 The year is 1964. You're a guidance counselor, and the kids pictured on the left represent a few kids in your school. Do you recognize them? Do you recognize their potential, their strengths and weaknesses? Wouldn't you love to listen in on their dreams? Well, you can't. (and unless you're Larry King, you probably can't even today.) But there's a whole generation of kids that you can listen to. And let's be honest, they all have equal potential to be and do just exactly what God has now purposed for them. Could so much be riding on a few listeners, mentors, and 'dream disciplers?' Yes.
We have to admit that one problem we adults have is that we do not recognize the real spiritual capacity and leadership potential of kids 7-17. Yet these same kids have large disposable incomes, drive the trends and pop culture of our day, warrant millions in ad budgets by US corporations, and are media savvy and life-savvy like no generation before them. Yet we still relegate them to 1-hr a week of canned Bible lessons, craft times, pizza parties, and maybe a 5-day, once-a-year backyard VBS, and we wonder why 18-30 year olds become so hard to reach, or keep in the church.
There's a proverb that says, "It doesn't work to leap a twenty-foot chasm in two ten-foot jumps." There are times in history when a quantum leap is needed. I really think we are at that time when we need a kind of 'Marshall Plan' or a 'Manhatten Project' mindset. When society or a community recognizes how important it is to reach a goal, or the consequences of not realizing it are unthinkable, history has shown that people are willing to make sacrifices. I think people are realizing this, and they just need some leadership.
What we will need is a holistic and comprehensive strategy addressing the complete world and culture of this generation (personal, home, school), all week and year-round. This plan will have to involve much listening, coaxing and guiding of God-given dreams to fruition, and also into the gift-based places of leadership for which God has given them a natural authority, even at an early age. When kids are given exposure to opportuniies that follow their interests, dreams and true purpose begin to blossom. If we come alongside their dreams and passions and connect them to matching places of need in the world we won't have to worry about motivation. It's our responsibility to empower and support these dreams all the way, whatever it takes (again think Marshall Plan). Genuine, lasting transformation (personal and societal) has to come out of a heart on fire with the unique dreams and passions God put there.
But do we still expect too little our of youth? When they are pursuing a big dream or important cause, in the spiritual flow of their God-fanned passions, we won't have to worry about whether or not they will stay with the church program... for then, they are becoming the church...a new transformed church...a glorious Church, one that many of us today have not yet envisioned, let alone experienced.
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