SOMEONE POPPED THE LUTHERAN BUBBLE

The "Lutheran Bubble;" it is a term I heard often during my years in youth ministry.  Parents and other adults used the term to reference the safe environment inside the church community.  Children who grew up attending Lutheran schools, going through confirmation class and then on to youth group seemed to be immune to many of the temptations and issues out in the real world.

If the "Lutheran Bubble" did exist, and I for one do not believe it ever did, a recent report from the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod seems to indicate things have changed.  Data collected by the church itself indicates that "good church youth" struggle with the same issues that the rest of society does.  Not only that, often they agree that culture is correct and the church has got it wrong.  The Gay/Lesbian issue is one example. 

The LCMS polls teens every three years at its National Youth Gathering.  The last gathering was in 2013, but the results were only recently published.  The issue of homosexuality and gay marriage first appeared on the survey in 1986.  On the issue of homosexuality, the number who viewed it as wrong has trended down steadily from 82% in 1986 to 56% in 2013.  When it came to same-sex marriage support has increased.  In 2004, 63 percent of those polled favored the response, "Marriage is for one man/one woman." That response declined to 57% in 2007, 53% in 2010 and 47% in 2013. Support for gay marriage has gone from 22% in 2004 to 25% in 2013.

We can throw our hands in the air over this news, but I for one do not see all as being lost.  Jesus is still our Savior.  We still live with the hope of eternal life.  The opinions of society will never change who I am and what I believe in, but I need to acknowledge that many of those around me do not share that same perspective.  Our goal should be to relate to the world where they are at in order for them to see us for who we are.   For a church that might mean creating an environment where meaningful discussion can take place on the issues.  Some of that dialog needs to be happening in the church youth room.  We cannot ignore the issues.  Rather, we must stand beside our teens and young adults as they grapple with who they are and what God's desire is for them.