Welcome back. You belong here.

Over the last five years there continues to be a shift among young people towards the pursuit of more traditional church. What I mean by that is that more and more unchurched young people (20’s and 30’s) seem to want a more black and white style of preaching, church doctrine, and church service.

I saw this again at a young-hip 20-something church in Hollywood, CA called Ecclesia (they even have the cool-so-5-years ago Greek thing going).

The crowd looked more like call backs for the latest Twilight movie than your typical Sunday morning crowd. And even though the pastor was hip, handsome, tattooed, pierced, everything they did, said, talked about would have to be considered traditional, reformed, fundamental. No signs here of emergent, postmodern type stuff. In fact, next week they start on series called “Know and Decide” on truth, knowledge and how you can know things like the existence of God and the reliability of the Bible.

No doubt it was attractive, even for my less linear leanings. I could easily see why so many young people, perhaps lacking truth and black and white in other areas of their lives (that could be a completely wrong assumption), are drawn to this style of church. It’s the best of both worlds – hip yet straight and narrow.

There are many churches like this that fit under the Young Reformed church camp, Mark Driscoll being their most famous son. Matt Chandler’s church The Village also comes to mind. I have friends that are planting young reformed church communities.

While I don’t think this kind of church is for all unchurched younger generations, I do think that our culture is changing once again, and that instead of relevance, hip and cool, young people are in need of guidance.

The challenge I see for all communities, whether emergent or reformed, traditional or open source is the issue of community and relationship. My concern with young reformed churches is the lack of love. My concern with emergent movements is the lack of guidance. I think we need both.

Have a great day.

Into the future,

davidT