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In his book In Search of Authentic Faith, Steve Rabey describes innovative worship models that are reaching Generations X and Y, suggesting that these approaches are heralding "a new reformation of ecclesiology and methodology." He concludes, "The emerging generations of young people. … feel that most traditional and contemporary churches fail to touch them."

Here again, the evidence is contradictory. Part of the problem rests with Rabey not making a clear distinction between Generation X and the Millennials. The statement would apply, generally, to Gen Xers. But it contradicts my (and others') research about the Millennials. In the course of writing two books on teen issues and in researching a third, I have found that many are being drawn to traditional forms of worship, particularly its tactile expressions in ritual and liturgy.

A good example can be found in the work being done by Mark Yaconelli at San Francisco Theological Seminary, through the Youth Ministry and Spirituality Project. Highlighted in national print and broadcast media, his program follows "spiritual formation" as the model for youth ministry and has met with success. At a retreat sponsored by the project, The Wall Street Journal (Dec. 18, 1998) notes, "The teens [enter] the dark sanctuary, where they perform rituals and learn to pray as the ancients did. Sometimes they write their sins on paper and burn them in a candle flame." Yaconelli said the teens "went crazy" (that's good) and the mailing list grew from 35 to 200 in two years.

Barna's research concludes that there is a distaste for "church" among this cohort. But as I have seen it expressed, this has less to do with the institution itself than with perceived failures on the part of some models of leadership. I interviewed a young man who (with his band) launched a Friday-night worship service during the summer of 2000, and by the summer's end, it was drawing over 300. He said he felt that many area churches had domesticated the definition of the Christian life to mean "Don't drink. Don't smoke. Do your devotions. Respect your parents. Don't offend anybody—like living the Christian life means sitting at home watching wholesome videos." Whether he criticizes the church for real or perceived faults, his attempt to (as he puts it) "see [Jonathan] Edwards, [John] Calvin, and some of the other Reformers' view of God brought back into the church" does not reflect a rejection of tradition so much as a dissatisfaction with the status quo.

In any case, Rabey's book helpfully points to innovative ministries that defy standard worship protocol and successfully capture the heartbeat of "the emerging generations of young people."

I am looking over these and other mountains of books written by experts on youth spirituality when my 17-year-old son interrupts. He is leading a small-group study for about 20 freshmen and sophomores, and he tells me he needs to order the books. I ask him what books he needs to order. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he says. "We're especially interested in studying the section on the Sermon on the Mount." Paul's words came to mind: "God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise."

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April 2 2001, Vol. 45, No. 5