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My next to last generational post this month (I’m hitting the road next week) is on the subject of sin—a subject that not many pastors even want to talk about these days.  A lot of people tell me that millennials are a lost generation.  Let’s examine that for a moment.

I’ve heard twice this week, in separate conversations, that I’m a member of the “fast-moving toilet paper roll” generation.  At our age, we’re getting down to the end of the roll and as paper is removed, the roll goes faster and faster and . . . well, you get the picture.  I’m not a physicist but I’m heartened by the fact that the toilet paper is coming off the roll at the same rate as always.

Last week, I heard an astonishing statement from someone who leads a ministry to millennials.  He said that millennials not only struggle with but avoid the gospel.  Let me examine that statement with you for just a minute.  If you are a millennial, I don’t think you’ll mind.

In this age of social media and poor penmanship, I have a confession to make.  So, I determined that I would make this confession with this blog post.  Some of you won’t believe it.  Some of you will just shake your head and walk away.   There have been times that I’ve warned people that I’m not perfect, and someday—eventually—I’ll disappoint them.  Today could be that day.

In his book, Contentment: The Secret to a Lasting Calm, Dr. Richard Swenson describes life as a tunnel that proceeds in one direction—the same direction as time.  As birthdays come and go, I am more and more convinced that I will not get to the end of the tunnel before my time in the tunnel is concluded.  I’m convinced there is brighter light at the end of that tunnel, but I can’t make it out.  It’s not for me to do so.  It is veiled.  God will determine the end of history and unveil the exit to that tunnel of life and time.

I recently read a critique of the Church by a millennial who was trying to explain why only a small percentage of his generation attended services.  That same day, I was also informed that a national Bible study group was raising red flags because only 2% of its members were from the millennial generation.  The implied notion from the millennial was that soon the Church was going to be extinct and the Bible study group was concerned it was going to dry up.

In 2002, my bride and I took our 25^th wedding anniversary trip to Hawaii.  There, we concluded some family “strategic planning” of sorts and one of the outcomes was that we would give up the monthly payments we were making for cable television.  We determined that she was watching too much American Movie Classics and I was watching way too much Food Network.  

There are so many assertions and truth claims and alternative facts and fake news items floating around these days, you almost want to see which ones sink first so that you know how to find the true truths.  If that doesn’t make sense to you, it’s not supposed to.  One never “floats” true truths.  They stand on their own.

The Cold War I fought in was filled with deception and ruse.  In that war of containment our (usually) communist opponents would recognize the propaganda bonanza of luring a young pilot across an international boundary, and capturing him in the act of “aggression.”  So, they would send out false radio signals and navigation beacons hoping to sway us to turn in their direction.

In lieu of a blog post today, I’m sending you over to our friends at Prager University.  Dr. George is always probing for truth, even when you’re taking him to the airport.  Enjoy this brief video and have a great weekend.   https://www.facebook.com/prageru/videos/936699176372939/