The New Army….
Thursday, July 28, 2022
We were called the Baby Boomers; we were the kids born after World War 2. For the most part we had traditional values that included going to church, strong work ethics, and being family centered. I realize I’m painting with a broad brush but on the whole I believe this is an accurate depiction of Baby Boomers. Like today often it seemed like things were changing too fast and it was scary. Friends and family fought and some died in Viet Nam; Women’s Rights and Civil Rights brought strife and division between neighbors. Watergate was the political hotbed that kept us glued to the television. Just like today the American values we hold dear were threatened on all fronts. The ones who burned the flag and burned their bras didn’t change the views of others even though they tried. In the midst of daily anger and turmoil we managed to co-exist.
I became a Christian during those changing times. I had been brought up in a small God fearing community in the South where going to church really was a thing; and it was non-negotiable. When or if you didn’t show up, there would be a knock on your door letting you know you were “missed”. Accountability helped people stay focused on what was important and attending church in that Delray community was at the top of the priority list. But it was more than just going to church; people in that community genuinely cared for the welfare of each other. No one had much but everyone stretched to help each other.
As a kid, I didn’t know what I had; it’s in my golden years that I can see clearly the foundational core of the life I got to live. Being poor was what I seemed to focus most on and that only happened after I started to school. That was when I discovered we were poor.
Being a Christian to me meant going to the church building weekly, singing songs, hearing a sermon on faith, and going home to either roast or fried chicken my mother had gotten up at the crack of dawn to prepare. It wasn’t until my 20’s that I fully grasped who Jesus was, what He did, and the love He had for me. Like the Apostle Paul, I had an encounter; a love revolution of sorts that opened my eyes and heart to the magnitude of the incredible Christ. For over fifty years I have been walking and talking with Jesus; hanging on every word He says and seeking Him with every breath I take.
I thought I was radical; but it’s this younger generation, the Gen Z group that are radical. Fortunately, my grandchildren are in that group. Although I tend to be working more on the sidelines these days, yet through them I’m still very much in the game. Their tenacity and boldness for Jesus keeps me on my knees praying. This Gen Z group are movers and shakers and I believe they will usher in a harvest of souls like we have never seen. It is evident to all who are paying attention God has His hand on them, and they are growing into an army of believers I don’t think we have ever encountered in the Christian arena.
Recently, one of my high school granddaughters and her friend went to a coffee house to sit and enjoy uninterrupted conversation. For the past several days they had helped lead the music camp at their fine arts school. While it had been fun, it was over. They chose a table where they could talk and unwind from the fast paced week. One thought lead to another and soon they were discussing the topic of the day. Roe v Wade had just been overturned and this had become the hot issue from the breakfast table to the board room. Once again anger and fear divided and severed relationships.
The girls were leaning in talking, oblivious to others in the room. Their chatter was low, quiet but passionate as usual. One of the girls out of the corner of her eye, saw a young man hurry past their table, order his drink, and then wait against the counter while the barista was preparing his order. Coffee in hand, he hurried out just as he had rushed in.
Minutes passed and the young man reappeared. He made his presence known as he began asking the room filled with coffee drinkers for a pen. Finally, a lady handed him a pen. He pulled out a slip of paper, wrote something on it, and slapped the paper on the table where these two girls were deep in conversation. Quickly, he exited out the door. Stunned, the two girls looked at the paper, at the door, and realized they had the attention of everyone in the coffee house. In reality, it was an envelope from Wells Fargo Bank; scribbled were the words, “Do something good with this; stay bold.” A fresh $100 bill was inside. One of the girls ran out the door to thank him but he was nowhere in sight.
God is raising up strong young people who know what they believe and why they believe it. That ordinary day, two young girls were talking about what matters to them. They attend a school where often conservative thinking isn’t embraced by their peers yet they remain true to their faith and their beliefs. They weren’t making a scene; they weren’t being intimidating or loud; they were simply talking and what they were saying gained the attention of a young man who happened to be within earshot.
When the girls sailed into our den breathless and excited at the same time, Phil and I hung on their every word. They had seen God at work in the middle of a busy coffee house. God’s ways are always fun to watch!
The two girls, one being our granddaughter, both have part-time jobs to pay for things like a cup of coffee, gasoline and extras. Their money is budgeted so a one hundred dollar bill was quite the extravagance. But it wasn’t the money that excited them; it was the words he wrote on the envelope. “Stay bold.”
Stay bold. What I’m seeing in the Gen Z group is a new, strong, bold faith. They need it; their road is possibly more difficult than ours was. However, from my vantage point I see young people who will change the world because Jesus has changed them.
The Baby Boomers are the grandparents and great-grandparents of the Gen Z group. We know so much more than we did in the 60’s. Our work is far from finished; we know how to pray, encourage, and walk beside this amazing group of Christ followers.
Yes, things are changing fast and it’s scary, but God is still on His throne; and He’s raising up an army; Gen Z are worth watching, supporting, and covering in prayer.
They are the real deal; they love Jesus and the whole world is going to know it!
Read an excerpt from my book Detours and Dreams
