In the late 90’s I spoke at Bethany Beach in Michigan. I titled my evening talk “A Joshua and Caleb Report,” because like the OT characters who spied it the land and came back and reported what they saw, I wanted to report to parents and grandparents what I saw in youth culture. I clipped a bunch of articles from Rolling Stone Magazine, People Magazine, web articles, read excerpts and commented.I was told the next day they had the highest number of requests ever for that talk (they mentioned not even Colson or Phillip Yancey had as many requests!) When I asked why that was so, the answer was simple. These parents and grandparents love their kids, but feel very disconnected from their world.
Today marketers segment us into age groups, culture reinforces these divisions, and sadly, churches are very demographically divided as well.
For centuries the synergy of young and old fueled creativity, intellectual development and spiritual vitality and today more than ever we all, young and old, need each other. If you share that vision please join us for KindlingsFest 2012.
This summer’s KindlingsFest takes on this timely and critically importance subject. We are gathering young and old for a rigorous exploration of how to build an intergenerational future. We’ll do this through lectures, the arts and conversations. We’d love to see 20 year-olds with their parents and/or grandparents gathered together for an intergenerational festival.
[…] For centuries the synergy of young and old fueled creativity, intellectual development and spiritual vitality and today more than ever we all, young and old, need each other. Read More. […]
Dick,
I love the theme for Kindlings Fest this summer. It’s a huge question. I am a Generation Xer and I love old people. Coming together under the headship of Christ just as we are can be such a powerful witness of the work of Christ in the Church. I hope that others take up the call to no longer be segmented and divided by our differences and instead be united together in Christ. This marketing technique is infiltrating the church and is such a detriment to unity.
I want to share a link to the blog, Hopeful Realism. They have a series of posts entitled, “Younger Evangelicals and the Culture Wars.” Wonderful food for thought there.
http://hopefulrealism.com/category/younger-evangelicals-and-the-culture-wars/