Millennials and The Bible

I do not remember when I received my first Bible.   I do recall taking a Bible to Sunday school somewhere around fifth or sixth grade.  One of those Sundays I was asked to read the story for the day directly from the Bible.  It was an awkward experience only because I did not have a lot of self-confidence at that time.  

I received a Revised Standard Version (RSV) of the Bible at the time of my confirmation.  It was a gift from the congregation.  We had a choice,. Most of my classmates chose a prayer book and a few opted for a hymnal.  My parents were adamant that I ask for a Bible.  I did not question it at the time.  Only when I went off to college, still carrying that same Bible, did I realize the value of that gift.  I still have that Bible.  The cover has come off and the pages are tattered, but there is no way I will give it up.  We probably have over two dozen Bibles in our home, but that one is special.

For Christians, the Bible remains not just a sacred book but guide on how to live.  A recent report from the Barna Group seems to indicate that while most Millennials share those perspectives, not all the news is good.  I also view the Bible as the cornerstone on which my faith is built.  Only in the Bible is the story of salvation revealed. Jesus suffered and died for my sins.  He also rose again, conquering death and the devil.  Because of that I can live confidently.  I have the hope of eternal life.  Unfortunately, Most Millennials do not share that perspective.  For them the Bible is just a sacred book filled with lots of good advice.  As of the stories in the Bible, they might be ancient, but probably more myth than reality.

The Barna report indicates that many young adults view the Bible much as they do any other self-help manual.  For them it is like a membership in a health club.  It is a way to improve your lifestyle and make yourself a better person.  That leaves us with the challenge on how to get the Gospel message across to a generation that has been labeled Moralistic Therapeutic Deist. 

I maintain that the only way that can be accomplished is if we live the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Preaching and moralizing does no good.  It can only happen we live as people of hope.  That is what we are called to do.