Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
The Bible verse above is one that many of us grew up with. We grew up with it because our parents and grandparents believed it and implemented it as often as they could. Now that I am a grandparent, this verse means a lot more to me than it did years ago. Not only as a grandparent, but as a parent, and especially as a pastor, I have gained a deep appreciation for this particular proverb.
Recently in a discussion with several other pastors, we were comparing notes with what has worked as far as catechetical instruction goes. I reminisced with them for a while and remembered a little book written by one of my professors. The Rev. Dr. Jim Nestingen wrote this book way back in the mid-70’s in partnership with another professor, The Rev. Dr. Gerhard Forde. The book is an exposition on Luther’s Small Catechism and is entitled, Free to Be.
Free to Be is a handbook that unpacks the Small Catechism in such a way that all people, young and old alike, can learn more about wat it means to be free to grow as a child of the One True God. The opening chapter begins with these words: “God has made a decision about you. He hasn’t waited to find out how sincere you are, how devout or religious you might be, or how well you understand the Bible or Catechism. He hasn’t even waited to find out if you are interested or willing to take his decision seriously. He has simply decided.”
The gist of Free to Be is that since God has decided to love us even though we are sinners, through Christ we are freed from the eternal consequences of our sin. As forgiven people, we are free to love God and neighbor even though original sin once stood as a barrier between God and man. Through Christ the barrier is overcome by god’s love. The free gift of God’s salvation is the most precious gift anyone could ever hope to receive. With the devil’s grip upon our lives broken by the power of God’s love, we are free to be children of God’s light in Christ.
So why bring this up now? Well, as I look around St. Jacob’s, and indeed the broader Church in general, I see so many young people opting out of worship, Sunday school and many things religious. The George Barna group, a research think tank that studies trends within the Christian Church, has well documented the current trend of young people abandoning the church and instead opting for a life outside well established faith communities. If we are to take the proverb seriously, we need to find a way to re-present the Christian faith to our young people in such a way that they can realize the love our Almighty God has for his people, and just how valuable each person is in the eyes of God.
Of particular note is a study I read lifting up the seismic shift in our society that has occurred in just the last 25 years or so. Generation Z (those born between 1990-2015) is the most ethnically diverse generation in American history. They are individualistic, social justice oriented, and lonely. They were raised on technology, not on relationships. And their lives are often built around the online world. These young people are becoming activists and volunteers who want to make an impact on the world. The oldest members of Generation Z have entered their twenties and stepped into either the workforce or the world of higher education. And they will change the landscape of our society with their ideas and values many of which omit the idea of Christian faith and the prospect of church membership. In layman’s terms, to a large extent, our young people are being shaped by the world rather than by faith. So, as those who vowed at the baptism of so many Gen Z babies, that we would raise them in the faith, what do we do to train up the children in the way that they should go?
The answer is fairly simple, just four words actually; “dwell in God’s Word.” Dwell in the Word and grow in our relationship with Christ. Then share the joy of that relationship with our young people. They will soon see the joy we have in being freed from the burden of sin, and living as dwellers of God’s eternal kingdom rather than as dwellers of this fallen and broken world. For the sake of our young people, we must know God’s Word. We must know the story. We must help our young people answer the question: “Who is Jesus and why does he matter?” We must live it out and share it in such a way that, through our shared joy and fellowship, our young people will experience Christian relationships and become Free to Be excited about the love they have through the person of Christ our Savior. Imagine a faith community in which everyone, young and old finds themselves on the path that leads to eternal joy. Yes, that’s what it means to be “Free to Be.”
Grace to you and peace,
Pastor David Nuottila
