Authenticity: It's Deja Vu All Over Again

I have been thinking the past few days about the whole millennial dust up in reference our youngest generation and the church. One of the things I have continually heard is as one blogger puts it, "we millennials have highly sensitive BS meters, and we're not easily impressed with consumerism or performances."

Well, I have to say that I am not sure that is a significant observation. As one millennial blogger put it (I can't find the source), the BS meter of millennials is not more sensitive than any other generation. When I was a young pastor thirty years ago, I heard that the current generation desired authenticity, and then with the coming of the Gen Xers, I heard once again that authenticity was critical. Could it be that every generation desires that people be real? I seriously doubt that any one group of people have a corner on the market of what it means to be real.

So let's think twice about thinking that a young generation desiring authenticity is something brand new as if the previous generations are OK with fabrication.

As I have said before and now say once again-- every new generation comes on the scene thinking all of human history has been waiting for it to come into existence to set everyone straight, while every older generation thinks that no future generation will ever measure up to their beliefs and values.

I suggest that a little humility is in order for all of us.