I was born in 1975. Generation X. Most of the church kids I grew up with don’t attend church these days. How was it that no one saw this coming?

I can’t say that it was a huge surprise to me. Not that I’m smarter than anyone else, or anyone, for that matter, but it didn’t take a genius to see it coming down the pipe.

I should say that a few of us stayed and that we had a real faith for some unreal times, so to speak. I really had no excuse… well, I guess I had one in that my parents were also the pastors of our church (ironically the same church I pastor now). But as a PK I had a good church experience. Maybe it was the authenticity of mom and dad’s lives. They weren’t perfect, but what you saw was what you got. Day in and day out. Sunday to Sunday. I had no reason to leave.

There was something that obviously didn’t connect with Gen X. I’m not sure that we did much connecting where it really mattered. Maybe we just didn’t like what we saw and voted by leaving.

It’s funny how every generation blames the one before it for the world they inherit, yet still go on to make decisions they think will only affect themselves. It feels like every generation has to start over again in some ways. Seems a bit of a shame.

That’s maybe part of the problem: a generation acting independently from the others. As messy as the world is, at least that part of the problem is simple. I suppose the solution could be too. I wonder what would happen if we connected the generations a little better? To be understood we’d have to try to understand though… sounds like more dialogue and less preaching at each other.

What’s at stake though? A real faith for unreal times? That’d be worth a little effort. That’d be worth a lot of effort because when you need it you REALLY need it.

A good friend of mine’s wife was diagnosed with serious cancer. Like low percentage cancer. I sat with him and he said “We have good days and bad days. But IF the worst possible thing happens to our family, it’d still be the best thing that ever happened to her.” I just sat there speechless. An anchor beyond the veil of this life. A God who will receive his daughter at long last, worst case scenario?!

They stayed behind like I did. A Real faith for Unreal times. When my time comes I’d better have done my homework already.

“No one owes you anything. Life is what you make it.”

I guess it is.