The mission remains! E-Book

Johannes Sieber

• Herausgeber: Neufeld Verlag
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 309

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Have you ever thought to yourself that the next generation somehow ticks differently? This book shows the heart of Generation Y and Z and how our culture is being changed. Even if many things alter - the mission remains. Johannes Sieber shows how to reach the young generation and inspire them to live with Jesus, based on the enduring mission of Jesus. In doing so, the author vividly shows that a reformation is needed in our life, thinking, acting and communicating. The book speaks precisely into our current time and calls for concrete steps. Will you be challenged to a simple and powerful Jesus lifestyle?

Leseprobe

Johannes Sieber

The mission remains!

How we win the next generation for a life with Jesus

Johannes Sieber

The mission remains!

How we win the next generation for a life with Jesus

Editor: Rita BornCover design: spoon design, Olaf JohannsonCover photographs: Benjamin Zanatta, unsplash.comMatthew Gerrard, unsplash.comIllustrations: Johannes SieberLetterings: Matias OppligerComposition and production: Edition Wortschatz, Cuxhaven

© 2021 Johannes Sieber

Edition Wortschatz, Sauerbruchstraße 16, 27478 Cuxhaven

www.edition-wortschatz.de

Inhalt

The Rasta Man 7

Part 1: The mountain 21

The world around us 23

About you and me 25

You are a mistake 51

What tomorrow will look like 67

Part 2: The dynamite 83

Let’s start at the right place 85

The Kingdom 91

Mission Impossible 119

The implementation of the disciples 141

Part 3: The blast 171

Transformative encounter 187

Discipleship as mission and mandate 203

Family as a form of design 221

Change. Now! 233

Bibliography 235

The Rasta Man

Can you remember a time before YouTube? I do. One of the first videos I saw on YouTube was about a man with rasta’s. He looked a little wild, like he came straight out of a skate park. This man would walk around the streets asking people if he could pray for them. Often he would even tell people where theyhad pain. The passersby were very surprised that this man knew where it hurt. When this wild guy started praying for the people, they were even more amazed. For the pain gave way, and they could move as if they had never had an injury or pain. In these videos of Todd White1, this happened not just once, but over and over again. This attracted my interest. So it did seem possible to experience the things I heard about in church and read about in the Bible. Later I experienced such things myself – more about that later. Then I heard about movements in Asia where hundreds and thousands of people came to faith and whole places and countries were changed. Therefore, it is possible to experience spiritual awakenings, as we read about them in books from the past.

How do you feel when you hear such things? What does it stir in you when you hear stories of the past and of faraway places where God is working mightily? As for me it triggers an incredible hunger to experience this myself. But I also feel a tension: for a long time I only knew theoretically about the work of the Holy Spirit. I listened to sermons that urged me to avoid this or that, or about beautiful theological flights that probably should have motivated me. I often asked myself: What does this have to do with my life? How do I get to where I can experience these things myself that I saw in the videos? Don’t you feel like there’s more to what we can experience with God? Is the church just a place where the mighty deeds of God are reported, or is it a place where you and I can experience it for ourselves?

In the Bible, tremendous things happen all the time, for example in the story of Philip. Philip inspires me and makes me hungry. He went into a city and healed the sick, cast out demons and called for repentance. This gave such a tremendous uproar that the whole city was turned upside down. The Bible says, “And there was great joy in that city.”2 That city experienced a transformation. Philip could do no more than you and I, was neither more giftednor more famous. He had the same Holy Spirit as you and me. That makes me eager to experience the same adventures as he did.

A priest once said that where Jesus went, revival and change happened; where he himself went, they would offer him a cup of tea. What happens when you come to a town? Do people bring you coffee or do you bring radical transformation?

I live for revival to happen through me and the people I am surrounded with. We want to be available to the Holy Spirit so that He can use us for whatever He wants to do. We long for revival. What about you?

Don’t you think something should change? Who is actually right, the Bible that says we can experience the same things as Jesus and the apostles did back then, or we who do not experience them? One of the two must be corrected, right? Either the Bible or I. But I don’t want to correct the Bible, because it is God’s word. If we believe the Bible, then this question cannot leave us cold.

The story of Andrew

Imagine that you lived 2000 years ago and you were one of the disciples who went around with Jesus. You can choose which of these disciples you want to be. Let me take Andrew. Andrew was a passionate guy who was hungry for God. The message from John the Baptist went straight into his heart. After that, he met Jesus and had an incredible encounter with Him that he never forgot. Andrew was there from the beginning, he quickly realized that Jesus was the promised Messiah. He experienced the miracles and signs that Jesus did. There was, for example, the healing of a man born blind, the multiplication of food, or the thousands of paralytics and lepers he healed. Jesus also raised the dead Lazarus. A highlight was when they went to the villages without Jesus and experienced the same things. Then they captured Jesus and mistreated him in the cruelest way and nailed him to a cross. Andrew was there and couldn’t believe what was happening. Was this to be the end?

On the first day of the new week, Jesus was alive again, because he was raised from the dead. One event chased the other: sorrow, grief, joy, overwhelming emotions. Finally, Jesus says to the disciples: Go and do the same as I have done. Make disciples of all nations, heal them, and cast out demons from them! A few days after Jesus said this, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples. At the latest, no one could stop Andrew now. Everyone must hear and experience this! Such power now lived in him that whole cities were turned upside down. Andrew did what Jesus had told him to do. He did not deviate an inch from it. Even when they persecuted, tortured and finally nailed him to a cross, he held fast to what Jesus had said. As he hung on the cross, he lived two more days preaching to his tormentors until he died.3

Let’s assume Andrew is beamed into our time, into the 2020s. He walks through a modern city with all the unknown. But here, too, he has only one passion. He wants people to know Jesus and become his followers. He approaches people and heals the sick. Suddenly he meets someone who is already following Jesus. Andrew is gripped by an incredible joy and curiosity. He has met someone who is already following Jesus. Andrew immediately wants to know where this guy is meeting with other believers today. The answer irritates him, because he tells him that he will not have another small group until four days from now and that it is not really meant for strangers. Andrew is disappointed but doesn’t give up. As a result, he is invited to the service on Sunday at 11 o’clock. Andrew asks if he can come to the prayer service when the sun rises. No, is the answer. Because they will be setting up first, and the band still had to sound check. Andrew thinks to himself that this is probably something new that he doesn’t have to understand.

So Andrew shows up at this modern building a few minutes before the service. He actually likes it, it looks appealing, and the colors and the high rooms are beautiful. Already at the entrance he is greeted friendly. Since he is obviously recognized as a visitor, he receives some documents about the church and a voucher for a free coffee. He does not know what a coffee is, but he thinks it is nice. Now he is really looking forward to sharing with the believers what they are experiencing in this age with his Master Jesus and how the revival is progressing, and he is looking forward to praying and praising God with them. He is jolted out of his thoughts as someone wants to show him his seat to sit on. But he does not want to sit at all! He is disconcerted by the fact that all the chairs are facing the same direction and he cannot look into the faces of the faithful. Suddenly music resounds from everywhere – a great experience. Andrew suspects that this is the new way of praising God. He gets fully involved. The Holy Spirit is so strongly present that he praises God with strong tears and praises Him in foreign languages. Great! Now things are really going to take off! Andrew is looking forward to how people will be healed and delivered and how they will want to repent. He is looking forward like a little child to what will happen now.

All of a sudden, everyone in the room sits down on their chairs. Andrew is confused but does what the others do. He waits eagerly for the total eruption of the working of the spirit, as he has experienced so many times. Now a good-looking young woman comes on stage and announces various events. Andrew finds this alienating and inappropriate, but perhaps it has to be that way in modern times. Finally, another good-looking man comes on stage and tells stories about his life with his children and his wife. The man urges the people in the room to take control of one area in their lives in three steps and to love their neighbors more. Andrew is irritated; he can remember Jesus’ life-changing and confrontational sermons. He himself preached countless sermons, but none of them were so focused on people’s well-being. After the service, he walks out a little sad, thinking that he can now pray with the faithful. Instead, sipping free coffee, people talk about his special clothes, sports, and working. Quite sadly, he leaves the building and never returns there. Andrew has a burning question: How on earth does one get from what Jesus told and exemplified to what he saw here?

For Andrew, church is a community of radical followers of Jesus who are willing to lay down their lives for their Master. This community is powerful, loving, and the ultimate goal is that people become followers who in turn are able to share the good news.

For someone who has experienced the book of Acts themselves, it would probably be difficult to comprehend what we are doing in our churches today. I think many things that are done in churches are amazing. I know some churches and have been part of such a movement myself, where people regularly come to faith and signs and wonders happen. The commitment some are making to the kingdom of God is impressive and worthy of emulation. But I also think that we should find our way back to this simple and powerful life of Jesus. At least this is true for me. A change is also needed if the next generations are to be reached. More about that later. That is why I ask the question here: Who is my role model? After whom do I align my life and thus my actions? Do I look to the original or do I look to the copy from the copy of the copy? Personally, I want to follow the original. I want to follow Jesus. I want to live like Andrew. I want to change something today.

Do you feel the same way? Then you have come to the right place! In this book you will find answers to what Jesus, the original, can look like today. Prepare for this book to make you think and want to change certain things in your life. Welcome to the adventure.

A vision

Do you know the feeling when other people want to put you in a box that you don’t fit into? I experience this from time to time. Furthermore, I often don’t feel understood because I’m from a different generation. We function differently, have different values, and our future plans look different. If you’re my age or younger, you’ve probably experienced this too.

Some time ago, someone wanted to instrumentalize me and told me that I should fit into a system, but I did not want to give myself into it. I respect and honor that person very much, so it did not pass me by without leaving a trace. It stirred me up and I was restless. Later in the day, I withdrew and asked the Holy Spirit what this was all about and if I was indeed on the wrong track.

Suddenly I found myself in a vision. I don’t know how that happened, but what I saw thrilled me:

I am in a city. This city is bombed and broken. The buildings are empty and some look like ruins. The streets are deserted and things are lying around everywhere. Debris of houses and junk are lying on the street. The ruins of the buildings make an inanimate and desolate impression. It doesn’t look like there are any people left in this city. Suddenly I am outside the city and there is a big army. This army is lined up in a clear order. Further back, I see a large, gloomy structure that is getting closer and closer. It looks like it is the enemy. As I approach the army, which is in battle order, I see how well equipped it is: everyone has good equipment and nice armor. It seems clear that everyone knows their exact place. However, one senses a fear emanating from these well-armed soldiers. The closer you get to these soldiers, the more you get the impression that they have never been in a battle before. Up front, in front of the battle lines, sits the king on a powerful horse. This king radiates enormous majesty. Among the soldiers, I sense that they have great reverence for this king. They do not know him but are simply his soldiers. The whole scene is like a movie. It is immediately clear to me that this king is Jesus.

Suddenly, a loud call from the king resounds. This call is suddenly everywhere and penetrates everything. It almost feels like an audible, all-pervading sonar. It is a call as if to awaken or evoke something. Indeed, something now moves everywhere in the rubble of the city. The city comes alive and here and there people come out. They run out of the city and move nimbly through the good-looking army. At first glance, these people have the appearance of vagrants. Some of them have only clothes-like fabrics wrapped around their bodies. On closer inspection, you can see their massive muscles. These are not vagrants, but well-trained men and women who have a determined look, as if they know how to go to war. Some of them are holding very rudimentary weapons, others have nothing at all. As they pass through the army to get to the front, it becomes clear that these people are outcasts. They are not let through kindly by the soldiers. The dislike is clearly expressed.

As they arrive at the front, they stand next to the king and greet him. They greet him like a friend and as if they are about to experience something familiar and adventurous together. They have respect for the king, but it appears that he is more their friend. It is obvious that the king and these outcasts have been successfully in battle together many times before. With these warriors, one does not sense fear, but rather a joy before battle. This group, which now stands in front of the battle lines of the handsome army, looks more like a horde of savages.

The difference and tension between these two groups is enormous, some look great from the outside but are afraid of fighting and do not know the king personally. The others, who look like outlaw tramps, are experienced in war and know the king personally. What could this mean?

For me it is clear in which direction this vision is to be interpreted. I think it also became clear to you that some represent the institutionally organized church that is well ordered and well armed. The others are wild outcasts who have no place in the system. However, these are the very ones who are ready for battle. A soldier follows orders that he may not even understand. A soldier doesn’t have much to lose, because there isn’t much at stake for him. A warrior, on the other hand, fights out of passion. A warrior puts everything into it. Therefore, he can either lose everything or win everything. The question is obvious: would you rather be a soldier or a warrior?

Join the warriors who stake everything on one chance and accept to be outcasts from time to time. But they live the incredible adventure! This book is a call to these warriors: stand up and join! It’s all or nothing!

Do you want to be part of this adventure and inspire more savages to join?

I am convinced that a change is needed for us to get back to this simple and radical life with Jesus. It needs a change if we are to win people for Jesus in the 21st century who will become mature followers. It takes a change in understanding what we see and live as a church. It takes a change in how we make disciples or that we make disciples at all. If we are to shape the future together and see a transformation of our countries, there is an urgent need for change. In this book, I make the case for radical change. But this change must happen now, because we are living in the midst of cultural upheaval, and we do not want to lose touch. Or would it even be possible to be ahead of time? Either way – it’s urgent. If we want to be relevant in the 21st century, we have to set out. After all, we have been living in the new century for more than 20 years.

I invite you to be part of this change. This change will affect our future. Change will come one way or another, but the question is whether we have any idea in which direction this change should go. There is a book called “You Don’t Have a Plan, That’s Why We’re Making One!” The authors4 outline 10 conditions on how they think to save the future. I think this is a good and somewhat cheeky approach by young people to wanting to change society. We may not have to save our future, but at least we have a vision of what it should look like. But if we don’t influence this and take active steps, we won’t end up there.

Greta Thunberg5 taught the older generations of the western world that there is a generation coming that is concerned about the future, as the book mentioned above also describes. Of course, we as the younger generation have to live in this world in the future. Obviously, she was not the only one who thought so, otherwise thousands of young people would not have gone to the streets to demonstrate during the Friday for Future. This Friday for Future movement says in relation to climate policy: We have to change something and we have to change it now.

There are no Greta’s in the churches to stand up and say that something needs to be changed. Either the Greta’s are not tolerated and silenced or they just leave without anyone noticing. Likewise a whole generation of young Christians leaves and loses their radical fire for Jesus. There would be another option: there is absolutely no one in the churches who sees that change is needed. But I don’t believe that. Which is why here in this book, like those authors mentioned above, I say: If you don’t have a plan for this change of how we’re going to reach people in the 21st century and how we’re going to live church, let’s make one.

Are you in? Do you want to be challenged and are you willing to accept the cost of change? Do you want to be part of a big change?

The secret is that YOU can BE the change. There will be no political action or grand strategy – it starts with you and me. Our lifestyle shows that we have a vision and a plan that goes with it.

Is such radical change realistic and possible? Yes it is. You will see.

From drilling and blasting

Imagine a big, almost insuperable mountain. You desperately want to get to the other side. But not only you, many people actually want to get to the other side comfortably. This route should become an important trade and transportation route. What do you do? You build a tunnel. In Switzerland we know this situation and we have some of these tunnels, many of them are railroad tunnels. Such a tunnel used to be built in the following way: Holes are drilled into the rock. The dynamite is put into these holes, which is finally detonated. This blasting creates a hole. Drilling and blasting is the way to the goal.6 That is exactly what we want to do in this book: Drill, charge and blast. Because the point is to know the rock of our culture precisely and to drill a hole in the right place to penetrate it. Then we put the Gospel into this hole and let the Holy Spirit ignite the whole thing.

Knowing the culture precisely and placing the power of the gospel in the right place has explosive power. Of course, you could also hollow out a rock just by drilling. That would be like dealing only with the culture. Or the dynamite could simply be placed on the rock and detonated until the whole mountain is blown away. This is also a method that some actually use. But this shows that there is not much understanding of the culture. The combination of the two has the explosive power and leads to the desired goal. New York pastor and author Timothy Keller7 calls this ‘active contextualization’.

This book will on the one hand, deal with what Jesus lived and said. On the other hand, our culture in which we live is going to be examined. Finally, I am going to ask how these two things “uncompromising life with Jesus” and the “world around us” go together. We will see how disciples can be made today who make disciples again, and how in the process, church emerges naturally. I have read so many books on how church should be built through numerous concepts and models. Some authors start with the biblical view of church and tell how it should be done. Others tell you from experience what works best. Keller correctly notes that somehow neither is entirely satisfactory and chooses a different path himself.8 In practice and in theory, there was a lot of discussion about how a church service could now become more appealing to outsiders. Some even go so far as to say that the church is primarily for others.9 For a long time I was confused, because in the Bible I read about a different kind of church. But what is it actually about? What are we supposed to do here on earth with our few given years?

I am going to give answers in this book that I have found in my studies. On the one hand, this book is an attempt to answer the big questions and explain them so that they can be understood. On the other hand, it is an invitation to you to become part of that answer and implement something today.

You are challenged to respond to the call of Jesus. This book is meant to stir you up and make you think and at the end I will challenge you to make a decision. But now let’s approach the subject step by step.

Todd White was addicted to drugs for over two decades until he finally met Jesus in 2004 and was set free. This is one of his first videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek8p3m9HdZ4 [March 25, 2021].

Acts 8:8

GotQuestions: “Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross in Greece. After he had been cruelly flogged by seven soldiers, they attached his body to the cross by means of cords to prolong his agony. His followers related that when Andrew was led to the cross, he greeted it with these words: ‘Long have I striven and waited for this happy hour.’ The cross has been consecrated by the hanging body of Jesus.‘ He preached to his tormentors for two more days until he died.” Online at: https://www.gotquestions.org/apostles-die.html [March 25, 2021]

Der Jugendrat der Generationenstiftung (2020)

Greta Thunberg is a Swedish climate activist whose efforts have received worldwide attention.

Keller (2015:123)needs the comparison with tunneling in his book Center Church to describe active contextualization.

Keller (2015:124)

Keller (2015:9; 26)starts church building from the gospel and finally does not want to show a basis and an implementation with his book, but focuses on the attitude or the theological vision from which he builds the church.

Lämmlin & Scholpp (2001:384) or Herbst (2010:189)

Part 1: The mountain

The world around us

In Switzerland, a political initiative wants to make possible what has long been possible in the USA. The matter is that of “marriage for all”, whereby it should also be possible for same-sex couples to get married and enter into wedlock. Until 1972, however, couples in Switzerland who were not married had to expect to be pulled out of bed early in the morning by the morality police. Living together unwed was a punishable offense and not appropriate.10 At that time, no one could have imagined that it would one day be normal for over 90 % of young couples in Switzerland not to be married.11 Even less could anyone have imagined that marriage between people of the same sex would be possible. No matter how you judge this fact, it shows how quickly things can change that one thought would never change. This is also shown in the pandemic year 2020 with all the measures.

Anyone who watches news in the media even from time to time knows that we live in a constantly changing world. There are so many things that change every day. In recent years, there have been upheavals throughout the world the likes of which have not been seen for a long time. I am not just talking about wars and crises that are changing the world forever. But I also mean values and virtues that have changed greatly as a result of the events of the last few decades.

Why is it even important to look more closely? Can’t we just tell the biblical message without looking at society? Can’t we just build church the way we have always done it?

In principle, we could do that, but there is a danger that no one will be inspired for Jesus, because we talk past the people and build constructs that no one is interested in. What was a big hit 30 years ago may repel people today. What attracted people to Jesus then and made hundreds of people turn to him as a result, may be the complete disaster to do today. This has nothing to do with the message of Jesus, but rather with the communicator – with you and me. Every generation must find out afresh in which way it can win its fellow men for Jesus. It is a matter of finding out how people of today function, what moves them, what longings and hopes they have and how they can be inspired for Jesus. That is why we need to think about the changes and about the society in which we live. When a missionary goes to Congo, he first wants to find out what moves the people there and how he can bring Jesus to them. This seems to be natural for missionaries who go abroad. I wonder why we don’t do that here in our own country.

In this next chapter we are going to investigate the research of generations, to see what has changed in concrete terms. Having studied them, we are going to address the major lines of change with their megatrends.

About you and me

During the Corona pandemic, something interesting happened in my environment. While some older people did not take the lockdown regulations very seriously, young people saw it as their duty to protect themselves and especially the older generation. In my environment, it could be observed that young people took the regulations very carefully in order to be on the safe side. It was not primarily for themselves that they adhered so strictly to the measures, but because of the older generation. The risk group (in my environment) saw this somewhat more loosely. This opposite behavior naturally led to tensions. These tensions are a sign of the different generations. One generation wants to lull itself into security. Safety is primarily about not being accused of infecting someone. The other generation, doesn’t want to be told what to do and sees the measures as a dictatorship. Of course, there were many other motives for reacting this way or the other. However, this is just oneexample. Without judging behavior, it is interesting to see that the different generations reacted differently and the generations among themselves relatively homogeneously.

The media and books repeatedly talk about ‘generations’. The correct understanding of this term is disputed in the academic literature. However, we follow the majority and the consensus. A generation is defined as a “totality of people of approximately the same age group with similar social orientation and a view of life that has its roots in a person’s formative years.”12 Generations thus include groups of people born in the same years. A generation always comprises about 20 years. However, not only the year of birth is decisive, but also the imprint. We humans receive this imprint between the 11th and the 15th year of life.13 It is then when we begin to perceive the world around us more consciously. In sociological terms, the imprinting of the economy, politics and society is considered here. Historical events that young people experience at the stated age shape an entire generation. For example, one generation experienced the introduction of the television and another the introduction of the smartphone. One generation experienced the Cold War era and another the terrorist attacks of 9/11. These collective experiences are more crucial than birth years in determining the generation.

With these influences, it is not decisive whether all persons of a generation had the same experiences or read the newspaper at the same time. Rather, values emerge that result from the events and ultimately stand for an entire generation. For example, individualism in combination with egoism is typical of Generation Y, and a skeptical view of the world is characteristic of Generation X.14 However, it must be objected here that not everyone fits the stereotype. You are certainly the exception!

Since it is the same formative values that make up a generation and not necessarily the years of birth, the years sometimes vary. The boundaries here are not fixed and rigid, but rather take the form of fluid transitions. The following chart shows the generations of the westernized world that are still alive today.

Generation

Traditionalists

Baby Boomers

Gen X

Gen Y

Gen Z

Birth years

1922–1945

1945–1964

1965–1979

1980–1995

1995–?

Formative years

1933–1960

1957–1979

1976–1994

1991–2010

2007–?

Formative films

Casablanca

Easy Rider

Reality Bites/ Fear Eats Up Soul

Lord of the Rings/ Harry Potter

The Hunger Games / Fuck Ju Göhte

Formative musicians

James Brown

Jazz/Funk

Woodstock/ Peter Kraus

Rock ’n‘ Roll

Nirvana / Die Toten Hosen Rock

Rock

Red Hot Chili Pepers

House Music

Miley Cyrus / Conchita Wurst

Hip-Hop/Rap

Women's fashion

Long skirts & puffed sleeves

Mini skirt

Hotpants

Leggings

Normcore

Most important

Honor

Protest

Skepticism

Optimism

Realism

Based on the formative years, you can think about what the formative events in politics, business and society during those years were. These are the events that shaped your generation. Movies and music are also often indicators of current trends. Thus you can see how people are aligning themselves and what their values are. Fashion is listed here for you to have a visual image of that time.

We are particularly interested in the last aspect – the values. According to its values a generation can be characterized. These most important values are not there all of a sudden but have a connection with the previous generation. Often it is a reaction to the previous generation. For example, Gen Z can be observed to have learned from the previous Generation Y. The optimism of Gen Y already turned into disappointment for some of Gen Y, but then definitely for Gen Z. The expectations and optimistic future scenarios did not come true, and Gen Z does not want to repeat this and therefore views at its future chances much more realistically.

Ask yourself the following questions:

What were some formative events for you when you were a teenager?What happened in the world, in your country, in your environment when you were 14 years old?How do you see that these events shaped you?

In the following, I will introduce the particular generations in more detail. The main focus is on how one generation influenced the next and why Gen Z functions the way it does. This has an eminent origin. Therefore, I will start with the baby boomers.

Baby Boomers

The baby boomers got their name because of the high birth rate. The population grew tremendously in the post-World War II years. The baby boomers were raised by traditionalists. That generation was characterized by high discipline, obedience and eagerness to work. This was eventually demanded of the children, the baby boomers. The formative years were filled with rising prosperity and the pursuit of careers. Competition increased in many areas of life, such as jobs, education and sports, because there were many more people. Boomers had to deal with both the pressure from their parents and the pressure from the competition. Those who did not meet these standards or did not want to meet them rebelled.

Mr. N. is also a baby boomer. He was my boss when I was training as a geomatician (surveying). Among the employees there was an ambivalent feeling towards Mr. N. Because he was a workaholic out of the book. On the one hand, the employees respected, and on the other hand, they almost felt sorry for him. It felt like Mr. N. was always in the office. Stories were told that on Sunday early in the morning he was seen in his office on the very outside in the corner with the big windows. I can remember a situation as if it were yesterday. I received my report from school and had to show it to Mr. N. Actually I could have been proud, because I had very good grades. But I felt a little uncomfortable. What would he say? Was my performance enough? Could I stand up to his demands? Afraid of the immediate reaction, I put this document with the excellent grades in his drawer. A day later it was back in my drawer with a little note. He had seen it. I knew it. A grade was just good and not very good. He had found it. The little note just said I should make sure that I wouldn’t get any worse. Obviously, he applied the standard with which he had been measured earlier to others as well. My generation had such and similar experiences with the baby boomers.

Those who did not like the wars and conflicts of those years rebelled. Not only the peace movement, but also the countless demonstrations were a reaction to the events of that time. The baby boomers experienced not only an economic upswing, but also a spiritual awakening. Many people came to faith, such as through Billy Graham. Churches were founded and movements launched. Most churches today are structured according to that generation because they were also founded or led by baby boomers. The structure, the values and the understanding of how faith should be lived still fit that generation. It’s legitimate ask oneself whether a change is not overdue.

Generation X

While the young baby boomers could look forward to a promising future and grew up relatively carefree and optimistic, the following Generation X had to grow up much faster and probably spent less time with their parents than any generation before.15