By Jeb Egbert
By Jeb Egbert
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph. 6:12).
Nowhere can that struggle be seen more clearly than in the world of our young people. I ask our young people, "Have you enlisted in God's army to fight that war?"
At the Summer Educational Program, we see the fruit of a battle God is winning. Young people are coming to Christ. Teens can make decisions whether they will accept Jesus as their Lord and their Savior. And many are.
Monica Matthews of Houston, Texas, who had three teens at SEP this year, writes: "God so completely blessed my kids at SEP this year. Layla and Seth both got baptized! Wow!! Karissa came back from camp wanting desperately to go to Azusa Pacific University next year. They all have friendships in which they e-mail messages and encouragement back and forth. This is a God thing.
"God is evident in so many there on the high school and college staff. The Bible studies I've heard they had made such an impact on my kids. These are young adults who are strong enough spiritually to take the lead and walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
"They prove that you don't have to be weird to follow Jesus. SEP works! We are praying for next year's SEP already, and we'll soon start fund-raising efforts for it."
This letter is our SEP vision statement. Our vision is that we receive such letters from parents, and we praise God when we receive such a letter.
Do we understand how (wonderfully) receptive teens are? And do we have a sense for the battle being waged for their allegiance?
In his book Generation Next, George Barna noted that three-fourths of those who accept Jesus do so by age 18. But many don't hear the message. And in this struggle, they hear many other messages.
In our society we reap what we sow. So many have turned their children over to day care centers and television, and essentially allowed them to grow up on their own. Without direction. Without real guidance. Without someone pointing the way to the only One who can bring them lasting happiness. Without love.
The following letter was submitted to the Dallas Morning News from a student at Texas A&M. It is a chilling reminder of the struggle we are engaged in.
"I am a member of the upcoming generation--the one after Generation X that has yet to be given a name. So far, it appears that most people are rallying behind the idea of calling us Generation Next. I believe I know why.
"The older generations are hoping we will mindlessly assume our place as the `next' in line. That way, they won't have to explain why my generation has had to experience so much pain and heartache.
" `What heartache?' you say. `Don't you know you have grown up in a time of great prosperity?' Yeah, we know that. Believe me, it has been drilled into our heads since birth. Unfortunately, the pain and hurt I speak of can't be reconciled with money. You have tried for years to buy us happiness, but it is only temporary. Money isn't the answer, and it is time for people to begin admitting their guilt for failing my generation.
"I will admit that I wasn't planning to write this. I was going to tuck it away in some corner of my mind and fall victim to your whole `next' mentality. But after the massacre in Littleton, Colorado, I realize that as a member of this generation that kills without remorse, I had a duty to challenge all of my elders to explain why they have allowed things to become so bad.
"Let me tell you this: These questions don't represent only me but a whole generation that is struggling to grow up and make sense of this world. We all have questions; we want explanations. People may label us Generation Next, but we are more appropriately Generation `Why?'
"Why did most of you lie when you made the vow of `til death do us part?'
"Why do you fool yourselves into believing that divorce really is better for the kids in the long run?
"Why do so many of you divorced parents spend more time with your new boyfriend or girlfriend than with your own children?
"Why did you ever fall victim to the notion that kids are just as well off being raised by a complete stranger at a day care center than by their own mother or father?
"Why do you look down on parents who decide to quit work and stay home to raise their children?
"Why does the television do the most talking at family meals?
"Why is work more important than your own family?
"Why is money regarded as more important than relationships?
"Why is `quality time' generally no longer than a five to 10 minute conversation each day?
"Why do you try to make up for the lack of time you spend with us by giving us more and more material objects that we really don't need?
"Why does your work (in the form of a cell phone, laptop computer, etc.) always come with us on vacations?
"Why have you neglected to teach us values and morals?
"Why haven't you lived moral lives that we could model our own after?
"Why isn't religion one of the most important words in our household?
"Why do you play God when it comes to abortion?
"Why don't you have enough faith in us to teach us abstinence rather than safe sex?
"Why do you allow us to watch violent movies but expect us to maintain some type of childlike innocence?
"Why do you allow us to spend unlimited amounts of time on the Internet but still are shocked about our knowledge of how to build bombs?
"Why are you so afraid to tell us `no' sometimes?
"Why is it so hard for you to realize that school shootings and other violent juvenile behavior result from a lack of your attention more than anything else?
"Call us Generation Next if you want to, but I think you will be surprised at how we will fail to fit into your neat little category. These questions should, and will, be asked of the generations that have failed us.
"You have pursued your selfish desires for years but now is the time to reap what you have sown. Some rude awakenings like the Littleton massacre have occurred and probably will continue until you can begin to answer our questions and make the drastic changes to put us, your kids, first.
"Time is running out, for in just a few short years we will be grown, and it will be too late. You might not think we are worth it, but I can guarantee you that Littleton will look like a drop in the bucket compared to what might occur when a neglected Generation `Why' comes to power."
What a remarkable indictment on our society, as well as compelling evidence that Satan is doing pretty well in this war. Have you hugged your kids today? Have you let them know you love them? Have you planted a seed about who their Savior is and how much he loves them? And if not your kids, what about the ones down the street?
SEP is an incredible place for young people to come and to change. Four hundred teens came this year. I would love to see that number double or triple. Don't worry, we can handle it. God will provide.
This is war. Your prayers do make a difference. Your time does make a difference. Your offerings to the church to fund SEP make a difference. If it were not for those, that incredible place where young people come to meet their Savior would not be available for our denomination. Your love makes a difference. And it all may just make a difference for eternity!
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1999