We have all heard the studies – Gen Z and Millennials are increasingly leaving the church and identifying as agnostic. (https://www.barna.com/research/atheism-doubles-among-generation-z/)

We shake our heads and spin our wheels trying to come up with exciting programs to entice them back.

But what if we are the reason they left?

What if it is more the way their parents defined God, than the way the world promotes sin, that has caused many to walk away?

Maybe it’s because so many parents have been worshipping a false god.

Perhaps the real problem is young people don’t think a god that their parents can define on their own terms—picking and choosing to follow the attributes they like, and rejecting those things about God they don’t like or understand, is worthy of worship.

The truth is the One True God cannot be customized to fit our way of thinking. It is intellectually dishonest to think He could be. God, alone, defines Himself in His Word.

Following Him means we follow Him in ways we may not always understand or even like.

But the Great I Am is right regardless of how we feel. Yet, so many let their feelings define their faith and, in turn, are ultimately following a faith in themselves not in the One True God.

If He is God, we are not.
If we are god, He is not.

So many in the church, and on celebrated platforms, pick and choose the parts of Scripture they like and flagrantly ignore, and are silent on, the parts that aren’t so culturally acceptable.

But to do so, puts us in the place of God.

And we become miserable, wishy-washy representations of Him to others and our kids.

Why would our kids (or anyone for that matter) want to worship and follow a god that can be so easily changed to accommodate our feelings and our culture?

A lord that we will agree to follow in some areas and completely ignore in others is no lord at all.

A god we fashion into a god we like and can explain is but a figment of our imaginations, a false idol of self-worship at its’ core.

Until we get serious about taking God at His Word and truly following Him, how can we expect our kids to do anything but go their own way instead of God’s way…because, in reality, isn’t that what many in the church have been doing for years?

What else should we expect?

But, no matter what we’ve done before, if this day we will choose to follow the Lord rather than go our own way, perhaps our kids will choose to go that better way too.

None of us are perfect, we will mess up, but when we do, let’s get right back up and keep following the God Who Is. Let’s keep trusting Him more than we trust us with our lives and with our kids by obeying Him.

“There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death”.(Prov 16:25)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones”. (Prov 3:5-8)

whataSavior

kimjaggers.com

PS – I am heading to 1 John soon. I hope you’ll join me! I covet your prayers.