Music...
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Hello Friends, we thank
you so much for joining us
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during this General
Conference Global Camp Meeting
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and today, we have a
very, very special topic
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that we're going
to be discussing...
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learning and
growing in and that is,
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we've entitled
this: Operation Gen Z
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that is: Operation Generation Z.
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We're going to be
talking about how to witness...
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how to reach the hearts
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of the younger
generations of our time
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with this
post-modernist mentality
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that has emerged and
become so dominant in our time.
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My name is Ryan Day.
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I'm representing the 3
Angels Broadcasting Network
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and it's a
privilege and an honor
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for me to join you at this time.
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I have lots to
discuss... lots...
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many, many, many different
points to go through today
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but before we
dive right into that,
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I want to just have a quick word
of prayer as we go to the Lord.
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Let's do that now.
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"Our Father in heaven,
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Lord, we certainly need
Your leadership and guidance
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during this
time... I know I do, Lord.
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As we consider and contemplate
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how we reach the
hearts and minds of our youth
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around the world,
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Lord, we know You died
for every single person
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including the young people
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and Lord, it seems like there
has been a shift in mentality,
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a shift in worldview in
these emerging generations
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as of recent
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and Lord, we want to know how
we can reach them on Your level,
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not with our tactics...
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not with our
perceptions or our methods...
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but Lord, we want to use Your
method and Your method alone.
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So, Father, help me now
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and power me with the
power of Your Holy Spirit
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as we unpack and
discuss these multiple points
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and how we can
reach the hearts and minds
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of the youth of today,
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we ask this in Jesus'
holy name, amen... amen... "
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Operation Gen Z.
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As I was preparing for this,
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I found a rather
interesting quote
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from a gentleman by
the name of Peter Drucker
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who wrote a
quite-popular paperback in 1992
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that was printed and
published and it's entitled:
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The Post-Capitalist World
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and I want to
read that right now.
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Notice what he says... he says:
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on screen...
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Of course, because this is
entitled: Operation Gen Z...
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we're talking about this
new emerging Generation Z.
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In fact, I have a list
of the different generations
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from the 20th
Century into the 21st Century
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and you will see
very clearly there
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people born in the early
1900s there from 1910 to 1924,
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you see it's entitled:
The Greatest Generation
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and then, of course, you have:
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The Silent Generation
that followed... 1925 to '45
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then, of course, that
famous Baby Boomer Generation
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from 1946 to '64
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and then you have those that
were born in what's known as:
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Generation X from '65 to '79
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and then, of
course, in recent times,
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we've heard a lot of talk
in news and... and... and...
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and in all over
about these Millennials...
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the Millennial Generation
which was born from 1980 to 1994
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but then we have this
new dominant... powerful
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and very influential generation
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because these are our teenagers
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and even young
adults by this time...
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we're talking about
our: iGen Generation
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or, of course, Generation Z
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which are those born
between the years 1995 and 2012
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and, of course, not
necessarily at this point
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a part of our
conversation just yet,
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but, of course,
the newer generation
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they've already
dubbed as Gen Alpha
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which are those born
between 2013 and 2025.
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My Friends, if you have
lived in the world today
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and you are a Christian
and you have conversated...
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you have communicated
with different age groups...
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from different generations,
then you know that it seems
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like it can be challenging
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to reach the younger
generation of today...
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in fact, I think this has
been an ongoing thing now,
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probably for the past
decade... decade and a half...
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people are wondering:
How can I reach my kids?
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How can I reach my grandchildren
with the gospel of Jesus Christ?
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It seems like
they might not even be
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you know,
interested in spiritual things
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where it seems like their
interest in Biblical themes
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or the Bible
itself or Christianity
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is just simply non-existent
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but my Friends,
I'm here to tell you
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that there is hope.
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In fact, just to kind
of outline and identify
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that there is such
a great distinction
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between what is
known as Modernist
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or the Modernist Mentality
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which we would also dub as a
traditional-Christian mindset
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versus this new
Generational Z Mentality
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or what's known as:
Postmodernist Mentality,
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there is a direct difference...
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there is a clear
differentiation between the two
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and I believe that probably
better than anyone else,
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Dr. Hyveth Williams who is an
Andrews University Professor...
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in her book:
Nothing But the Best
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in which she is
basically instructing
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how to preach properly using
different preaching methods,
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she has a chapter in
which she deals with this
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and I just
brought this Section up,
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I want to read it,
it's a little lengthy
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but I want to
show you what she's...
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she's making a differentiation
between the transition
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of the Modernist Mentality
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to the
Post-Modernist Mentality...
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the yesterday's traditional
approach to life in Christianity
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and now this new emergent
approach to Christianity
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where truth is relative
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and this is what she
says as she's opening up
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talking about that
traditional Modernist Mentality.
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She says,
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"We" speaking of the
traditional Christians...
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on screen.
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She's saying: This is
what we were raised on
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but she goes on to say,
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on screen.
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And, of course, as
I'm reading through that,
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I can relate to
that... I can understand that
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because in my ministry
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and in my evangelistic ministry
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as I've traveled
along and around the world,
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I have run into many young
people who are of this mentality
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and it seems like it takes a
little bit of an extra effort
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to get them interested
and draw them to consider
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spiritual things
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but my friends, there is hope.
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I want you to know that if
you are at home right now...
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you're a
parent... a grandparent...
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a family member... a friend...
or just an acquaintance
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and you are wanting
to reach your youth...
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you're wanting to
reach the young people...
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my Friends, Jesus died
for them just like anyone else
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but they have indeed grown up
in a generation and in a culture
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that is drastically
different than yesterday
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and instead of
writing them off and saying,
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"Oh, they are the
lost generation... "
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or "They're the generation
that has grown up with no God
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or no Christian morals
or no Christian values... "
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it just simply takes...
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it takes time to
work through the ideas of
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how to approach
this in a very tactful
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and a
methodical way and which...
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you can indeed reach the
hearts of these individuals.
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So, the question, of course,
I'm asking at this point is...
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I'm going to begin to
break down individual points
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and how we can set ourselves up
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for success in reaching the
hearts of these Post-modernist
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New-age thinkers...
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I want you to
just ask the question,
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"How can we witness to
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and reach someone
of this mentality?"
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I want to read this
quote from the sixth volume
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of the Testimonies page 471.
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This comes from
the Spirit of Prophecy
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and this is what she had to
say about the youth in general
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and I love this because
it brings hope to us, right?
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It says,
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on screen...
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and I love this last line,
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"The Lord will
open ways before those
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who will respond to His call. "
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My Friends, what
this is telling us
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is it's not any method
or mentality or approach
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that we're
going to come up with,
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we just simply have to
allow the Lord to use us...
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the Lord will... as it says here
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will open ways before those
who will respond to His call.
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The Lord will
draw these young people
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and he's going to
use us in the process
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to help draw them... to
help bring them along the way
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and lead them and guide them
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and be a friend to
them in the process.
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So, I'm going to read this now,
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this is something that
I believe is the standard
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for all evangelism...
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it doesn't matter what age
group you are witnessing to...
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young or old...
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this is... in my opinion...
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the only method that works
in reaching the hearts of men.
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Of course, if you are
Seventh-day Adventist Christian,
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you might already be familiar
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with this quote
that I'm going to read,
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it's not going to
come up on your screen
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but just listen very carefully
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because this quote
is one that I have used
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and I have
implemented for many years now
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and it is the only
method that I have learned
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that truly works in reaching
the hearts and souls for Christ
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and that is something that is
known as: Christ's Method Alone,
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okay, "Christ's Method" and
I have to add that word "alone"
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because there is no other
method that works but this one
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and this comes from the
Ministry of Healing, page 143
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and this is what she says,
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she says, "Christ's method alone
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will give true success
in reaching the people... "
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so, only Christ's method alone
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will bring about true
success in reaching the people.
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"This Saviour... "
and then she goes into how
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this Christ's
method must be implemented
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and that is how Jesus done it
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is the same way that
we should do it as well
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and she goes on to
give a multiple-step process
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and how that is to be done.
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Number 1: The
Saviour mingled with men
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as one who desired their good. "
00:11:01.32\00:11:03.73
So, we're going
to talk about that
00:11:03.76\00:11:06.13
and how this applies to this new
millennial perspective, okay,
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or this new Gen Z
perspective, right?
00:11:09.73\00:11:12.50
"He showed sympathy for them...
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He ministered to their needs
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and He won their confidence. "
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All of these are crucial
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and once He was
able to do those things
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and win their
confidence... their trust...
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then He bade them, "Follow Me. "
00:11:27.15\00:11:30.95
So notice, Jesus
didn't just show up to someone
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whether young or old...
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generation this
or generation that...
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He didn't just show up and say,
00:11:37.93\00:11:39.53
"Hey, follow me,
I'm the Messiah... "
00:11:39.56\00:11:41.40
He proved Himself...
He won their confidence...
00:11:41.43\00:11:44.40
He gained their
trust in Him as a friend
00:11:44.43\00:11:46.80
and of course, all of
those that I just listed...
00:11:46.84\00:11:49.10
He mingled with them as
one who desired their good...
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He showed them sympathy...
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and of course, He
ministered to their needs
00:11:52.74\00:11:54.81
and won their confidence.
00:11:54.84\00:11:56.18
All of these we have
to take in consideration
00:11:56.21\00:11:58.08
when we're witnessing
to anyone of any generation
00:11:58.11\00:12:00.28
and this new
Millennial Gen Z Generation
00:12:00.32\00:12:03.28
is no different, my Friends.
00:12:03.32\00:12:05.19
And so, at this point,
00:12:05.22\00:12:07.16
I want to begin listing in
the time that we have left,
00:12:07.19\00:12:09.82
I want to go through
in a very methodical way
00:12:09.86\00:12:13.23
and list multiple points...
00:12:13.26\00:12:15.10
we many not be able to
go into too much detail
00:12:15.13\00:12:17.43
but at least it
will give you an idea
00:12:17.47\00:12:19.40
of some ways that we can
open up and reach the hearts
00:12:19.43\00:12:23.57
of the younger
generations of today.
00:12:23.61\00:12:25.47
I'm going to... first of all...
00:12:25.51\00:12:27.04
I didn't actually list
this as one of my points
00:12:27.08\00:12:29.18
but then in the
process of praying about this
00:12:29.24\00:12:31.11
and thinking of how I
was going to present this,
00:12:31.15\00:12:33.28
I went back and I said,
"Number 1... here it is... "
00:12:33.31\00:12:35.38
You got to pray...
00:12:35.42\00:12:36.75
I know we hear this
all the time from Ministers
00:12:36.79\00:12:39.59
prayer is key...
00:12:39.62\00:12:41.82
I don't care who
you're witnessing to...
00:12:41.86\00:12:43.93
I don't care what
type of generation
00:12:43.99\00:12:45.83
you're trying to reach...
00:12:45.86\00:12:47.20
young or old...
00:12:47.23\00:12:48.56
my Friends, at
the end of the day,
00:12:48.60\00:12:49.93
if you do not go into it
with a prayerful mentality,
00:12:49.96\00:12:53.03
meditating on God's Word
and praying and asking the Lord
00:12:53.07\00:12:56.87
to equip you to be able
to conversate... communicate
00:12:56.91\00:13:00.68
and reach the
heart of this person,
00:13:00.71\00:13:02.68
from the
perspective of Christ...
00:13:02.71\00:13:04.75
then, you will not have success.
00:13:04.78\00:13:06.72
Our prayer should be
simple and to the point
00:13:06.78\00:13:09.02
and that is, "Lord, help
me to see this individual
00:13:09.08\00:13:12.22
through Your eyes...
00:13:12.25\00:13:13.59
help me to see Your children
in the way that You see them...
00:13:13.62\00:13:16.99
help me to... to
exemplify Your love...
00:13:17.03\00:13:20.46
help me to have and share and
project the mercy and the grace
00:13:20.50\00:13:24.37
and the love of
Jesus Christ to reach them
00:13:24.40\00:13:26.77
in the way that Jesus
Himself reached the people... "
00:13:26.80\00:13:30.11
that should be our prayer...
00:13:30.14\00:13:31.54
that should be Number
1... at the top of our list.
00:13:31.57\00:13:34.11
But especially,
00:13:34.14\00:13:35.48
here's our Point Number
2 I guess you could say,
00:13:35.51\00:13:37.41
as we're going down this list,
00:13:37.45\00:13:38.78
Number 1: I think
this is probably...
00:13:38.81\00:13:40.65
this is what we
really have to start
00:13:40.68\00:13:42.48
with this younger generation...
00:13:42.52\00:13:43.95
I am speaking from experience
00:13:43.99\00:13:45.35
because I have spent quite a bit
of time over the past few years
00:13:45.39\00:13:48.29
as a recent... Youth
Pastor in recent times...
00:13:48.32\00:13:51.09
having worked with
lots of different youth
00:13:51.13\00:13:53.83
over the last
decade... decade and a half...
00:13:53.86\00:13:56.46
and I can tell you my Friends
that this is vitally important
00:13:56.50\00:13:59.83
okay, so here it is: Listen.
00:13:59.87\00:14:02.77
Pause...
00:14:02.80\00:14:04.34
Listen to them.
00:14:04.37\00:14:06.17
Provide a
genuine compassionate ear
00:14:06.21\00:14:10.45
to be able to give your
time in listening to them.
00:14:10.48\00:14:14.98
That means approaching them with
a non-judgmental communication.
00:14:15.05\00:14:19.95
Did you hear what I just said?
00:14:19.99\00:14:21.66
Non-judgmental
communication is key
00:14:21.69\00:14:24.53
in reaching the
hearts of these young people.
00:14:24.56\00:14:26.76
Just simply providing an ear...
00:14:26.80\00:14:29.20
being a person that
they can come and open up to
00:14:29.23\00:14:31.43
and talk about... with things
that perhaps they may not be
00:14:31.47\00:14:34.27
able to talk with
with somebody else
00:14:34.30\00:14:35.74
or talk about
with somebody else.
00:14:35.77\00:14:37.21
Listen to them...
00:14:37.24\00:14:38.67
listening makes
room for people...
00:14:38.71\00:14:40.68
that's just a general rule.
00:14:40.71\00:14:42.21
In a culture... now we're
speaking of this Generation Z...
00:14:42.24\00:14:45.18
this Millennial Generation
00:14:45.21\00:14:46.82
and even this
upcoming generation Alpha
00:14:46.85\00:14:48.68
that we're going
to see in a few years.
00:14:48.72\00:14:50.45
My Friends, in a culture that
places high value on acceptance,
00:14:50.49\00:14:54.32
this is no small thing
00:14:54.36\00:14:55.86
and if you think you're
going to reach the hearts
00:14:55.89\00:14:57.63
of these young people
00:14:57.66\00:14:58.99
and you think that you're
just going to come full-fledged
00:14:59.03\00:15:00.76
you know, and not listen to them
00:15:00.80\00:15:02.20
and imposing your
values... your thoughts...
00:15:02.23\00:15:04.20
your ideas upon them
without hearing them out,
00:15:04.23\00:15:06.63
you'll never reach their heart.
00:15:06.67\00:15:08.34
When we make space...
00:15:08.37\00:15:10.44
don't... don't
miss this next point
00:15:10.47\00:15:11.81
because I wrote this
down and I want to make sure
00:15:11.84\00:15:13.48
that you're
hearing this very clearly.
00:15:13.51\00:15:15.94
When we make space
first for who people are
00:15:15.98\00:15:21.55
and then for
what matters to them,
00:15:21.58\00:15:24.89
only then, can we
know how to offer ourselves
00:15:24.92\00:15:28.22
and our faith to them.
00:15:28.26\00:15:30.93
If you're not invested
in genuinely open and caring
00:15:30.96\00:15:36.30
about this person and
how they feel about something
00:15:36.33\00:15:38.93
and what they
think about something
00:15:38.97\00:15:40.67
and how they perceive something
00:15:40.74\00:15:42.37
according to the culture
that they've grown up in,
00:15:42.40\00:15:44.61
then you'll never be
able to open the door...
00:15:44.64\00:15:46.64
unlock the key to their heart
00:15:46.68\00:15:48.14
in reaching them with
your thoughts... your ideas
00:15:48.18\00:15:50.58
or your faith
00:15:50.61\00:15:51.95
and of course in
this pace and age
00:15:51.98\00:15:53.35
we often... in
listening to young people
00:15:53.38\00:15:55.08
and... and I have
made this mistake myself
00:15:55.12\00:15:56.79
but especially
the older generations
00:15:56.82\00:15:58.82
because we grow up with
that very strong moral principle
00:15:58.85\00:16:02.52
Christian perspective...
00:16:02.56\00:16:03.89
we often... sometimes
we'll lend an ear to listen
00:16:03.93\00:16:07.00
but we're quick to...
you know, to quickly respond
00:16:07.03\00:16:10.57
because we're more of
a solution-type people,
00:16:10.60\00:16:13.27
you know, "You got a problem...
00:16:13.30\00:16:14.64
you got something
you're sharing with me...
00:16:14.67\00:16:16.00
let me hear it...
tell me about it... "
00:16:16.04\00:16:17.37
and then we want to quickly tell
them how to fix those problems,
00:16:17.41\00:16:19.51
we want to quickly impose
00:16:19.54\00:16:21.21
our thoughts and
our ideas upon them.
00:16:21.24\00:16:23.28
Do not lecture them...
00:16:23.31\00:16:24.65
do not impose your
thoughts and ideas.
00:16:24.68\00:16:26.85
At this point in
this relationship
00:16:26.88\00:16:28.98
in trying to reach them
with the gospel of Jesus,
00:16:29.05\00:16:31.19
you have not won
their confidence yet...
00:16:31.22\00:16:33.36
okay, you still need
to win their confidence.
00:16:33.39\00:16:35.09
You're trying to
be a friend to them.
00:16:35.12\00:16:36.59
You're trying to be a... a...
a person that they can trust
00:16:36.62\00:16:39.83
and in this point, they just
need someone to listen to them
00:16:39.86\00:16:43.03
and consider them
and their thoughts
00:16:43.06\00:16:45.13
as a genuine person...
as a genuine individual.
00:16:45.20\00:16:48.04
Number 2 Point... I know we're
going through these quickly
00:16:48.07\00:16:50.71
because of time...
00:16:50.74\00:16:52.07
I see that clock
and it's clicking away
00:16:52.11\00:16:53.74
and so, I want to be
able to get all of these in.
00:16:53.78\00:16:55.11
Number two is key... going
back to Christ's method alone,
00:16:55.14\00:16:58.31
this is crucial.
00:16:58.35\00:16:59.68
Show sympathy and
genuine attentiveness
00:16:59.71\00:17:03.52
to the thoughts,
ideas, and challenges
00:17:03.55\00:17:07.46
they may be experiencing.
00:17:07.49\00:17:09.52
This kind of is
connected to Point Number one
00:17:09.56\00:17:12.39
but at this point...
after you listen to them
00:17:12.46\00:17:15.26
and you're
giving that ear to them
00:17:15.30\00:17:16.77
and creating that
openness between them...
00:17:16.80\00:17:19.47
between you and them...
00:17:19.50\00:17:21.34
you need to be sympathetic,
00:17:21.37\00:17:23.14
you need to sympathize
with a genuine attentiveness
00:17:23.17\00:17:26.34
to their
thoughts and their ideas
00:17:26.37\00:17:28.11
and the challenges that
they may be experiencing today
00:17:28.14\00:17:31.05
or... or in the past
00:17:31.08\00:17:32.41
or... or, you know, just what
they're experiencing in general.
00:17:32.45\00:17:34.98
You will never
become a person they trust
00:17:35.02\00:17:38.92
unless you show
genuine care and awareness
00:17:38.95\00:17:42.82
to their real issues and ideas
00:17:42.86\00:17:45.13
and this kind of
goes back to again...
00:17:45.16\00:17:46.90
the idea of, you know,
imposing your thoughts and ideas
00:17:46.96\00:17:49.83
just simply listening
and... and showing sympathy
00:17:49.86\00:17:52.87
for what it is that
they're dealing with
00:17:52.90\00:17:54.24
even if you disagree
with them in your heart.
00:17:54.27\00:17:56.14
Let me give you an example.
00:17:56.20\00:17:57.54
Someone comes and says,
00:17:57.57\00:17:58.91
"You know, I want to
talk to you about something,
00:17:58.94\00:18:00.38
I have a friend at
school who is lesbian
00:18:00.41\00:18:03.01
and she's being made fun of...
00:18:03.04\00:18:04.38
she's being mistreated...
00:18:04.41\00:18:05.75
she's being bullied
00:18:05.78\00:18:07.12
and it really,
really breaks my heart
00:18:07.15\00:18:08.48
and, you know, I just
don't know how to deal with this
00:18:08.52\00:18:09.85
and I'm really struggling
00:18:09.88\00:18:11.22
because I'm
hurting for my friend. "
00:18:11.25\00:18:12.59
Someone of a... kind of a
modernist-traditional mentality
00:18:12.62\00:18:15.42
might approach that situation
in a very non-sympathetic way
00:18:15.46\00:18:18.86
based on their moral convictions
00:18:18.89\00:18:20.80
of what the Bible
says about those things
00:18:20.83\00:18:23.13
and oftentimes, we
respond in such a way
00:18:23.16\00:18:25.43
that is judgmental
00:18:25.47\00:18:26.80
and which we push
someone further away from Christ
00:18:26.84\00:18:29.60
further away from the truth...
00:18:29.64\00:18:31.01
further away from the Bible
00:18:31.07\00:18:32.41
rather than drawing
them to Jesus Christ,
00:18:32.44\00:18:34.31
so, in that instance,
00:18:34.34\00:18:35.71
instead of
saying, "Well, you know,
00:18:35.74\00:18:37.11
your friend is a lesbian...
00:18:37.15\00:18:38.48
you know what the
Bible says this about this...
00:18:38.51\00:18:39.95
and you know, what? Gays
and lesbians and homosexuals...
00:18:39.98\00:18:42.18
you know, that's an
abomination to the Lord...
00:18:42.22\00:18:44.05
blah, blah, blah,
blah, blah, blah, blah. "
00:18:44.09\00:18:45.42
You haven't won
their confidence yet
00:18:45.45\00:18:46.92
to be able to share
those things with them
00:18:46.96\00:18:48.46
in a way that they
are going to receive
00:18:48.49\00:18:49.92
but yet sympathizing with
them is just simply saying,
00:18:49.96\00:18:52.29
"You know what?
00:18:52.33\00:18:53.66
I hate that your friend
is having to go through that
00:18:53.70\00:18:55.36
and I... my heart
breaks for her as well.
00:18:55.40\00:18:57.63
I'm so sorry that you and your
friend are experiencing this,
00:18:57.67\00:19:00.54
can I... can I pray with you?
00:19:00.57\00:19:01.94
can... would you
like to talk about it more
00:19:02.00\00:19:03.84
and, you know,
I'm here to listen...
00:19:03.87\00:19:05.41
I'm here to open up... "
00:19:05.44\00:19:06.81
sympathizing with
them and showing them
00:19:06.84\00:19:08.24
that you genuinely care.
00:19:08.31\00:19:10.01
These are keys to
this new generation
00:19:10.05\00:19:12.58
who has not been
raised necessarily
00:19:12.61\00:19:15.12
on the moral principles
00:19:15.15\00:19:16.48
and the ideologies of
Christianity and the Bible
00:19:16.52\00:19:18.69
but rather has been raised
00:19:18.72\00:19:20.06
by the cultural
world views around them
00:19:20.09\00:19:22.69
by Media... by
Streaming devices...
00:19:22.72\00:19:25.29
by iPhones and Computers
00:19:25.33\00:19:27.10
and all of the... the digital
connectivity around them.
00:19:27.13\00:19:29.83
My Friends, we have
to approach these things
00:19:29.86\00:19:31.47
in the
appropriate methodical way
00:19:31.50\00:19:33.70
in order to reach the
hearts of these individuals
00:19:33.74\00:19:35.80
with love and compassion
and with the sympathy of Christ.
00:19:35.84\00:19:39.37
Oftentimes, these young
people might express doubt...
00:19:39.44\00:19:43.14
they might be expressing
doubt about their faith...
00:19:43.18\00:19:46.88
doubt about
Christianity in general.
00:19:46.92\00:19:49.15
They may be
questioning Biblical concepts
00:19:49.18\00:19:51.69
or maybe,
expressing doubt in general
00:19:51.72\00:19:54.16
about the Bible itself
00:19:54.19\00:19:55.62
and these are hard things
again for a parent to hear...
00:19:55.66\00:19:57.99
for a grandparent to hear...
00:19:58.06\00:19:59.39
for a friend or someone
00:19:59.43\00:20:00.76
who again is
solidified very comfortably
00:20:00.80\00:20:02.86
in their Christian faith.
00:20:02.90\00:20:04.23
These are things that are
often difficult to deal with
00:20:04.27\00:20:07.34
and when you hear
someone you love express doubt,
00:20:07.37\00:20:09.70
we often... our...
our natural response
00:20:09.74\00:20:11.81
is to come
quickly with a solution
00:20:11.84\00:20:13.68
to pull them out
of that doubt, right?
00:20:13.71\00:20:15.54
But let me express
something to you here,
00:20:15.58\00:20:17.95
doubt is not
necessarily the enemy...
00:20:17.98\00:20:20.28
that's right... doubt
is not always a bad thing
00:20:20.32\00:20:24.22
now, can doubt lead to unbelief?
00:20:24.25\00:20:26.05
Of course it can
00:20:26.09\00:20:27.42
but doubt is not
always the enemy.
00:20:27.46\00:20:30.03
In fact, we can
often do more harm
00:20:30.06\00:20:32.86
in trying to protect or
shield our youth from doubt
00:20:32.89\00:20:36.70
rather than
nurturing that experience.
00:20:36.73\00:20:39.60
Studies show...
doubt is an important part
00:20:39.63\00:20:42.74
of the process of forming a
healthy, religious identity.
00:20:42.77\00:20:47.38
So, you know,
doubt by it's very nature
00:20:47.41\00:20:51.15
leads to both a
stronger belief in something
00:20:51.18\00:20:54.88
and an unbelief
in something else.
00:20:54.92\00:20:57.29
Therefore, the ultimate question
00:20:57.32\00:20:59.59
is not whether doubt
will lead to unbelief,
00:20:59.62\00:21:02.99
but which beliefs
will be strengthened
00:21:03.02\00:21:05.89
and which
beliefs will be rejected.
00:21:05.96\00:21:08.80
So, on this note,
00:21:08.83\00:21:10.17
it is essential that we
play a more of a supportive
00:21:10.20\00:21:15.20
yet facilitating role in
helping to guide our youth
00:21:15.24\00:21:20.38
not dictate... but
guide our young people
00:21:20.41\00:21:23.04
to the truth...
that is... facilitate...
00:21:23.08\00:21:25.68
and I have some... some
personal experience with this
00:21:25.71\00:21:28.58
even right here in
our Thompsonville Church
00:21:28.62\00:21:30.75
here in Southern Illinois...
00:21:30.79\00:21:32.12
we have a rather large
group here of young people...
00:21:32.15\00:21:34.89
smart, intelligent,
loving, wonderful young people
00:21:34.92\00:21:37.89
and... but, you know,
00:21:37.93\00:21:39.29
there's still that
generational disconnect
00:21:39.36\00:21:41.43
from the youth to
the older generations
00:21:41.46\00:21:43.47
because, again, we're
talking about Gen Zers...
00:21:43.50\00:21:46.00
we're talking about,
you know, young millennials
00:21:46.03\00:21:48.50
who again are still
questioning things...
00:21:48.54\00:21:50.91
they're asking
"Why?" the "Why" question...
00:21:50.94\00:21:53.34
they're struggling
with different concepts of,
00:21:53.38\00:21:55.74
you know, the faith in general
00:21:55.81\00:21:57.25
and sometimes,
00:21:57.28\00:21:58.61
you just have to come
together as a group and say,
00:21:58.65\00:22:01.28
"Hey, let's talk about
these difficult subjects...
00:22:01.32\00:22:03.95
let's toss a subject out there
00:22:03.99\00:22:05.75
and let's just sit in the group
with a non-judgmental mentality
00:22:05.79\00:22:08.86
in a no-judgment atmosphere
00:22:08.92\00:22:10.73
and let's just discuss
00:22:10.76\00:22:12.49
and work our way
through some of these issues
00:22:12.53\00:22:14.63
so, we came together with about
00:22:14.66\00:22:16.16
I don't know...
15 to 20 young people
00:22:16.20\00:22:18.60
and we sat together
00:22:18.63\00:22:19.97
and we took on some of
these very controversial
00:22:20.00\00:22:21.80
cultural
topics... such as, you know,
00:22:21.84\00:22:24.07
you know, the LGBTQ
00:22:24.11\00:22:25.97
and we talked about
subjects like the racial...
00:22:26.01\00:22:28.91
the racial injustices
00:22:28.94\00:22:31.35
and the things that's going
on around the world today...
00:22:31.38\00:22:33.48
some of the things that we're
dealing with in Society today...
00:22:33.52\00:22:36.12
we talked about, you know,
different concepts and themes
00:22:36.18\00:22:39.19
such as, you know,
the modesty question
00:22:39.22\00:22:41.16
and how to dress and...
00:22:41.19\00:22:42.52
we took on many different topics
00:22:42.56\00:22:44.23
and what I did in that
as kind of a... a leader...
00:22:44.26\00:22:47.30
is... I didn't
comment then with,
00:22:47.33\00:22:48.80
you know, "What do you believe?
00:22:48.83\00:22:50.23
Show us... share with
me what you believe... "
00:22:50.27\00:22:52.37
and then when they
shared those ideas,
00:22:52.40\00:22:54.14
I wasn't there to go,
"Oh, well, that's not how
00:22:54.17\00:22:57.11
Adventists are to
think about things... "
00:22:57.14\00:22:58.61
or "That's not what
Adventists believe... "
00:22:58.67\00:23:00.08
or "That's not a good
Christian perspective... "
00:23:00.11\00:23:01.88
and shoot it down
in a judgmental fashion
00:23:01.91\00:23:04.45
because it didn't
fit my moral perception.
00:23:04.48\00:23:06.95
Sometimes, they might
have shared things that...
00:23:06.98\00:23:09.08
in my heart and
mind as a Christian,
00:23:09.15\00:23:11.45
I did not agree with
00:23:11.49\00:23:12.82
but instead of, you know,
bashing them and shoving them
00:23:12.85\00:23:14.99
and pushing them away
00:23:15.02\00:23:16.42
and making them feel as if
their opinion and their thoughts
00:23:16.46\00:23:18.56
didn't matter, I
simply asked questions
00:23:18.59\00:23:21.26
and as a group... we
all asked questions...
00:23:21.30\00:23:23.93
we gave opinions and we shared
00:23:23.97\00:23:25.37
and what I allowed
myself to do is facilitate
00:23:25.40\00:23:28.00
and guide the conversation
00:23:28.04\00:23:29.97
in helping these young
people come to a more decisive
00:23:30.01\00:23:32.97
understanding based
on Biblical principles.
00:23:33.01\00:23:35.74
Sometimes you got to do
things, you got to be patient
00:23:35.78\00:23:38.65
and you got to practice methods
that are a little unorthodox
00:23:38.68\00:23:42.42
in order to help someone of
a different cultural worldview
00:23:42.45\00:23:46.15
especially with the young
people of this generation.
00:23:46.19\00:23:48.82
The worldview is different...
00:23:48.86\00:23:50.19
just as we read at the
very beginning of this...
00:23:50.23\00:23:52.06
of this
Presentation as the... the...
00:23:52.09\00:23:55.30
Brother Peter Drucker said,
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"The worldview has
drastically shifted... "
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our grandparents
and our parents' day...
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it has passed...
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we're living in a new time...
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and the young people
of this generation...
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they're living in a different
world with different perceptions
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and different mentality
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and so, we have to be...
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we'll have to
approach it sympathetically...
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we have to approach it in a way
that's going to reach the heart
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in a non-judgmental way.
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Number 3 here... actually
this will be Point Number 4:
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Meet their Physical,
Emotional and Spiritual Needs.
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What do they need?
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Ask them...
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communicate with them...
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communication is key...
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ask them.
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You know what they
need more than anything?
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As a parent... they need you.
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As a friend... they need you.
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They need your support.
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They need to know
that they have someone
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that they can rely on
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to be transparent with...
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to be raw with at moments
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when they need to talk about
something or express themselves
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or work through a matter that
they might be struglling with.
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My Friends, they need
you more than anything.
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Invest your time... your effort
and your resources if necessary
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to meet whatever it is they need
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in the moment
or just in general.
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You know, they
might need to get away...
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they might just need
a get-away vacation...
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go take a road trip...
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perhaps, maybe the lady that
your daughter and the mother
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and whoever... have
a ladies' day out...
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have a spa day, you know,
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if you got a son
that needs some time off,
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go have a guys' day
out... just get away...
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if they need a couple
of days off from school,
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hey, give it to them...
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we live in a very,
very hardcore atmosphere
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where our
children and our youth...
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they have lots of social
and societal pressures on them
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that can be very stressful
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and in this case...
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in order to reach
their hearts sometimes,
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they need you to
invest your time and resources
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and efforts in order
to sympathize with them
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in meeting their physical,
emotional and spiritual needs.
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Now, let's go into
our Point Number 5:
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Upon winning their confidence...
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this is huge because as you're
going through this process,
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you're winning their confidence.
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Eventually, you will gain their
trust if you are that person...
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that friend to
them that they need.
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You will gain their trust...
they will learn to trust you.
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Why is that?
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Because they have
seen truth in you...
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because they have
seen Christ in you.
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Christianity will no longer be a
myth or a mystery to them, why?
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Because they've seen the
genuineness of it in you.
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It will be
real... it will be raw...
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it will be genuine
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and, of course, by them it
will be desired in the long run
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which brings us
to our last point:
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In a very strategic
yet methodical manner,
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this will open up the door for
you to lead them on a journey
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in helping them to grasp their
essential worth and identity
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in Christ.
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This is huge...
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because we have an
identity crisis on our hands
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and, of course, this
isn't going to happen overnight,
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this is a process...
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but God will lead you by
the power of the Holy Spirit
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to lead them to know who it
is they are in Christ Jesus.
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You are essentially
facilitating and guiding them
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through a shift in worldview...
that's what's happening...
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their world is being
changed ever subtlety
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but yet... their worldview
is being changed in a way
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where they see things
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from the
perspective of their Creator
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and they're
going to ask questions
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and they're
going to have questions
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that need to be answered
such as, you know, "Who am I?"
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"How does the
Media influence me?"
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"What is my identity?"
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"Where did I come from?"
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"Where does my
creativity come from?"
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And, "How should I view others
in light of the new knowledge
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that I have received?"
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They will come to
know who their Creator is.
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They will come to know who
the God of the universe is.
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They will come through you...
the love... the compassion...
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the mercy... the
grace that you have shown...
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the time that you have given...
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the effort you have put forth
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in being a
spiritual friend to them.
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They will come to know
exactly the reality of Psalm 139
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as well as
Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10.
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I want to read
here, Psalm 139:13 and 14
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as we prepare to close.
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It says, "For You
formed my inward parts;
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You covered me
in my mother's womb.
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I will praise You,
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for I am fearfully
and wonderfully made;
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Marvelous are your works
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and that my soul
knows very well. "
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My Friends, there is a way.
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There is hope.
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I know this has been a
very juiced explanation
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of how to reach
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the Generation Zs and
the younger Millennials
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but my Friends, at
the end of the day,
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we have to lead them to Christ.
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I challenge
you... Operation Gen Z.
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Let's jump on the bandwagon
00:28:37.78\00:28:39.51
and let's win our
youth to Jesus Christ
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in the right way...
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in the only method that
works: Christ's method alone...
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reaching them with the
only thing that matters
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and that is: Love.
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