The Immigration Debate: A Generational Perspective

The immigration issue is not only a hot topic but one that has divided our country.  A new report from Pew Research has provided me with some insight into the problem and why it has become such a divisive issue.  Like so many other issue, past and present, the problem appears to be rooted in misinformation.  The generational divide, so common when it comes to issues also seems to apply here.  In this case Millennials, at least those ages 18-29, seem to have a better understanding of the issue.  I want to address two of the aspects.

One of the realities is that a majority of immigrants are in the country legally.  Young adults seem to be much more informed on this issue.  Fifty-eight percent (58%) of those ages 18-29 who were polled responded yes to the statement “most immigrants are in the U.S. legally.  Only 4% responded that “they did not know.”  Among those over the age of 65 only 35% were aware that most immigrants are here legally.  A surprising 20% responded that “they did not know.”

The other issue is the impact that immigrants have on the U.S. labor market.  Overall, 71% of those polled agreed that “immigrants most filled jobs that U.S. citizens do not want.”  Again there was a disparity across generations.  Eighty percent (80%) of those 18-29 held that opinion, compared to 68% of those over the age of 65.

Millennials and members of Generation Z (those born after 2000) have grown up in a much more diverse world. If they have gone to a public high school or university they have gotten to know individuals from different cultures and ethnic groups.  This has not only caused them to be more tolerant toward immigrants but also more accepting when it comes to the positive impact they can have on our country.  This might be one issue where we can learn from them.

What's in a Name?

I have been seeing a doctor at the same clinic for almost twenty years.  When I started going there the clinic shared their parking lot with the First Baptist Church next store.  Somewhere over the last five years the name on the church marquee changed to Grace Point Church.  To my knowledge it is still a Baptist Church but the leadership made the decision to go with a trendier, more marketable name.  That church is not alone.  The Southern Baptist Convention recently elected a president, J. D. Greer, who pastors a church that does not have Baptist in its name (Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, N.C.)

It is not just Baptist churches that are going with more contemporary names that are void of denominational designation.  I am a Lutheran and I am aware of several churches that have opted to take on names that are void of the word Lutheran.  Shepherd’s Gate, Crosspoint and Waters Edge are a few that come to mind.  Even if they are chartered as a “Lutheran” church, for the purpose of marketing they choose to go with a more contemporary name.  While some might find this trend troubling, I view it more as an attempt to reach the unchurched.  Across the board: mainline denominations are in the decline.  Most have graying membership and unless the trend is reversed future looks bleak for most denominations. 

If we find this troubling perhaps we have no one to blame but ourselves.  Many established churches have become more inner focused, doing a good job of meeting the needs of members but ignoring the needs of the community they live in.  While they have done a good job of preserving tradition, they have failed to pass the heritage to the next generation.  As a result we have a generation, The Millennials, who want nothing to do with “traditional Christianity.”  They are spiritual but if they are going to affiliate with a Christian community it will probably be outside the mainline denomination of their parents. 

A catchy new name and logo will only work if the people of God who live under that emblem view themselves as being Jesus in a broken world.  Claiming to be evangelical is not enough.  Being people of compassion and grace is the key.  The church must exist for the broken and lost, not for those who want to safe and secure.

Watch Your Tweet, Grandpa

There is no doubt that social media is a big part of our current culture.  To even a casual observer it would seems that is especially the case for teenagers.  A recent report from Pew Research confirmed the common held opinion; almost half (48%) of today’s teens admit to being online almost constantly.  It is not just teenagers who seem to be constantly engaged with their mobile devices.  The fondness for our mobile devices seems to span the generations.  I was not surprised recently to come up on a car whose driver was obviously pre-occupied.  That happens all the time.   I was shocked this time when the driver was an elderly woman who was texting behind the wheel.  That caused me to ask the question: what kind of example are we as older adults setting when it comes to our use of mobile devices?

Unfortunately it is not just the issue of the use of mobile devices while driving that troubles me.  I have to wonder what kind of image we are projecting through our posts on social media.  If Millennials and members of Generation Z have a negative view of older adults and the church is it because of the messages we are posting online.  Granted, most of us probably have a limited number of teen and young adult friends of Facebook, but that is not the point.  When we use social media as a platform to voice our personal opinions on social, political or spiritual issue are we reinforcing the negative feelings that young folks have of older adults. 

I recently read an online article by Impact 360, the ministry that has partnered with the Barna Group to produce the most recent profile of Generation Z.  The article posed the question: What are the behaviors being modeled for the next generation on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms?   The author included some scriptural references that caused me to think:

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Col. 4:5-6)

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Eph. 4:29)

It is important to remember it is “Social Media” not a political platform.  Facebook, Twitter and the other forms of social media are tools that should be used to keep people update on our lives and to build others up.