I have been learning a lot about keeping a fire going in a woodburning fireplace heater.
For example, if there is a good hot bed of coals going and I add a huge monstrous log to the firebox … it will catch fire nicely at first, on the bottom where the red-hot coals are … but because the huge monstrous log is so big, it will ultimately wind up suffocating the coals. In the end (if I don’t notice and do something), the coals die down to nothing … and the fire goes out.
Another example – If I have a nice fire going in the firebox, with a good hot bed of coals, and if I pack the firebox too full with medium-size pieces of wood (our firebox really can only handle 2 medium-size pieces of wood … but I have been known to stuff 3 pieces in!) … this likewise will suffocate the fire. Leaving me with a firebox filled with nothing but swirling smoke, and an embarrassing amount of smoke pouring out our chimney.
In order to keep a good fire going in the firebox, there needs to be enough airflow! The fire needs oxygen in order to keep burning.
I was looking at the firebox which had been burning so beautifully just an hour before, but was now suffocating beneath a huge monstrous log, and I couldn’t help but think, “This is why my generation … ‘Gen X’ … left the church.”
The Church was so brilliantly “on fire” for Christ as my generation … Gen X … was growing up. The Church was healthy and strong; the generations that paved the way before us had established a good hot bed of coals. It was time to “pass the faith” on to the next generation. It was time to “add more wood” to the firebox.
But what happened is that a huge monstrous log was added to the “firebox” … the deep heavy doctrines of the faith! Afterall, we must “earnestly contend for the faith!” (Jude 3)
My generation … Gen X … reached our launching into adulthood throughout the 1990’s and into the early 2000’s. A lot of big changes were happening in the world … the internet had just come onto the scene. In the church a lot of changes were occurring as well.
New versions of the Bible were being introduced. Up until this point the Church had universally used one primary English translation of the Bible. But now, several new English translations were becoming available (which were considerably easier to read and understand).
New styles of worship were being introduced. Up until this point the Church had universally worshipped the same way for generations. But now brand-new worship music was being brought into the church … music which was much more modern in style. Drums and guitars were coming into the church! … and the words to the songs were being projected up onto the wall!
So many changes! The Church cannot change … because to change is to compromise! We must not compromise!
The “firebox” was stuffed full with lots of good solid medium-size pieces of wood (“the solid doctrines of the faith!”). We must keep the fire going! Earnestly contend for the faith!!
My generation … Gen X … really liked the new, easier-to-understand translations of the Bible. We really liked the new worship style … it actually matched our real lives.
But we were told: To change is to compromise! There will be no compromise! If you don’t like it … you can leave.
And so, my generation … Gen X … left.
Gen X left the church.
In mass exodus.
We all entered the workforce … we had zeal and drive; we had creative ideas; we had energy and passion to change the world.
And we did great things! We were innovative! We came up with creative solutions for complicated problems. Gen X worked hard. We started out as “nobodys” at the bottom of the ladder … and we worked our way up to become managers, directors, business owners, CEO’s.
Hubby was having lunch with his coworkers a few months back, and over the course of the conversation it came out that almost every single one had grown up in strict, stodgy, fundamental backgrounds.
Over hubby’s many years of working together with these coworkers, absolutely none of them had given any indication of “religious” ideas or leanings … at all. But during this particular lunch conversation they candidly shared about the strict legalistic rules which they each grew up under.
Rules … rules … and more rules. And lots of judgementalism.
Gen X. Our generation.
They knew. They had grown up in church.
And they had left. As soon as they had had the chance.
And they never looked back.
No matter which church hubby and I have attended over the past 27 years, our generation has been absent.
No matter whether churches on the East Coast or West Coast … our generation is absent … missing.
No matter whether we were young newlyweds just starting out … or when we were parents raising our children … or even now to this day … our generation is absent from church.
Why? Why did Gen X leave the church??
Because the “firebox” was crammed too full with large, heavy logs. The fire was suffocated. There was no airflow. There was no freedom for new ideas. There was no freedom for change.
The very same creativity and innovation which has made Gen X so successful in our careers … was the very thing which drove Gen X out of the church.
A fire needs oxygen to keep burning. On the bright side … the Church is experiencing great revival as the Millennial generation and Gen Z are “on fire” for Christ!!
The fire didn’t go out in the “firebox” … God knows how to keep His Church going.
The fire of the Church is burning brightly! Millennials and Gen Z have great freedom in Christ! There is airflow! There is oxygen! And there are plenty of logs being added … as the gospel of Jesus Christ is being preached! There is always hope!
