Leah Putting, Retro Next Gen Ministry Director

While my dad is currently roaming around in Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, someone thought it might be a good idea for me to guest blog in his place. This way, you can at least read the random thoughts of at least one member of the Putting clan.

As a twenty-something, I find myself with an interesting perspective on the world in which we live, and the society that made us who we are. My generation is the by-product of broken homes, the devaluing of personal responsibility, and a general meshing of any and all lines that define people into neat, convenient boxes. We cannot ever continue to do “church as usual” or, I must be honest, our generation will be lost. The “experts” right now believe that only 4% of my generation will be Bible-believing Christians. This fact should worry not only those my age, but older generations as well, as you watch your children and grandchildren become the pulse of American culture. This is a critical issue for the Kingdom of God. My generation is hungry for truth and authenticity in a world that is continually false, disappointing, and unfulfilling. This is not a new problem; generations for centuries have longed for authenticity, purpose, and community. Our recently started Retro ministry is merely the beginning of trying to reach out to a broken and disillusioned generation. We all must carry a personal responsibility to be Jesus to the generations that come after us. My generation is not naive, we have seen much in our short lives, and we value and require the wisdom of the generations that we follow. In Exodus chapter 3, God tells Moses of His name, “God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am’… ‘Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.”

It should be our passion to ensure that the “I Am” is remembered forever, from generation to generation. Our God never changes, but our approach can never stay the same.