What the Church Can Learn From an Entitled Generation!

I recently read an article that has gone viral about Millennial's leaving the church.  (http://www.recklesslyalive.com/12-reasons-millennials-are-over-church/)  

According to this article:

"Church attendance and impressions of the church are the lowest in recent history and most drastic among millennials described as 22-35 year olds.

• Only 2 in 10 Americans under 30 believe attending a church is important or worthwhile (an all-time low)
• 59% percent of millennials raised in a church have dropped out.
• 35% of millennials have an anti-church stance, believing the church does more harm than good.
• Millennials are the least likely age group of anyone to attend church (by far)."

There is another video that went viral about working with millennial's.  In this video the speaker focus's on the entitlement mentality of this generation. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MC2X-LRbkE

Although I agree with the author's on most points, there are Biblical realities that started with the fall of man and the salvation of man.  These are the realities that every generation needs.  I think every church has to meet two criteria's to be effective:  Why am I here?  (Purpose) and Who am I to God? (Identity).  

So, here is my very abbreviated opinion.  I began preaching when I was sixteen.  I did it full-time for years, so I am saying this as some one who was guilty.  There are many well meaning churches and preachers that, like I was, are still teaching the law.  The messages are on sin and judgement.  What you can and cannot do.  Whether this comes from teaching the law of Moses, (Uh-Oh ~ I am going to touch someone's sacred cow- read disclaimer) the Red Letters of your Bible or from some denominational position.  Unfortunately, this leads to an Orphan mentality.  It creates a mindset of never being good enough.  Instead of teaching about who we are in Christ!  (Just look at the first two chapters of Ephesians and how many times Paul used the phrase "In Him!")  I think the "entitled" mentality of this generation allows them to see right through this.  In most churches I imagine them thinking, "Why should I go to church to have them tell me that I am not good enough?"

All that being said, I do see this changing.  Churches are starting to realize that we can never be perfect, that is why we need Jesus. That through Him all things are possible, I am the righteousness of God, I have the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father, etc.  The Bible says, "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are NO LONGER UNDER A TUTOR. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:24-25

Romans 3:21;24 ~ "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in^[a] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for
ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT
of the glory of God, and
ALL ARE JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE
through redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
 

We adapt styles for the new generations, for example what is commonly called contemporary worship, but the method never changes, "God chose the foolishness of preaching to confound the wise."  C.S. Lewis was at a seminar on world religions and after learning about all the different religions, he overheard some people talking about what is the difference between them and Christianity.  He replied the group with one word, "Grace."  Every other religion had a set of rules regulations that you had to follow and attain for your salvation.  Only Christianity is not about what we have done, but about what was done for us."

What generation would walk away from church, if that church taught them what it truly means to be a son or daughter of God, instead of somebody who never meets the mark? 

Any way I could go on, but won't!

(Disclaimer - Jesus was under the law and spent His life raising the Law to it's true standard - Unattainable.  If we teach this as our standard then we are telling this generation that Jesus is not enough.)