Lutherans Work to 'Bridge the Gap' Between Generations

MILWAUKEE (ELCA) -- Generation "Xers" are "children of the media" and yearn for personal relationships and community, Dr. Gene Edward Veith Jr., dean of arts and sciences at Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon, Wis., told participants at "Bridging the Gap: Reaching Post-Modern Generations," Nov. 21-23 at the Milwaukee Hilton.
The conference was sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's (ELCA) Division for Congregational Ministries and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod's Board for Congregational Services. About 300 lay leaders and clergy addressed the needs and challenges of ministry with people born in the post-modern culture.
"The post-modern generation is fascinated with the old," said Vieth in his keynote presentation. "This presents an incredible opportunity for Christianity and religion."
For ministry with the post-modern generation, "we need to go to pre-modern days and comtemporize what's there ... find past values and bring them to the present," said Veith.
"Post-moderns are also interested in mystery, the things that go beyond their thinking. Again, a great opportunity for the church. The church needs to recover and contemporize Christian spirituality, bring back and emphasize the mysteries of our faith," Vieth said.
"Bridging the Gap" featured Bible study, keynote presentations, workshops and worship.
"The post-modern generation is used to fragmentation," said the Rev. Todd Hahn, Forest Hill (Presbyterian) Church, Charlotte, N.C. "We have fragmented lives. We deal with family issues, divorce, violations of trust and boundaries. But God takes the fragments and sums them up in Jesus Christ. That is God's way of developing relationships with us. Friendships and community are critical to the post-modern generation. We have to become God-intoxicated."
In his keynote presentation Hahn said, "The task of a leader is not to sell a vision. The leader does not have answers and sell it to those willing to pay the price. The leader pulls out the message that is already there for all of us. The leader articulates the message for us and translates it in a way all can understand. The leader is a spokesperson for people who speak our language."
Hahn told participants that post-modern people are "converted to community before they are converted to Christ." Church evangelism should be community-based and not individualistic, he said.
Workshop topics at "Bridging the Gap" ranged from ministries with the post-modern culture to worship and music strategies with post-modern generations.
The Rev. Albert Starr Jr., Ascension Lutheran Church, Los Angeles, and Valora Starr Butler, director for evangelism and stewardship, Women of the ELCA (the women's organization of the church), Chicago, led Bible study.
The post-modern generation "has created its own identity rather than letting the market do it for them," said the Rev. Pam Fickenscher, Spirit Garage, Minneapolis. Spirit Garage is a Lutheran congregation noted for its effective ministry among the post-modern generation. Fickenscher led a keynote presentation.
"Ministering with post-moderns does not mean eliminating structure. Structure is sometimes needed ... accountability is important," said Fickenscher. "Everyone longs to do something meaningful and engage in service and mission. The post-modern generation seeks to communicate truth directly with love and accountability."
"The target for 'Bridging the Gap' was to create awareness about the possibilities for evangelism in the emerging post-modern, North American scene," said the Rev. Richard A. Webb, ELCA associate director for evangelism. Webb was conference manager.

[**Kris Davis is director of communication for the ELCA Milwaukee Area
Synod.]

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