wfn.org | Lutherans Work to 'Bridge the Gap' Between Generations

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

December 1, 1999

LUTHERANS WORK TO 'BRIDGE THE GAP' BETWEEN GENERATIONS
99-304-MR/KD***

     MILWAUKEE (ELCA) -- Generation "Xers" are "children of the media"
and yearn for personal relationships and community, Dr. Gene Edward
Veith Jr., dean of arts and sciences at Concordia University Wisconsin,
Mequon, Wis., told participants at "Bridging the Gap: Reaching Post-Modern
 Generations," Nov. 21-23 at the Milwaukee Hilton.
     The conference was sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America's (ELCA) Division for Congregational Ministries and The Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod's Board for Congregational Services.  About 300
lay leaders and clergy addressed the needs and challenges of ministry
with people born in the post-modern culture.
     "The post-modern generation is fascinated with the old," said
Vieth in his keynote presentation.  "This presents an incredible
opportunity for Christianity and religion."
     For ministry with the post-modern generation, "we need to go to
pre-modern days and comtemporize what's there ... find past values and
bring them to the present," said Veith.
     "Post-moderns are also interested in mystery, the things that go
beyond their thinking.  Again, a great opportunity for the church.  The
church needs to recover and contemporize Christian spirituality, bring
back and emphasize the mysteries of our faith," Vieth said.
     "Bridging the Gap" featured Bible study, keynote presentations,
workshops and worship.
     "The post-modern generation is used to fragmentation," said the
Rev. Todd Hahn, Forest Hill (Presbyterian) Church, Charlotte, N.C.  "We
have fragmented lives.  We deal with family issues, divorce, violations
of trust and boundaries.  But God takes the fragments and sums them up
in Jesus Christ.  That is God's way of developing relationships with us.
Friendships and community are critical to the post-modern generation.
We have to become God-intoxicated."
     In his keynote presentation Hahn said, "The task of a leader is
not to sell a vision.  The leader does not have answers and sell it to
those willing to pay the price. The leader pulls out the message that is
already there for all of us.  The leader articulates the message for us
and translates it in a way all can understand.  The leader is a
spokesperson for people who speak our language."
     Hahn told participants that post-modern people are "converted to
community before they are converted to Christ." Church evangelism should
be community-based and not individualistic, he said.
     Workshop topics at "Bridging the Gap" ranged from ministries with
the post-modern culture to worship and music strategies with post-modern
generations.
     The Rev. Albert Starr Jr., Ascension Lutheran Church, Los Angeles,
and Valora Starr Butler, director for evangelism and stewardship, Women
of the ELCA (the women's organization of the church), Chicago, led Bible
study.
     The post-modern generation "has created its own identity rather
than letting the market do it for them," said the Rev. Pam Fickenscher,
Spirit Garage, Minneapolis.  Spirit Garage is a Lutheran congregation
noted for its effective ministry among the post-modern generation.
Fickenscher led a keynote presentation.
     "Ministering with post-moderns does not mean eliminating
structure.  Structure is sometimes needed ... accountability is
important," said Fickenscher.  "Everyone longs to do something
meaningful and engage in service and mission.  The post-modern
generation seeks to communicate truth directly with love and
accountability."
     "The target for 'Bridging the Gap' was to create awareness about
the possibilities for evangelism in the emerging post-modern, North
American scene," said the Rev. Richard A. Webb, ELCA associate director
for evangelism.  Webb was conference manager.

[**Kris Davis is director of communication for the ELCA Milwaukee Area
Synod.]

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