Dear church, are we losing the next generations?

Millennials and Gen Zs can spot hypocrisy a mile away. They can see apathy, too.. Sadly, I’m afraid they see more Sardis churches (“you have a reputation that you are alive, but you are dead”) and Laodicea churches (“lukewarm”) than they see Philadelphia churches walking through open doors… or Antioch churches sending out seed-sowers… or Thessalonica churches with evangelistic zeal.

Younger generations hunger for faith that is more than Sunday box-checking. Are they hearing too much, “Lord, help us to be shining lights in the community” -and the only light they see shining is the sign next to the road?

If we received Jesus-letters today, we may not like what is said.

Churches need to look at what they are doing to reach community because… Millennials and Gen Zs are looking. Have we reached a point where we build a building, post a sign, have a website -and that’s the extent of outreach beyond four walls? Have we fallen into the “they know where to find us” mindset? Are we willing to think outside the box -not the Scripture box, but the building box?

1 word-2 letters: “Go!” We must be going. We must be reaching. We must be loving. We must be building relationships that aren’t afraid of wading into messy lives. Otherwise, we become Ephesus stagnant and lose the heart of first-love faith.

I wonder what a letter to churches today would look like? I think I know (Rev.2-3). Some churches may not like the one they receive.

Wilson Adams