This morning I was with a group of older Christians.  Collectively they have hundreds of years of wisdom to share with me and others.  As I was teaching I was wondering about how many of them miss the Good Old Days.  The days when you knew what to expect when you went to church.  The days when there was little to no technology.  The days when you knew everyone’s name and how they were doing.  I asked how many of them have internet and about half of the hands went up and some of them are still on dial up.  It must be so intimidating for them to see where the church is going.

          One of the things that I am realizing is that the distance between the older generation and the younger generation is further than it has ever been.  The younger generation is getting most of its information off of the web and many are doing it on their phones, which is much quicker and you don’t have to wait until you get home.  Many of the older generation rely on personal sharing and information on a hard copy.  I find it getting more difficult with each day to effectively reach both groups.

          A couple of weeks ago I saw a table of teenagers sitting together.  No one was talking.  Everyone was texting, checking e-mail or playing DS, while the table next to them of older adults were talking non-stop.  There is something precious about the personal relationships that develop without the technology.  There is something amazing going on in the lives of young people as they fully embrace new technologies.

          Bridging these two generations is going to be a challenge for the church in the coming years.  How well we celebrate the Good Ol’ Days while at the same time embrace the exciting days ahead will determine our future.