Participants:
Series Code: LI
Program Code: LI200474B
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00:01 Welcome back to Liberty Insider
00:02 and before the break 00:04 with my very special guest, 00:06 a fellow Steed, my son, Christopher. 00:09 We were getting your perspective, 00:11 which is a younger person's perspective 00:13 on living through COVID-19, and from a particular 00:17 vantage point of practicing faith 00:19 and sharing faith 00:20 as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. 00:23 You had a little bit of a chance 00:25 a few years ago to share. 00:28 You were in Guatemala in the back blocks at a... 00:32 I think it was a self-supporting school 00:34 where they were... 00:36 You were pretty much in the jungle, right? 00:37 We were in the jungle. 00:39 I remember one night waking up 00:41 feeling something crawling across my bed 00:43 and there was a tarantula about this big, 00:45 just crawling across my lap. 00:47 So we were definitely deep in the jungle. 00:50 Yeah. 00:51 And I've never asked this before, 00:53 but what did that tell you about 00:55 how important faith 00:57 is for people that have less access 01:01 to the things that we know of modern life. 01:04 What did you pick up on that regard? 01:08 One example is everybody 01:10 there was a Seventh-day Adventist, 01:11 well, mostly Seventh-day Adventist. 01:13 There were a few Catholic... 01:14 other students there that were Catholic. 01:16 This is Roman Catholic culture. It is. 01:18 Very, very so, very much so. 01:21 You can just go down to the market 01:22 and they sell the rosaries, 01:24 and the priest's caps 01:26 for Mother Mary 01:28 and everything like that. 01:30 But especially at the school where I was, 01:32 every morning we had a worship 01:35 and before every meal, 01:36 we would gather in the main lunch hall, 01:38 everybody would gather, 01:40 we'd circle around the entire lunch hall 01:42 and we would pray together. 01:44 And then every afternoon we'd have an afternoon worship 01:46 or I wouldn't certainly say it's a worship, 01:49 an afternoon reflection. 01:51 And then every evening 01:52 we would have a very small vespers, 01:56 we would sing a few songs, 01:58 we would hear like a little story, 02:01 and we would pray together, 02:03 we'd fellowship together, and then we'd go have dinner. 02:06 And then we would go along with our doing homework, 02:08 preparing for another class, you know, doing the next day. 02:12 And then on Fridays, for example, 02:14 our Fridays at the campus were cleaning day, basically. 02:17 So we had one or two classes in the morning, 02:19 and then in the afternoon, we would fellowship together 02:22 and then each teacher would get a group of about 02:25 four or five students. 02:27 And we would go and say, 02:28 "Okay, so today, you're doing this, 02:30 you're doing this, you're doing this." 02:32 And as we were fellowshipping together, 02:33 we were singing together, 02:35 always singing hymns, always, you know, 02:38 everybody always had smiles on their faces, 02:40 even when it was pouring down rain. 02:43 Everybody was still outside singing. 02:44 And you were in a place far from the city 02:47 with all of the types of entertainments 02:49 that young people typically want 02:51 and perhaps socially, they think they need. 02:55 They didn't have much. 02:56 Generally poor, I mean, poverties and wealth, 03:00 they're relative things, but from your perspective, 03:03 you can see they didn't have much, did they? 03:05 But did that sort of signal to you 03:08 that that religious faith 03:10 and spiritual connection with God 03:13 or higher power and sharing that 03:14 with other people, 03:16 how important that is for someone's life? 03:18 No, absolutely. 03:19 And in the development of a young person? 03:21 For the development of a young person 03:23 it is absolutely necessary to be able to go to church, 03:28 to be able to fellowship with fellow Christians. 03:32 I know of people who grew up in the church, 03:35 but their church was mostly older generation, 03:39 and they never really made a connection 03:41 with anybody there because of the age gap. 03:45 And they've left the church, 03:47 some of them, or some of them have 03:49 gone to different churches 03:51 but mostly if, for me especially, 03:54 at the church we go to, 03:56 there are a few young people 03:58 but there aren't as many as in some churches 04:01 I've been to, 04:03 and there is definitely a spiritual energy 04:07 that is lacking. 04:10 I believe that the young people 04:12 in the church bring that energy 04:13 that we don't normally get. 04:15 For example, at Highland View Academy Church 04:18 where I graduated from, Highland View Academy, 04:21 the church there, every Sabbath is full, 04:24 almost full of students. 04:26 Because they're required to attend. 04:28 Yeah. But still... 04:30 No, your point is correct. 04:32 But, yes, I'm fishing for something 04:33 that hardly anybody seems to know the answer, 04:36 but they're all asking the question. 04:39 Why is it that many of our churches, 04:43 many other churches, 04:45 it's not a denominational thing, 04:47 it's certainly a problem 04:48 within almost all of Christianity. 04:50 Why is it that young people 04:52 are not often very attracted to religion, 04:55 they're not very involved, and there's the danger, 05:01 you can see it in Roman Catholic churches. 05:03 You go into, I'm asking it, 05:05 mostly old people, 05:07 which means that when that generation goes, 05:09 who will be the next? 05:11 Why is that happening? What could be changed? 05:14 What's missing that young people 05:16 are not more involved, 05:17 and more evident, and more attracted? 05:20 I believe it's the fact that when you go to church, 05:23 everybody is sitting in a pew, 05:25 suit and tie, and it's all, I mean, music for example, 05:30 music attracts young people. 05:32 If you think about it, 05:33 if you go to Coachella or something, 05:35 it's just thousands, and thousands, 05:37 and thousands of just young people there 05:39 because it's the music that draws them. 05:43 From being, I'm 22 years old growing up in the church, 05:47 when I was younger, you know, 05:49 singing Jesus Loves Me, This Little Light of Mine, 05:53 those songs attracted me to go to Sabbath school 05:56 and be with my friends, be listening to my teacher. 05:59 Growing up going through the different classes, 06:02 and then finally being in the church 06:05 and understanding more, 06:07 growing up singing Amazing Grace, 06:10 playing on the saxophone, playing the piano, 06:13 listening on the radio, I mean, 06:15 I've heard the change in music 06:18 from when I was a kid to now as I'm a young adult, 06:22 the music has become more contemporary on this, 06:24 especially on some of the Adventist radio stations, 06:27 like there's a Adventist radio station 90.5. 06:29 Is it necessary for a young person 06:32 that the music becomes more contemporary, 06:35 or more relevant, or are they the same, 06:38 or what is the difference? 06:40 I believe... Tricky question. 06:43 Honestly, I believe that the music does not need to be 06:47 more contemporary, 06:49 it just needs to be sung by young people 06:52 so that the young people can see 06:53 "Hey, you know, 06:55 if let's say Josh Groban for example, 06:59 I guess he's a young guy. 07:01 He was once, no, he is. 07:03 He is still young I think. He appeals to the young people. 07:04 He appeals to our sense of music. 07:08 And his song like, he sang Amazing Grace one time. 07:13 And, you know, 07:14 I've heard it sung by, by Andrea Bocelli, 07:17 I've heard it sung by many, many famous people, 07:20 but I really didn't... 07:22 It didn't appeal to me when they sang it. 07:24 But when he sang, 07:25 it's coming out of a voice 07:27 of a younger man and it just was like, 07:30 "Whoa," if this guy likes that song, 07:33 maybe I can listen to it more. 07:35 You know what I get out of that? 07:36 And it could inspire you... 07:39 young people need role models, and yes, 07:42 they need to respect older people, 07:43 but if they see other young people 07:46 showing an interest in religion and getting involved, 07:48 that will draw more of their peers. 07:50 So you or any young person can be a leader. 07:53 If you decide, you know, 07:56 "Christ is important in my life. 07:57 I'm going to do something about it." 07:59 Others will follow you. 08:00 And maybe that's what's missing, 08:02 a sense of initiative. 08:06 And the older people are often blaming themselves, 08:09 and you sort of slipped it in there that 08:11 they don't involve young people enough. 08:14 And it's probably true but what bothers me 08:17 and you've heard me go on about it, 08:18 I don't think that it's quite appropriate 08:21 for all the people to pass off the church 08:24 and all of its activities to young people 08:26 who have no real interest in religion or not, you know, 08:31 treating it with the right respect. 08:33 But for young people 08:34 that are showing a yearning toward God, 08:37 they should be included 08:39 and as much as possible given leadership roles 08:43 because that's how you learn. 08:44 Absolutely. Yeah. 08:46 By doing, you learn much more 08:47 by doing than being just told or demanded. 08:51 I agree with that one. 08:54 But thanks for your input and, 08:56 you know, I'm leading you a bit 08:57 but I think you naturally said that, 08:59 you know, you're like all the young people out there. 09:01 I was young once, I remember. 09:02 None of us are perfect. 09:04 You've had your ups and downs. 09:05 But, you know, I'm praying for you 09:07 and all people of faith pray 09:10 for each other and in particular, 09:12 for the younger generation. 09:16 You know, you weren't there 09:18 at my last camp meeting I went to, 09:20 but I preached from the prayer of Jesus in John 17, 09:24 I think it is. 09:25 And He said, "You know, I'm praying for these men." 09:28 He says, "You know, they know that you sent Me, 09:32 and they're faithful." 09:34 And I'm thinking, 09:35 Jesus has a pretty positive attitude. 09:37 They had already shown many, many times 09:40 that they didn't quite understand. 09:41 And when He was betrayed, 09:43 they ran like crazy, but He thought well of them. 09:45 But then He says, 09:46 and I'm not just praying for them, 09:48 I'm praying for all who believe. 09:50 So we have to set that forward reaching approach 09:54 with young people to see 09:56 for the next generation to lead them on. 09:59 So we got a little bit of time left, 10:01 but let's just get back onto COVID. 10:03 Where do you think we go from now? 10:05 Because none of us know 10:06 but the chances are pretty high. 10:08 We've got another year 10:09 at least on this pandemic panic, 10:14 but maybe beyond that. 10:17 We don't shake hands anymore, 10:18 maybe social norms have changed. 10:22 Do you think religion and religious practice 10:24 can afford to be in this pullback position? 10:27 Or is it time for us to sort of, 10:31 as Paul says, you know, I've had so many shipwrecks, 10:33 I was beaten so many times, but, you know, 10:35 I go forward and I think he says, 10:38 for me to live is Christ, 10:41 in other words, nothing else matters. 10:43 Do you think it's time 10:44 for a sort of no holds barred witness 10:47 and tell everyone while you can approach? 10:50 I personally believe that the church does not need 10:55 to go full revolutionary stand. 10:58 I believe that we need to modify the way we do things. 11:03 Like for example, colporteuring, 11:04 door-to-door book sales, we can do virtual, 11:07 we can do distanced greetings. 11:10 Churches for example, 11:12 we could do more separated pews, 11:15 more areas to where we can view the sermon. 11:18 For youth, especially youth evangelism camp meetings. 11:22 I believe that we need to open it up more, 11:28 have it more outdoors. 11:31 COVID-19 is around 11:33 the disturbing of normal situation 11:35 and time must be dragging for young people kept at home. 11:39 Reminds me a bit of the British Gilbert 11:41 and Sullivan operator, 11:43 mockery composers in the H.M.S. 11:46 Pinafore, where there's a young boy 11:47 on a pirate ship thoroughly confused 11:50 because he's been told that he's... 11:52 not his age, but four years only counts as one 11:56 in their figuring and he didn't know 11:57 if he was young or old, or the woman 11:59 he liked was young or old. 12:00 This is true today for young people, 12:03 bored silly, perhaps confined to their homes, 12:06 and they've lost a year, 12:07 they've lost the best part of the year 12:09 for the school ceased 12:10 and who knows what happens next? 12:13 You know, it's very soon. 12:14 Not figuratively, 12:16 but in a real way the Lord will stand up, 12:18 the Bible says and say turn no more, 12:19 delay no more. 12:21 And for young people 12:22 for whom time is always important, 12:24 and for all the people who feel time's chariot, 12:28 pushing at them, rushing them forward, 12:29 this is the time for action, 12:32 this is the time to spare not, 12:34 cry aloud and proclaim that 12:37 the Lord is about to do something 12:39 and that COVID can't restrict us, 12:41 we must witness. 12:44 For Liberty Insider, this is Lincoln Steed. |
Revised 2020-09-04