unland and originally published by the Baptist New Mexican.
