Young Americans: Good News and . . . a Challenge.

By Terry Coy

Recent research by the PewResearch Center on Millennials has pointed to their much greater tolerance and openness to race relations, inter-racial marriage, immigration, and cultures other than their own.  This openness – really, this downplaying of differences – is part of what makes them a “third culture” generation.  Dave Gibbons, in his book “The Monkey and the Fish” defines third culture as “the mindset and will to love, learn, and serve in any culture, even in the midst of pain and discomfort.” 

This is good news missionally speaking!  Racial and cultural barriers, although real, are no longer seen as significant.  They are more willingly crossed, if they are even there.  College students and young adults can move easier between races, cultures, and nationalities than their parents could.  Differences are seen as differences, not threats.

Yet, the same research also gives cause for concern and a challenge.  If that Millennial openness and tolerance is given free reign, it becomes relativistic and open to just about anything, including morality.  The same Pew research revealed that the Millenial generation is also comfortable with accepting homosexuality as a legitimate alternative lifestyle.  Gay marriage is no big deal to many of them.

This is certainly no big news to college ministers and cultural observers.  The challenge, therefore, is to keep students and young adults grounded in scriptural absolutes without losing compassion for real people who are real sinners in need of a real Savior.  The challenge is learning how to really love the sinner without compromising the fact that his sin is also real.  Could Millenial followers of Jesus teach us older boomers how to do this better?