A STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF POSTMODERN THOUGHT ON THE

ATTITUDES TOWARD MUSIC AND WORSHIP AMONG THE MIDDLE AND

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, KELLER, TEXAS

__________________

A Thesis

Presented to

the Faculty of

the School of Church Music

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

__________________

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Music

__________________

by

David Michael Toledo

February 2007

Copyright © 2007 David Michael Toledo

All rights reserved. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the Seminary, including, without limitation, preservation or instruction.

APPROVAL SHEET

A STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF POSTMODERN THOUGHT ON THE ATTITUDES TOWARD MUSIC AND WORSHIP AMONG THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, KELLER, TEXAS

David Michael Toledo

______________________________________________________ W. Lyndel Vaught, Supervisor, Associate Professor of Church Music

______________________________________________________ Gordon Borror, Professor of Church Music

______________________________________________________ "[Click here and type committee member name, official title]"

______________________________________________________ "[Click here and type committee member name, official title]"

Date ______________________________

ABSTRACT

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Chapter

1. THE STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND AND INTEGRATE .............................1

The Importance of Being Culturally Aware .......................................................3

How Will Postmodern Music Ministry Look? ....................................................7

Context of Ministry ...........................................................................................10

Definition of Terms ...........................................................................................12

2. WHO ARE THE MILLENNIALS? ....................................................................18

Generational Study ............................................................................................18

Characteristics of the Millennials .....................................................................23

Millennials Are Experience Driven ..........................................................23

Millennials Are Community Based ..........................................................24

Millennials Are Technologically Integrated .............................................25

Millennials Are Historically Aware ..........................................................27

Millennials Are Spiritually Hungry ..........................................................28

Music Ministry to Millennials ...........................................................................29

The Students of First Baptist Church, Keller, Texas ........................................34

Conclusion ........................................................................................................36

4. PROCESS OF STUDY AND SURVEY RESULTS ..........................................37

Survey Methodology .........................................................................................38

Demographic Information .................................................................................39

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Spirituality .........................................................................................................42

Music and Worship ...........................................................................................46

Observations and Summary ..............................................................................51

4. SUGGESTIONS FOR APPLICATION .............................................................54

BIBLIOGRAPHY ..............................................................................................................66

Appendix

APPENDIX 1 SURVEY INSTRUMENT RESULTS ............................................68

3. A BRIEF SURVEY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF POSTMODERN THOUGHT ..........................................................................................................75

Premodern Times: The Birth of Christianity to the Renaissance (1400-1600) .77

The Renaissance and Protestant Reformation (1500-1650) ..............................80

The Rise of the Modern World (1650-1950) ....................................................81

The Scientific Revolution .........................................................................82

The Social Revolution ..............................................................................83

Philosophical Revolutions ........................................................................85

The Enlightenment Era .............................................................................87

The Transition to Postmodernism .....................................................................88

The Postmodern Condition ...............................................................................90

Relativity and Uncertainty in Science ......................................................91

Postmodern Philosophers ..........................................................................93

Postmodernity and Popular Culture ..........................................................96

Summary ...........................................................................................................97

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1

CHAPTER 1

THE STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND AND INTEGRATE

“We can’t know anything for certain.” “It’s all relative.” “I think I should find

the best in all the religions and choose what works for me.” “Why does it even matter?”

Every day teenagers both inside and outside the walls of our churches raise these

questions in an effort to understand the place of faith in this postmodern, post-Christian

World. Older methodologies, practices, and programs of ministry seem to ring hollow in

the ears of those students who struggle just to make it through the day. But these are not

the only cries coming from students today.

“Wow, God’s presence was powerful today in worship.” “I saw an aspect of

God today that I had never seen before.” “Taking the Lord’s Supper made worship real

for the first time in a long time. As I tasted the dry bread, I could almost feel the thirst

that Jesus must have felt. It was like I was there.” “I don’t want skits or games. I want

to experience God’s presence.”

The Holy Spirit is actively at work in the lives of many teenagers throughout

the world. A rapidly growing number of students are committing their lives to God’s

Kingdom through a call to full-time ministerial service, missionary ventures, or simply by

living out what they believe in tangible ways every day.

Those called by God to minister to teenagers understand that the teenagers of

today are unlike any other generation that has preceded them. These students have little

concept of life without a cell phone, internet connection, or a portable music collection of

2

thousand of songs. For much of their lives the national economy has undergone

expansive economic growth, and until September 11, 2001, students knew of military

conflict largely through what they had read in their textbooks.

This study emerged out of my personal struggles and observations as I have

sought to minister to students in genuine and meaningful way. One cannot deny the fact

that teenagers have changed tremendously in the way that they think, feel, and behave.

The questions arise when one contemplates the causes for these changes. Naturally,

churches have struggled to adapt their approaches to music ministry to keep pace with a

rapidly changing teenage population. One simply can look back over the past forty years

and see the progression from the traditional graded-choir program, through the Jesus

movement and youth musical, and into the worship movement of today. Churches

throughout the country have wrestled with philosophic and practical questions concerning

music and teenagers. What role should music play in the spiritual development of these

teenagers? What shape will the student music ministry of the future take? What do

teenagers think and feel about worship, music, and spirituality; and have they even

thought about it at all? Has the church fulfilled her responsibility to adequately instruct

and train teenagers in the biblical foundations and practices of worship?

These questions provided the impetus for this study. Through careful

observation of the current teenage culture, an understanding of the philosophical forces

that come to bear upon their lives, and through dialogue with the students themselves, a

clearer picture of these teenagers has hopefully emerged. The desired result of this study

is the design of a student music ministry that encourages and enables teenagers to

worship God in ways that are Biblically accurate, culturally sensitive, and spiritually

3

nourishing; to provide encouragement from their musical experiences; and to integrate

these students as active participants in their respective worshiping communities.

The Importance of Being Culturally Aware

The church must not allow this generation to simply pass through her doors

and not experience a life-changing encounter with Christ. This generation of students

will provide unique opportunities for those who are creative and courageous enough to

develop ministries that speak to students in culturally sensitive ways.

But we cannot afford to have another cultural watershed pass the church by. And neither can the church become too accommodating of a cultural movement as it did with post-Enlightenment modernism. These ditches on either side of the road must be avoided. In the middle is a road of levelheaded wisdom: being aware of culture and its changing emphases without blindly embracing these characteristics.1

Teenagers are desperate for an encounter with something that is authentic, not

packaged and superficial; something powerful enough to change their lives. It is

important that the church study and understand the unique characteristics of the current

culture, without being overtaken by that culture. The two thousand year old message of

the Gospel remains what people of all ages need, including this current postmodern

generation. There is danger, however, in maintaining the status quo. “We are

frighteningly close to being a nonissue, and again, our ability to influence and flavor the

culture around us may be dependent on our ability to recapture a healthy, holistic, and

biblical definition of the word worship.”2 The shape of this message must adapt to the

1 Tony Jones, Postmodern Youth Ministry: Exploring Cultural Shift, Creating Holistic Connections, Cultivating Authentic Community (El Cajon, CA: Youth Specialties, 2001), 38.

2 Jon Middendorf, Worship-Centered Youth Ministry: A Compass for Guiding Youth into God's Story (Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 2000), 52.

4

culture in a way that does not diminish its uniqueness and power, but rather clarifies its

voice in a way that resonates with the hearts of today’s teenagers. We must become

cultural missionaries who observe culture and creatively adapt ministerial programs to

reach this group of students.

The postmodern teenager is adrift in a world that has told him that there is no

overarching story in which he can place himself. They are bombarded minute-by-minute

with messages that tell them that every viewpoint is equally valid and equally invalid.

Some view truth as nothing more than a tool in the hands of the powers-that-be used to

exert control over the powerless and marginalized. “We will find that one great

challenge for people in our times is the lack of a genuine story, one that is coherent and

gives meaning to their lives.”3 The lack of an identifying story has led many teenagers to

move from one peer group to the next in an attempt to discover their individuality. Their

search for “individuality” is achieved by quickly adapting to an established standard of

behavior, attire, and attitude.

The church has the “story” that they seek, and that story is at the very heart of

the worship experience. It is to be reenacted and celebrated each week as the local body

of believers realizes their place within God’s eternal plan of redemption. We must share

the story in a way that is not intellectually arrogant, but rather, is sensitive and not

threatened by their questions.

The hallmarks of Evangelical reasoning and systematic proof for the tenants of

our faith remain true, but they do not carry the weight they once did. In the modern

3 Marva Dawn, A Royal "Waste" of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1999), 39.

5

world, sustained and founded upon the powers of reasoning, one was able to provide

“evidence that demanded a verdict.” In the postmodern world, many do not accept the

notion that truth can be known for certain; much less that one can make a value judgment

concerning one truth system to another. To the postmodern mind, the only truth is that

which the individual discovers on his or her own.

The postmodern rejects any meta-narrative, believing we do not have access to information that allows us to determine whether any paradigm or narrative is valid or invalid. Narrative may not communicate absolute truth, but it does convey important personal knowledge.4

Those with strong ties to modern thinking may view these thoughts as a source

of discouragement. I propose that the new postmodern ideals of students can be unique

opportunities for ministry. A cursory look at teenage culture provides a wealth of

evidence demonstrating that teenagers are hungry for something to provide spiritual

answers, for a sense of community in which they can discover themselves, and for a place

to make a lasting contribution to society. There is no better place than the church to

provide all of these to teenagers.

There is new room in our faith for experience, for mysticism, and for mystery. We can recover the story as the great conveyer of truth, and we can use it to great effect just as Jesus did. We can welcome people into a journey instead of getting them to assent to an oversimplified version of the gospel and recite a three-sentence prayer. For a long time, Christians have been consumed with maintaining political power, conquering lands, writing laws, and a lot of other things that Jesus did not seem the least bit concerned with. We were sidetracked during the modern era, and Postmodernity may afford us the ability to recover some aspects of authentic Christianity.5

The technological advances of the past decade have created a generation of

4 Robb Redman, The Great Worship Awakening: Singing a New Song in the Postmodern Church (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002), 141.

5 Jones, 39.

6

students who encounter more information in a single day than previously could have been

imagined in a lifetime. The widespread adoption of technologies such as the personal

computer, the Internet, and the mobile phone have fundamentally transformed the nature

of knowledge and of learning. Seldom does a student receive static information through

the print, radio, or even television media. Learning is now interactive and experiential,

with a new topic or adventure a single hyperlink away.

If the Net is just becoming a comfortable addendum to the adult media world, it has already become an indispensable focal point of the teenagers’ world of communications. It is relied upon for self-expression, information and entertainment.”6

The implications this has on ministry cannot be overstated. The church must creatively

communicate the message of the gospel in ways that provides a life-changing experience

and not simply a set of rules to follow or behaviors to model.

Perhaps more so than any generation before them, teenagers today view

themselves as on a journey of self-discovery. Because many of them have not received a

strong value-based foundation of beliefs, they often seek meaning through community.

The teen’s peer group has tremendous influence over the way he or she acts, thinks, and

feels. These communities provide the vehicle for self-expression and identity.

“Postmodernism embraces the old fashioned idea of community and emphasizes the

value of fellowship and authentic relationships.”7

6 George Barna, Real Teens (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 2001), 32.

7 Matt Kelley, "An Introduction To Postmodernism (and Why It's Not A Bad Word)," Youth Specialties, 2004, http://www.youthspecialties.com/articles/topics/postmodernism/pomo_intro.php?/ (accessed July 29, 2006).

7

How Will Postmodern Music Ministry Look?

The music ministry of the church is uniquely suited to address the earlier

mentioned needs of postmodern teenagers. Within the music ministry, a teen can find a

community of people who set aside their personal agendas for the greater good. Not

simply an intellectual exercise; music involves the entire being including the emotions,

physical senses, and psyche. Their musical choices often serve as vehicles for self-

expression and cultural identification.

George Barna has noted the supreme importance of music in teenage culture:

For teenagers, music is much more than mere entertainment or a diversion from the stress of homework, household chores and worries about the future. For millions of young people, music produces a life philosophy for them to consider and follow; cultural heroes and role models to look up to and imitate; values and lifestyles to embrace; a common language to employ that sets them apart and provides a distinctive identity; and the opportunity to develop community related to a shared sense of common sound, ideas or artists.8

If the statement above is true, then the music of the church must provide a means of self-

expression that corresponds with biblical principles and values. While many teenagers

make musical choices based upon the current cultural trends, at the heart of their search is

a desire to find their own voice. Teenagers desire creative ways to express themselves in

worship and the church must take an aggressive lead in shaping their musical

development. Musical style in worship is a lightening rod of controversy in churches

throughout the United States, and it is not the intent of this paper to address all of the

complexities of the issue. This study is designed to understand teenage culture, compare

it with biblical standards, and creatively synthesize the two into a program of ministry

providing musical expression of genuine worship and spiritual devotion.

8 Barna, 27.

8

To engage students intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually in worship, music

ministers must design worship services that are experiential and not merely a verbal

communication of ideas. This postmodern generation is searching for an authentic

encounter with God, and they can find that in our churches if we are willing to take the

time to be crafters of worship gatherings. Worship leaders need the courage to look back

on the rich history of Christian worship and retrieve liturgical elements, such as symbols

and ritual, and implement them in creative ways. These symbols and actions have the

potential to connect students with their deeply-held needs and desires.

They are discovering that worship that concentrates on presentational outreach has no upreach. By restoring and adapting the ancient triune theology of worship as well as historic aspects of worship, especially the Eucharist, the younger evangelicals are finding that upreach worship naturally reaches out. For them, worship is not entertainment that presents Christianity as a secular-like, appealing, you-can-be-just-like-the-world-come-and-be-happy movement but an engaging, challenging, authentic rehearsal of the Missio Dei, which demands a committed embodiment of the truth that all of life should be an offering of worship to God.9

As noted youth choir specialist Randy Edwards has commented concerning

teenagers, “At church, they must get something they cannot get anywhere else. And that

something they “get” includes the opportunity to give meaningfully to those around

them—both those who are inside and outside the church.”10 It is within corporate and

private worship that the teenager finds his or her place in the grand story of redemption.

As each generation discovers the meaning of biblical worship for themselves, they

become better equipped to add their voice to the countless number of believers who have

9 Robert E. Webber, The Younger Evangelicals: Facing the Challenges of the New World (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), 201.

10 Randy Edwards, Revealing Riches & Building Lives: Youth Choir Ministry in the New Millennium (St. Louis, MO: MorningStar Music Publishers, 2000), 35.

9

gone before them. The church must assist this generation of students to understand the

story of salvation for themselves.

“Not until we as members of the Church rediscover our Story, the Story of the dynamic relationship between God and His people, can we properly respond to God and His gifts; without our Story we cannot be living sacrifices; without our Story we cannot worship.”11

This concept of Story is found throughout the pages of the Old Testament and New

Testament as the older generations taught the younger ones the message of salvation and

of God’s work within the community.

Recounting what God has done in the life of His community, the people of God have creatively invited the next generation to become active participants in God’s ongoing activity, whether it be through piling stones, telling stories, singing songs, preaching sermons, writing letters, or celebrating central events around a meal.12

It is within this Story that true music ministry to students can occur.

What shape will this ministry to students take? Each situation is different because

each community of faith has unique histories and circumstances. The church must ensure

the music used in worship communicates the necessary biblical content and provides an

environment for self-expression. We cannot allow teenagers to be mere spectators in our

worship services. The goal of any music ministry must be the enabling of people of any

age to worship God through Jesus Christ in a way that is genuine and which is done in a

holistic manner: spirit, soul, and body.

It is vitally important that the church provide students with a music and

worship ministry that finds the balance between spiritual depth and emotional experience.

11 Middendorf, 54.

12 Jim Hampton and Rick Edwards, eds., Worship-Centered Teaching: Guiding Youth to Discover Their Identity in Christ (Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 2001), 24.

10

Every musical activity and worship gathering must incorporate both of these elements,

because music has a tremendous shaping influence over every other area of their spiritual

life. Randy Edwards encapsulates this idea in the following statement: “We have no

greater task than to offer teenagers soundtracks which will bless rather than curse them

through the remainder of their lives.”13

Context of Ministry

As stated earlier, the desired result of this study is to establish principles for

designing musical and worship experiences that engage the current generation of students

in a way that corresponds with their unique qualities and needs. In order to achieve this

goal, the general characteristics of the generation as a whole will be examined. This

observation will provide a foundation for more in-depth investigation within a

representative sample of students from this generation.

I currently serve as the Associate Minister of Music at First Baptist Church of

Keller, Texas. One of the primary responsibilities of this position is the oversight of the

student music ministry program and the integration of students within the corporate

worship experience. In the next chapter, the specific makeup of this student population

will be examined in greater detail. There will also be discussion on the historical

approaches to student music ministry within First Baptist Church Keller and an effort will

be made to establish the current effectiveness of the music ministry programs.

The third chapter systematically details the areas of questioning that make up

the survey instrument. The rationale for the use of the type of survey instrument will also

13 Randy Edwards, 19.

11

be explained. The raw data of the survey will be compiled and the results presented in a

manner that assists in making conclusions as to the effect of postmodernity on the

spiritual lives of the teenagers at First Baptist Church Keller, Texas.

The final chapter will consist of observations of the students at First Baptist

Church, Keller, Texas. In light of the sociological, philosophical, and empirical data

gained through the research process, certain conclusions are made regarding the actual

design and shape of music ministry for the current teenage generation. Both generalized

and specific suggestions for ministry are made with the hope that this study will provide

those involved in student music ministry with the necessary information to design

worship and musical experiences that engage teenagers in a manner consistent with their

postmodern background.

Appendix Two provides an overview of the various philosophical periods of

history within Western civilization over the past two millennia. This broad look at

philosophy enables the reader to more fully understand the historical foundation for many

of the views and beliefs commonly held by teenagers today. The study will begin in the

earliest stages of the development of Christianity and proceeds through the time of the

Renaissance and Protestant Reformation. There will be an exploration of notable

philosophers such as Hume, Descartes, and Kant. Next the tumultuous work of Nietzsche

will demonstrate the shift away from humanistic modernity towards the now common

postmodern view. Finally, the major philosophers of postmodernity will be treated with

great detail and their major ideals will be explored more fully. This historical overview

provides the foundation for the survey instrument that enabled me to gauge the effects of

postmodern thought on the view of worship and music among the teenagers at First

12

Baptist Church, Keller, Texas.

Definition of Terms

It is necessary to define certain terms that will be employed in the following

chapters. These definitions, while not exhaustive, will provide the reader with the

necessary background to understand the philosophical and social study which follows.

Cogito ergo sum

The phrase “cogito ergo sum” or “I think, therefore I am” was used by the

philosopher René Descartes to simply state his approach to epistemology. Descartes

approached knowledge through the vehicle of critical doubt. The only truth that he could

not refute was that he himself was a thinking being. All knowledge was the result of a

rational humanistic construction and not the result of tradition or divine revelation.

Deconstruction

Deconstruction is a term widely accepted by postmodern philosophers, but

championed by Jacques Dérrida. Initially used in literary criticism, deconstruction refers

to the process by which the underlying biases, opinions, and social attitudes in a text are

recognized. The terms that are used to define our terms are all shaped by culture and

therefore cannot be accepted without critical thought. As a text is deconstructed, the

reader can then approach the text individually and make his or her own conclusions. The

result of this philosophical concept has been the now pervasive view that mutually

exclusive truth systems can both be valid, because the only thing of importance is the

interpretation of the individual.

Enlightenment

The Enlightenment, the Age of Reason, refers to the period of European

13

history beginning with the Peace of Westphalia (1648), which ended the Thirty Year’s

War, and concluding with the publishing of Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason

(1781).14 This period was marked by tremendous scientific, social, and political change

and effectively ended the rule of theological truth and replaced it with rational, empirical

evidence as the foundation for all truth.

Epistemology

Epistemology refers to the philosophical field of study that deals with the

nature of knowledge and the means by which this knowledge is acquired by a culture and

individual.

Generation

George Barna defines this term as “an idea used to identify a group of people

who have a common place in time and have consequently experienced similar influences

and opportunities that have shaped their development.”15 The time span of a generation

typically consists of approximately twenty years, but the determination of an individual’s

generation is more accurately determined by factors other than birth date.

Foundationalism

Modern philosophers used the term foundationalism to describe the view that

all knowledge can be reduced on some level to a specific schema of foundational truths

that are self-evident within all of humanity. This concept proved to have lasting

implications for the evangelical churches in Europe and the United States as they sought

14 Stanley Grenz, A Primer on Postmodernism (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1996), 4.

15 Barna, 21.

14

to reconcile the Christian faith with the modernist attitudes that rejected many tenets of

Christianity.

Globalization

Globalization “refers to the process of growing and intensifying interaction of

all levels of society in world trade, foreign investment and capital markets.”16 This

phenomenon is the result of rapid technological advances in the areas of travel,

communication, and economic trade.

Humanism

Humanism is the philosophical idea that places humanity at the center of all

intellectual pursuits. It seeks to remove any reference to religious or extra-physical

influences on human thought or belief. This movement gained tremendous momentum

during the Renaissance and remains a dominant feature of society to the present day.

Language Game

A concept put forth by Ludwig Wittgenstein that stated that the key to

understanding any text is to understand that all language is likened to a game in which the

reader must know the specific rules (i.e. cultural biases) in order to participate fully.

Metanarrative

A metanarrative is a large over-arching story or history that provides the

framework for an individual, people group, or society through which all knowledge,

social thought, and behavior is determined. In the current postmodern age, any

metanarrative claiming to be normative for all of humanity has been rejected.

16 Niles, D. Preman, preface to Faith in a Global Economy: A Primer for Christians, by Rob van Drimmelen (Geneva: WCC Publications, 1998), 7.

15

Millennial Generation

The Millennial Generation roughly refers to those who were born between

1982 and the present. This generation gains its name from the fact that its youngest

members graduated from high school in the year 2000. This generation is the first

generation to grow up in an entirely postmodern age and is the subject group for the

research that is to come in this paper.

Modernity

This term refers to the period in European history beginning with the

Enlightenment and ending somewhere in the middle of the twentieth century. This period

of time was marked by a supreme confidence in the ability of the human rational mind to

solve society’s problem, a dependence upon the scientific method, and a distrust of the

supernatural or religious elements.

Nihilism

This branch of philosophy states that there is no such thing as truth, and all

truth claims are simply created by the individual for the purpose of power and/or security.

Paradigm Shift

This term has been used extensively by postmodern writers, scientists, and

philosophers to define a radical shift in the way society understands knowledge, truth,

and behavior. Such shifts in the past have occurred during the rise of Christianity within

the Roman Empire, the Renaissance, the rise of modernity, and the postmodern

phenomenon.

Pluralism

Pluralism is the postmodern attitude that states that conflicting belief systems

16

and philosophies are equally valid and should be equally accepted.

Postmodernity

This term is the broad label for the period beginning somewhere in the middle

of the twentieth century and extending into the present day. It is characterized by a

strong distrust of absolute truth, a pluralistic attitude, and values a multitude of cultures,

religions, and societies.

Preferred Human Society

This idea, put forth by Thomas Hobbes, calls for every member of society to

use their individual powers of reasoning to the fullest for their own self-interests. Hobbes

believed that all rational thought derived from a set of universal foundational truths.

Therefore, when a individual acted rationally, the society as a whole benefited because all

rational action led to the same constructive behavior.

Pre-modernity

Pre-modernity refers to the period of time that begins in antiquity and extends

to the rise of the modern age. During this epoch, all truth systems were determined by

the religious beliefs of the individual society or people group. Truth was seen as absolute

because it disseminated directly from the deity or deities. All self-awareness or

understanding was directly related to the supernatural aspect of religious life.

Quantum Physics

This field of physics was pioneered by scientists such as Albert Einstein and

Werner Heisenberg and dealt with the behavior of atomic particles and their interaction

with the elemental natural forces of the universe.

17

Relativism

This attitude, similar to pluralism, contends that all truth is relative to the

individual or culture because it is shaped by the history, experience, and language of a

culture. Relativism states that one truth system cannot assert itself as a universal truth

because it is a biased system that holds true for only the few, not the whole.

Social Constructs

A social construct is defined as an idea or concept whose definition can only

be understood by one who is familiar with the society from which it originates. These

constructs are commonly “deconstructed” by postmodern philosopher in order to find the

unbiased meaning within a text.

Structuralism

This is the branch of literary criticism that analyzes a text in order to determine

the underlying socially created structures inherent within the text. At the heart of this

study is the belief that there are commonly shared systems of organized and structuring

language, beliefs, and behavior across all societies.

The Active Mind

The philosopher Immanuel Kant concluded that knowledge is not drawn solely

from external influences, but is instead organized and filtered by the mind to create a

system of belief. This action by the mind structures incoming stimuli is referred to as

The Active Mind.

Universal System of Truth

A universal system of truth is a set of beliefs and attitudes that are common

across all societies regardless of time or location.

18

CHAPTER 2

WHO ARE THE MILLENNIALS?

Now that the need for the church to be aware of the vast changes in society has

been established, it is necessary to take a closer look at the characteristics of the first

generation to grow up entirely under postmodern thought and influence. Several broad

strokes have been painted describing this generation, but more specifics are needed in

order to effectively understand who these students are and how to plan services that lead

them to worship.

Generational study has been a popular field for many years as sociologists

have sought to distinguish between groups of differing values and attitudes. The concept

of a generation also bears significance within the Old and New Testaments. In scripture, a

generation usually consisted of a period of about forty years.17 The most obvious

example of this broad grouping is the generation within the nation of Israel that left Egypt

during the Exodus, yet died in the wilderness due to their disobedience.

Generational Study

Most current scholars have come to a consensus in defining a generation as a

period of approximately twenty years. Placing a person within a generation is not simply

a matter of locating the individual within a time period, but instead is a process of

17 Steve Rabey, In Search of Authentic Faith: How Emerging Generations Are Transforming the Church (Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2001), 18.

19

evaluating the values and characteristics of that person.

A generation can be defined as a society-wide peer group, born over a period roughly the length as the passage from youth to adulthood (in today’s America, around twenty or twenty-one years), who collectively possess a common persona. The length need not always be the same. A generation can be a bit longer or shorter, depending on its coming-of-age experience and the vagaries of history.18

Howe and Strauss go on to describe a generation as “a distinctly human, and variable,

creation embodying attitudes about family life, gender roles, institutions, politics,

religions, culture, lifestyle, and the future.”19

There are five commonly accepted generations that were born during the

twentieth century. While there are numerous descriptors for each generation, for the sake

of this discussion, the designations found in George Barna’s work The Invisible

Generation will be adapted.20

1. Seniors (Born before 1926)

2. Builders (Between 1927 and 1945)

3. Boomers (1946-64)

4. Busters (1965-1983)

5. Millennials (1983-present)

The Seniors (Pre-1926) consist of the generation that grew up during the Great

Depression and fought during World War II. They are often called “The Greatest

Generation,” because of their strong values of loyalty, responsibility, and hard work. The

18 Neil Howe and Bill Strauss, Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation (New York: Vintage Books, 2000), 40.

19 Ibid.

20 Rabey, 27.

20

Builder generation (1927-1945), also called the Silents, grew up during World War II and

influenced society differently from the more dramatic ways of the generation that

preceded them. This generation had tremendous influence over popular culture with the

rise of the rock and roll music of Elvis and Little Richard.

The first American generation of the twentieth generation to gain notoriety as a

unique entity was the Baby Boomer generation (1946-64). Born after the GIs returned

from World War II, these children were part of the largest generation in United States

history until the current generation of students. “The Baby Boomers gained their name

because they were the first generation that had 4 million or more live births in a single

year. They were 76 million strong by the end of their run in 1964.”21 Aside from their

large numbers, the Baby Boomers were completely different from the preceding

generations.

Rather than accepting conditions are they were, Boomers questioned everything—until they got the answer they wanted. Instead of prolonged dating experiences, Boomers championed cohabitation; when that didn’t work, they readily embraced divorce as a costless solution to difficult and irritating relationships. Alcohol, the demon drug of their parents’ and grandparents’ generations, lost its prominence as drugs like marijuana, heroin and cocaine took center stage. While the Builders had devoted themselves to fostering a nation of prosperity and civility, Boomers sought to gain control of the decision-making apparatus from day one, intent upon redefining authority, burying tradition and increasing their profile in business and government. The arrival of the Boomers signaled the end of predictability, the rule of fairness and the notion of the common good.22

The boomers were followed by the Baby Busters (1965-83), or more

commonly popularly known as Generation X. This generation was forced to deal with

the consequences of the Boomers’ choices. Rampant divorce, latchkey childhoods, and

21 Barna, 15.

22 Ibid., 13.

21

economic hard times characterized much of Generation X’s childhood. This generation,

the first to mature during the rise of postmodern philosophy, responded with a

lackadaisical attitude toward personal responsibility and an emphasis on the felt needs of

the individual. The influence of postmodernism is seen in their rejection of authority and

the appeal of Eastern religion in popular culture.

Even their music reflected this change in attitude. The rock of the 1960s and

Woodstock was replaced with the grunge rock of the 1980s and early 1990s. Grunge

gave voice to the generation’s frustrations with authority and was often laced with or

characterized by great sarcasm and anger.

The African-American community provided another new genre of music that

reflected a different aspect of this generation. Rap music skyrocketed into popularity and

told the untold story of the ills and struggles of urban life.

These four generations changed the landscape of American culture throughout

the twentieth century, but the last generation born in that century will be the one that sets

the tone for the next century of American history. The Millennials (born after 1982) are

as numerous as the Baby Boomer generation and will soon surpass them in number. By

2002 some estimates placed them with over 76 million members. In many ways the

Millennials hearken back to the previous generations’ awareness of social responsibility,

hard work, and cooperative spirit, but they differ dramatically in their views of religious,

ethical, and philosophical values. Millennials have grown up in a world dominated by

political correctness and moral ambiguity. Consequently, this generation is characterized

by openness to new ideas and expressions with a distrust of established organizations and

religious structures.

22

As Generation X rose to prominence, their value systems and priorities were

severely criticized by those generations that preceded them. Their history with

Generation X has led many members of the older to confusion concerning this new

generation of Millennials.

There seems to be developing two schools of thought regarding the millennials. One school is ready to crown the millennial generation as the next generation of heroes, a generation capable of achieving the greatness that the World War II generation achieved. The other school is not quite so impressed, believing that the only real differences between generation X and the millennials is that millennials have demonstrated better defense mechanisms.23

Some view the Millennial generation as the best hope for the expansion of God’s

Kingdom throughout the world, while others see them as a threat to scriptural fidelity and

doctrinal belief. Is there middle ground between these two divergent attitudes? I believe

that the Millennials have the potential of carrying the Gospel throughout the entire world,

but those in leadership must invest their lives in shaping and nurturing these young

believers in the faith.

The music ministry of the church holds great promise in addressing the specific

characteristics of the Millennial generation. Student music ministries must find a way to

integrate Millennial culture and attitudes with the traditional vehicles for music ministry

in a creative and fresh way. This generation’s openness to artistic expression provides

the church with an effective tool of ministry, but it requires that those who minister in

this area be careful students of culture and the underlying philosophies that shape the way

this generation thinks and feels.

23 Middendorf, 19.

23

Characteristics of the Millennials

The Millennial generation is the first generation to be shaped primarily by the

postmodern philosophies of the day and therefore exhibit several unique characteristics.

The fact that the Millennials are driven by experience, keenly aware of the communal

aspects of life, have completely integrated technology into every aspect of life,

historically aware, and spiritual hungry provides the church with tremendous promise as

well as great challenges for ministry. Those who minister to these students must take the

time to build authentic relationships with these students based on an attitude of trust and

openness if they seek to effectively minister to them. These characteristics provide the

basis by which effective ministry is done.

Millennials Are Experience Driven

Perhaps the Millennials’ most important characteristic is that their lives are

completely experience driven. These students are not simply satisfied to accept things at

face value or because it is taught to them by their leaders, teachers, or pastors. They want

to discover and experience these truth claims for themselves. Marketers are keenly aware

of this fact and no longer simply try to sell a product. Instead, they sell the experience

that a product provides. Consequently, many students wildly experiment with drugs,

sexual activity, extreme materialism, and anything else that will provide the missing

experiences in their lives. They are searching for something that makes them feel alive.

Leonard Sweet describes this fundamental attitude of the Millennials:

Postmoderns literally “feel” their way through life. Want to create change? Give postmoderns a new experience they haven’t had before. The experience of a new

24

story, the “feel” of a new consciousness, is the key to personal and social change.24

An important means of ministering to Millenials is helping them discover the life-

changing reality of faith in Jesus Christ. The music and worship ministry of the church

can provide this experience for Millennials, but the leadership must be willing to adapt

their methodologies. Sweet describes the danger of holding on too tightly to the modern

mindset of worship. “If postmodern worship can’t make people furiously feel and think

(in the modern world the church made people only “think”), it can’t show them how

God’s Word transforms the way we “feel.””25

FBC Keller has sought to embrace this quality of the Millenials and not stifle

the imagination of its students. The Student Ministry uses new forms that stretch the

typical boundaries of corporate worship by varying the times, locations, and settings.

Students worship in an environment that regularly changes. One week it may be

celebratory and visually stimulating; the next week it is dark, candlelit, and

contemplative. The goal in designing these worship events is to help the students engage

their senses in worship and not enter into a worship time with a sluggish routine.

Students should be able to experience God both sensually (that is through their physical

senses) and spiritually in worship.

Millennials Are Community Based

The next fundamental characteristic of this generation is that everything in life

is connected to the community or cohorts with which they participate. Whereas

24 Leonard Sweet, Postmodern Pilgrims: First Century Passion for the 21st Century World (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2000), 43.

25 Ibid.

25

Generation X valued the individualistic spirit, Millennials find identity within a specific

peer group or entity. Most teens move between several, often very different, peer groups

throughout their adolescent years. These peer groups provide a sense of security, a

specific set of values, and an identity within the larger social structure (i.e. school,

church, etc.)

Individual beliefs are flexible and negotiable. Here is how they will be determined. When that teen who is lonely searches around and finally finds a group to which he or she wants to belong, over a period of time, the teen will bend and flex personal, individual beliefs until he or she fits perfectly with the chosen group.26

Churches, and more specifically music ministries, can be valuable sources of

the community that the Millennials seek. To provide nurturing communities, music

ministries must be more than simply avenues for musical performance. It is sometimes

more important to emphasize the cooperative, communal aspects of music making instead

of the finished product. By doing so, music ministries help students recognize that the

church can provide an environment in which their unique gifts and talents are needed and

desired.

Millennials Are Technologically Integrated

The integration of technology with all aspects of teenage life bears close

relation to the need for a sense of community. As the traditional communities of family,

friends and the church have broken down, technology has helped bridge the relational

gap. Technology allows students to participate in loosely organized social groups that

transcend racial, religious, cultural, and even continental boundaries. How and Strauss

write: “Thanks to the internet, satellite news, porous national borders, and the end of the

26 Middendorf, 38.

26

Cold War, they are also becoming the world’s first generation to grow up thinking of

itself as global.”27 The ubiquity of technology has created a life for the Millennial that is

deeply interconnected with seemingly limitless amounts of information. It has exposed

them to ideas and belief systems that, prior to the rise of the Internet, would have been

unknown.

Relationships are key. The technology used by this generation, from cell phones to the Internet to instant messaging (IM), has a critical element: They are used by Millennials to stay in touch with friends and family. Increasingly, cell phones are seen y Millennials as a lifeline to friends and family when they face danger or are alone. For Millennials, technology is for staying connected.28

The church must wisely use technology in her ministry applications. Millenial

teens value authenticity above all else and will recognize when only token efforts are

made to adapt ministry to the their mindset. Effective technological integration provides

not only information, it is a connection point between the student and the ministry. By

using a comfortable medium for teenagers, leaders demonstrate their acceptance of this

part of teenage life and thereby engender trust from students.

FBC Keller has placed an emphasis on the integration of technology and

student ministry. Over the past few years, the student ministry website has become the

primary means of information dissemination and further ways of web interaction have

been explored. The leadership has sought to take advantage of the collaborative nature of

the internet through the use of discussion forums, virtual bulletin boards, and online Bible

studies. These tools engage students while they are away from the physical location of

27 Howe and Strauss, 16.

28 Craig Miller, Making God Real for a New Generation: Ministry With Millennials Born from 1982 to 1999 (Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2003), 24.

27

the church and help them connect their spiritual lives with their daily routines.

Millennials Are Historically Aware

An interesting feature of the Millennial generation is their sense of place

within history. The reasons for this characteristic are varied, but perhaps the most

important is the watershed event of passing into the twenty-first century. The label

Millennial demonstrates the importance of this event in the lives of this generation.

Millennials have a positive outlook on life and expect that they will be the ones that bring

technological advance, economic growth, and lasting societal change in the future. This

attitude is tempered by understanding the value of tradition and historical examples. This

is clearly seen in the rise of “throwback” or “vintage” styles in popular culture.

This sense of historical place is not limited to fashion. Millennials

demonstrate a desire to learn from the successes and failures of those who have gone

before them and use this knowledge to affect change in their community. The students at

FBC Keller have a long history of interacting with the senior adult ministry. Many of the

students regularly serve the elderly within the church by mowing yards, cleaning house,

and investing in their lives. By spending their time this way, these students gain valuable

experience and wisdom. A mentoring program is in place to connect younger students

with adults who pray, study God’s word, and invest time with them.

Historicity is one avenue that the church must use if it is going to be successful

in reaching the Millennial generation. As discussed earlier, the sense of Story within the

Christian faith is the enduring legacy of the Christian faith. Through worship, teaching,

and the spiritual disciplines, the church can assist teens in understanding their spiritual

heritage and learning from it. Effective worship and music planning will draw from the

28

vast resources of the Christian faith across the centuries and not merely cater to the most

current musical styles.

Millennials themselves recognize the value of incorporating historical worship

practices into contemporary worship experiences.

Postmoderns also recognize the value of tradition. Many youth groups have abandoned spotlights, Power Point presentations, and electric guitars (not that they’re not cool, too) in favor of candlelight, contemplative music or pure silence, and ancient spiritual disciplines such as lectio divina, Ignatian prayer, and Taizé-style worship. Postmodernism encourages us to explore worship as an experiential and participatory act.29

The approach provides Millennials with a sense of authenticity in the worship

of the church and helps them experience a true sense of community.

Millennials Are Spiritually Hungry

A promising, yet problematic, attribute of the Millennial generation is its

openness to spiritual matters. Both Baby Boomers and Generation X left the church in

large numbers and sought to find meaning in life outside of any Christian context. The

rise of eastern religions and new age beliefs has created an environment that is rife with

spirituality, but lacking in true Christian substance. For the Millenials, God is a welcome

topic of conversation and easily elicits a response. The danger is that one must define

what “God” means to the individual. The rise of globalization, the interconnectedness of

everyday life, and the availability of information all work together to open the minds of

teenagers to a whole host of religious ideas and philosophies.

Teenagers are very open about their search for spiritual meaning in life. They

define life as a “journey” or “pathway” to spiritual understanding. George Barna sought

29 Kelley.

29

to get a clearer picture of the teenage search for spiritual truth and made the following

conclusion.

Three out of four teenagers (74 percent) concur that they are still trying to figure out the purpose or meaning of their life. This journey is affected by the fact that most of the them—63 percent—admit that they do not have any comprehensive and clear “philosophy about life that consistently influences their lifestyle and decisions.” Every day remains a period of discovery for them, a time to try new ideas, new behaviors and new relationships in their quest to solve the puzzle of life.30

The postmodern ideology that dominates society today has taken advantage of this search

for truth to tell students that any belief system is valid as long as you are authentic in

what you believe. Students are bombarded only a daily basis with the message that

anything you choose to believe—whether it has to do with spiritual things, political

opinions, or even sexuality—is perfectly acceptable as long as you truly believe it.

Absent from the discussion is any consideration on the value of the belief or stance

because to make such a conclusion is to be arrogant, close-minded, or at worst, bigoted.

Music Ministry to Millennials

These prevailing attitudes present challenges to those who minister to the

Millennials. The unchanging truths of the gospel must be presented to them in a way that

breaks through stereotypes, and demonstrates the authenticity of faith, and shows the

supreme ability of the Christian faith to fill their spiritual desires. Churches must move

beyond arguing for the truthfulness or intellectual supremacy of the Christian faith versus

other belief systems. These arguments are unequivocally true, but bear little weight in a

mindset that is completely postmodern.

30 Barna, 83.

30

Our teens are looking for relevant, practical faith—the kind that “works” every day. So don’t let yourself think that we are dealing with teens that have turned their backs on God. On the contrary, there is measurable spiritual hunger throughout our society, and especially among our teens, that is a constant thumb in their backs to look, to search, to find out the truth. They’re starving for personal encounters with the living Christ who makes a difference today, in the real world. They want an authentic Christ; they want an authentic Christianity; they want an authentic spiritual. But they aren’t ready yet to believe that the Bible is the utterly reliable source of that kind of authority and authenticity.31

The truthfulness and authority of the gospel will be discovered when teenagers immerse

themselves in the community of faith. Robert Webber encapsulates this idea:

Today, young people come to church because “it stands for something.” But the gospel it stands for is presented as “story,” not a noncontradictory, rationally defended, logically consistent fact apprehended by cognitive acquiescence.32

The music ministry of the church presents spiritual truth in a manner that is not

only cerebral, but is also tangibly experiential. “Because of their desire for personal

encounters with the supernatural, they approach worship expectantly, believing that God

will show up.”33 Corporate worship must validate their search for the spiritual by

engaging the whole gamut of personal experience through the physical, emotional,

intellectual, and psychological senses. The danger lies in substituting experience for the

substance of faith. Churches must find the creative balance in the presentation of both

aspects of the faith.

Our students are hungry for spiritual food that will satisfy. They're hungry for what's real in Jesus Christ. The danger of postmodern Christianity is that we become so focused on making God culturally relevant, hip, cool, and fun, that we run the risk of making the gospel about us—our experiences, our relationships, our needs, our worship preferences, our lives. When this happens we lose our awe of God's

31 Middendorf, 36.

32 Webber, 49.

33 Hampton and Edwards, 16.

31

holiness. If we spend so much time relating to God as personal friend, we lose sight of the holiness of the God who inspires fear, wonder, worship, and beauty all at once. When that happens, our proclamation of the gospel tips dangerously towards self-centeredness and our experience of God; and the way we want to connect with the holy becomes more important than God himself.34

The Millennial Generation provides the church with an immensely large

mission field as students fill middle school, high school, and college campuses. These

students face tremendous pressures upon their lives from a multitude of places. The

importance of academic excellence has been instilled in their lives from an early age and

they must see academic success as the only viable option for a comfortable future. In

many school districts this drive to excel can supersede the actual goal of education and

learning. This pressure is demonstrated in the rising academic standards for entry into

college.

Straight A’s are no longer enough to get into some university systems. Some public universities, such as the University of California, are able to keep the cream of the crop, while students who would have been accepted in earlier times are shout out. As a result, college-bound Millennials are under great pressure to make high grades in school in order to give them a chance to make it to the college of their choice.35

I have experienced this reality first hand with the students at FBC Keller. Each

year students must choose among a large number of activities, both at church and school.

There have been times where I have advised parents to not have the students involved in

the music ministry because of overwhelming involvement in other areas of their lives. In

order to “compete” with this drive to succeed, the church cannot become another

34 Esther Jing-Wua Wu, "The Danger Of Postmodernism: Making The Gospel About Us," Youth Specialtes, 2003, http://www.youthspecialties.com/articles/topics/postmodernism/danger.php?/ (accessed July 9, 2006).

35 Miller, 14.

32

obligation or responsibility. It must be a place where teenagers can find refuge from the

pressures of life, be able to recognize and utilize their giftedness, and discover new ways

in which they can encounter God through worship.

Students need to be valued as individuals and not seen as the means to

accomplish the director’s personal ambitions. Great care must be taken in order not to

convey the message that a student’s value is tied to performance. Instead, ministry

leaders must be willing to make the investment of time and energy into building

relationships with these students. This investment should extend to students who are

involved in the student music ministry and to those who choose not to be. “Our students

desperately need to see and hear how others are living out their Christianity. Before they

will be willing to trust God with their live, they need to see that God is working in other

peoples’ lives.”36

Another new reality of life for the Millennials is the very real threat of violence

that can interrupt their everyday life. The school shooting at Columbine High School on

April 20, 1999 shook the lives of the Millennial generation. A violent act, by two

teenage students disillusioned with live and their culture, transformed the lives of

Columbine students who came from a upper-middle class suburban neighborhood. This

event had ramifications far beyond Littleton, Colorado. Now students throughout the

country, including in Keller, Texas, enter their buildings through metal detectors and

prepare for school shootings in addition to traditional fire alarms.

Several years later the events of September 11, 2001 gave these students yet

another reason to fear violence in their everyday lives. Until September 11, military

33

conflict was something that these students read about in history books or experienced in a

“video game-like” experience on television. The radical hatred and violence of the

terrorists shook the pluralistic attitudes of much of the Millennial generation. The music

ministry of the church has the opportunity to allow students to express their faith in God

and their emotions of fear, insecurity, trust, and hope through the gift of music. It is

vitally important that the church provides a positive outlet for the conflicting emotions

and feelings of the teenage generation. The student music ministry of FBC Keller has

sought to provide this positive outlet by giving students an opportunity to sing the truths

of God’s faithfulness and to physically make an impact on regions of the country affected

by violence. Recent trips to Oklahoma City and New Orleans have helped students deal

with their conflicted emotions in a positive, Biblical manner.

The Millennials present the church with a tremendous challenge and an

opportunity. Their radically new way of view life (through the lens of Postmodernity) is

forcing churches through the United States and Western Europe, and FBC Keller, in

particular to reevaluate their current methods of ministry to students. Music is a vehicle

of expression for teenage culture, and churches must take advantage of this means of

expression to impact the Millennials with the message of the Gospel. This thesis project

is designed to be a tool that will enable the leadership of FBC Keller and others to learn

specifics of the teenage culture and devise ways of ministering to these students

musically.

________________________

36 Hampton and Edwards, 21.

34

The Students of First Baptist Church, Keller, Texas

The students of FBC Keller, Texas are members of the Millennial generation

and serve as the specific survey group of this thesis. In order to properly evaluate these

students, some general demographic information is needed. The city of Keller, Texas is

located in northeast Tarrant County and is in the northwestern part of the Dallas-Fort

Worth metroplex. As of 2006, the current population in the city of Keller is 36,328 and

has grown from a population of a little over 13,000 people in 1990. This area has

experienced tremendous growth and influx of new citizens from various parts of the

country.37

Keller has a largely upper-middle class population with an average household

income of $108,000. The 2000 census showed that over 93% of the population was

Caucasian, with the next largest ethnic group being Hispanics at a little over 2% of the

population. Over 35% of the population of the city of Keller is between the age of 0-19

and there are currently 30 schools within the Keller Independent School District. This

survey will study students who attend five different high schools and eight middle

schools.38

First Baptist Church of Keller, Texas was founded in 1882 as mission church

of Mt. Gilead Baptist Church in Keller. Over the past 124 years, FBC Keller has seen the

city of Keller transform from a primarily agrarian society into a rapidly growing

suburban community. The church enjoys a relatively stable leadership of staff members

37 City Of Keller, Texas, 2006, "Fast Facts," http://www.cityofkeller.com/ED/FastFacts.htm. (accessed August 29, 2006).

38 Ibid.

35

with the majority of the staff members serving at the church for over seven years. The

church has a vibrant ministry to students with nearly 300 students in Sunday School

attendance weekly and a Wednesday evening worship service called OneEighty that

brings in students from outside of the church.

For many years the student music ministry of First Baptist Church has played

an active role in the spiritual development of the teenagers within the congregation. The

primary musical opportunities of the student music ministry include the Chapel Choir

(grades 9-12), PraiSingers (grades 7-8), Chapel Ensemble (grades 9-12), Chapel Bells

(grades 7-12), and the Chapel Orchestra (grades 7-12). On a weekly basis, nearly 100

students are involved in student music ministry at FBC Keller. Other opportunities for

music involvement include the Fine Arts Academy of the church which provides lessons

for nearly 400 students each week and the student praise band that leads worship for the

weekly Wednesday student worship services.

The overall philosophy of church music at First Baptist Church has been

consistent for over fifteen years. It emphasizes musical excellence as well as spiritual

expression. The church has a strong graded-choir program through which many of the

current middle and high school students have progressed through during their musical

development. The church has three identical worship services on Sunday morning and

employs a wide range of musical styles. A sincere effort has been made not to base

musical choices upon stylistic preferences, but instead to choose music based upon

function and consistency within the entire worship service.

The student music ministry demonstrates a similar attitude and approach. The

youth choirs of FBC Keller have a long history of musical performance and ministry both

36

within the community and throughout the United States. Each year the student ensembles

participate in service and mission opportunities on their summer choir tours. These

opportunities have allowed the students to use their musical gifts to minister to those in

need and present the message of the Gospel with those who need to hear it. The youth

choirs emphasize a mixture of music that provides a means of musical expression for the

students and challenges them to embrace new styles of music. The program is primarily

chorally-based and the ensembles regularly participate in worship. I have served as a

leader in the student music ministry for over five years and been active in shaping the

direction of the program as a whole.

Conclusion

The Millennial students of First Baptist Church of Keller, Texas, with all of

their unique qualities, present unique opportunities for ministry. Because of their large

numbers and differing viewpoints of the world, these students have forced FBC Keller to

reevaluate the way that they traditionally minister to students as a whole, and through the

avenue of music. In the following chapter the survey instrument will be described and

the results of the survey will illustrate the characteristics of the Millennials of FBC

Keller. The responses of the students will demonstrate how the culture has changed and

how effective the current methods of ministry have been.

37

CHAPTER 4

PROCESS OF STUDY AND SURVEY RESULTS

The students of First Baptist Church of Keller make up the core of this study. I

have served on the church’s music ministry staff for over six years, and have observed.

that the teenagers involved in the music ministry display a seemingly higher level of

commitment to God and have a greater desire to worship God in a biblical way than did I

or my peers at a same age. In order to ascertain some proof of my observation,

conducted this survey and study. From the study several conclusions were made and

some significant ramifications and implications revealed.

The FBC Keller student ministry is vibrant and has experienced rapid growth

over the past decade. Each week it involves nearly three hundred students in its Monday

and Wednesday activities and other small group activities. Naturally, with a group of this

size there is a disparity in the responses between the students who are non-Christian and

attend and those who are believers and involved in nearly every available activity. The

purpose of this survey and study is to discover certain principles that will improve the

student music ministry at FBC Keller. I chose to limit the control group to those who

were most active in the student music ministry. In my experience those students who are

involved in the music ministry are also heavily involved in the other activities of the

church. The target study group is made up of the high school and middle school choirs,

as well as those students participate in weekly small group Bible studies. These bible

study groups operate under the ministry program entitled FUEL, or Faith Unpacked in

38

Everyday Life. In order to participate in one of these groups, a student must make a

semester-long commitment to faithfully attend the study sessions, study the material

ahead of time, and commit the weekly emphasized verses to memory. These groups meet

weekly in homes and are divided by age and gender (i.e. seventh grade males). Despite

the high expectations required of each student, these FUEL groups are a tremendous

success and have helped deepen the faith of all involved. By selecting these three groups

of students, I hoped to gain a better understanding of the students who best represent the

student music ministry as a whole.

The survey instrument in Appendix A, was given to the students on Sunday,

October 22, 2006. It was distributed during the high school and middle school choir

rehearsals and at the regular FUEL group meeting times. The questionnaires were

returned by Tuesday, October 24, 2006 and the results were tabulated on Thursday,

October 26, 2006..

Survey Methodology

The survey instrument is constructed in such a way that it provides enough

information to make certain deductions about the students. The first step in the survey’s

development was the selection of the survey methodology. Because the topics of

postmodernity and teenage culture are often the source of conjecture and speculation, it

was determined that the Likert method of statistical research was the most appropriate

approach. Likert methodology presents the subjects with a series of statements about

which they make a determination of their level of agreement with the statement. By

employing this approach, I sought to allow the students to answer the question without

having to verbalize complicated theological and philosophical concepts. The

39

methodology also provides an easier means of collecting and analyzing the data. In

addition to the questions asked using the Likert scale, there were several questions about

the student’s demographic background. These questions helped place the more specific

Likert scale questions in the proper context.

The survey instrument was divided into three sections: (1) basic information,

(2) spirituality, and (3) music and worship. Each section is discussed in detail later in this

chapter. The questions address the specific characteristics of postmodern spirituality as

detailed in earlier chapters. The result was a comparison of the responses of the

teenagers at FBC Keller with those attitudes and views that students their age are

purported to hold without regard to cultural context.

Demographic Information

One hundred and nineteen students completed the questionnaires. The

majority of the students were female and middle-school students and underclassman.

Table 1 details the breakdown of the student participants.

Table 1: Breakdown of Students by Grade and Gender

Grade Female Male Total 7 14 7 21 8 14 13 27 9 21 10 31 10 11 16 27 11 3 3 6 12 2 3 5 No Response 1 1 2 Total 66 53 119

The disparity in the ratio of students grades seven through ten to those in grades eleven

40

and twelve is consistent with the author’s experience in the student music ministry over

the past six years. Several factors contribute to the lack of participation by

upperclassmen. Those factors include: new job responsibilities, decreased reliance upon

parents for transportation, dating relationships, the pressures of college and the future.

This sampling of students is representative of what I have observed in the student music

ministry over the past several years.

Perhaps the most surprising and encouraging discovery of the survey was that the

overwhelming majority of the students came from homes where their parents are married.

87 % of the students sampled at FBC Keller indicated that they come from two parent

homes (Table 2).

Table 2: Marital Status of Parents

N Percentage Marital States 103 86.55% Married

3 2.52% Separated 7 5.88% Divorced 4 3.36% Other (i.e. Widowed) 2 1.68% No Answer

119 100% Total

This finding offers a clue why these students are more involved in the student ministries

of the church. Much of the cultural change in the lives of teenagers can be attributed to

the radical disharmony and upheaval in their homes. Many teens battle with a loss of

identity and a sense of isolation comes from not having a healthy relationship with both

parents. Obviously, this high percentage of married parents does not guarantee that these

teenagers will be involved, nor does coming from a divorced background exclude

teenagers from being actively involved. Having both parents in the home is simply one

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positive factor that assists in the nurture and upbringing of a student.

A primary characteristic of the Millennial generation is its high reliance upon the

internet and its integration into everyday life. The teenagers were asked about their

average daily usage of on the internet and the most popular activities. Table 3 details

their responses.

Table 3 : Average Daily Internet Usage

N Percentage Average Use 57 47.90% Less than 1 33 27.73% 1-2 hours 18 15.13% More than 2 11 9.24% None

119 100.00% Total

These results demonstrate that nearly sixty percent of students surveyed spend no time or

less than one hour on the internet daily. This surprising result provides a caution for

student ministers not to rely solely on email or the internet for communication with

students. The student’s primary activities on the internet involve some form of social

interaction.

Table 4 : Most Popular Activities Online

N Percentage Activity 65 54.62% Email 64 53.78% Instant Messaging 60 50.42% Social Networking 48 40.34% Purchasing/Downloading Music 37 31.09% Browsing 23 19.33% Sports Information 18 15.13% Learning about new music 7 5.88% News

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A rapidly growing segment of teenage internet activity is in the area of social

networking. Through sites such as Myspace.com, Xanga.com, and others, students are

able to express themselves by designing their own personal web sites. They customize

their web page, upload music files, share pictures, and provide commentary about their

lives through online diaries called blogs. On these sites, students share the joys and

sorrows of their lives, and their peers are able to comment and respond their sites with

words of encouragement. Over the past year, I have made use of this technology in order

to be connected with the students of the church. It has proved to be a reliable source of

information dissemination and communication. Such social interaction promises to grow

in importance as Millennials find a sense of community in the virtual world as well as

within the physical one.

The surveys further indicated an increasing usage of the internet for both learning

about music and purchasing and downloading new music. Within minutes of the release

of a new album, students can purchase it inexpensively through several competing web

sites. They then load these songs into their personal digital music players. These results

indicate a shift away from traditional music providers to online suppliers that have access

to music from a variety of local and international musical artists.

Spirituality

Because so much of postmodern philosophy and culture directly impacts

personal spirituality, it was necessary to ask questions concerning the student’s beliefs.

The survey presented them with a series of statements about Christianity and spirituality

and asked them to indicate their level of agreement. These inquiries sought to determine

the students’ understanding of their personal commitment to God as well as some of the

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shaping factors in their lives. The nature of truth and the credibility of the Bible as the

inerrant source of God’s Word were also examined.

Over ninety percent of those surveyed either strongly agreed or agreed that

their relationship with God was a vital part of their everyday life. By these results, the

students indicated that they gauge their relationship with God as a priority. The results

show that students are moving beyond a superficial mental assent to a set of beliefs and

toward to a closer integration of their faith with everyday life. The honesty of the few

students who indicated that their relationship with God was not a vital part of their lives

sure demonstrates the typical Millenial commitment to authenticity at all costs.

Students were mixed in their responses as to who holds the most influence over

their lives. Sixty-one percent strongly agreed with the statement that their parents were

the shaping forces in their lives. It provides further evidence supporting the importance

of the relationship between parent and child. Students value a sense of belonging and

security, and the majority of the students indicate that their parents provide such

influence. Nearly ten percent of those surveyed disagreed or strongly disagreed with the

statement that their friends play an important role in their spiritual lives.

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Table 5 : Responses to Questions Concerning Spirituality

Statement SA A D SD DK My relationship with God is a vital part of my everyday life. 53.78% 37.82% 4.20% 0.00% 3.36% I have a desire to grow in my relationship with God and learn more about Him. 75.63% 21.85% 0.00% 0.00% 2.52% My relationship with God has led me to make changes in my attitude, lifestyle, decisions, and behavior. 60.50% 34.45% 0.00% 0.00% 5.04% My parents are an important shaping force in my life. 61.34% 31.09% 5.04% 0.84% 1.68% My friends play an important in my spiritual life. 34.45% 52.10% 7.56% 2.52% 2.52% I believe that there are things that are true for all people, in all places, and in all times. 37.82% 22.69% 3.36% 1.68% 34.45% I believe that the Bible is completely true and is God's revelation of Himself, His will, and His plans. 90.76% 8.40% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% I believe that the Bible has answers to my everyday questions and concerns. 72.27% 23.53% 0.84% 0.00% 3.36% I believe that God has an overall plan for the world and for His creation. 91.60% 8.40% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% I believe that God has a specific plan for my life. 89.08% 8.40% 0.00% 0.00% 1.68% I am still in the process of discovering God's plan for my life. 51.26% 46.22% 0.84% 0.00% 1.68% It is important to me to learn about what Christians who have lived before me believed and experienced. 28.57% 52.94% 4.20% 1.68% 12.61% It is important for me to live an authentic spiritual life. 66.39% 26.05% 0.84% 0.84% 5.88% SA – Strongly Agree; A – Agree; D – Disagree; SD – Strongly Disagree; DK – Don’t Know

One of the most significant responses with respect to postmodern philosophy

was the statement, “I believe that there are things that are true for all people, in all places,

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and in all times.” The statement, intended to provide a succinct definition of absolute

truth, provoked a wide range of responses from the survey participants. Over one third

designated that they did not know if there was such a thing as absolute truth. This

response indicates several things. First, the topic of truth is a confusing one to teenagers,

because they are bombarded with competing truth systems on a daily basis. Second, the

ministries of FBC Keller can do a better job in helping to educate these students in what

the church believes concerning truth and the exclusive claims of Christ and scripture.

Several students in fact strongly disagreed and disagreed with the statement entirely. It

demonstrates that the culture has succeeded in convincing these students that truth is

defined by the social construct in which they participate. This uncertainty over the nature

of truth is one of the most important battlefields in which culture and the church collide.

In spite of this confusion over the universality of truth, an overwhelming

majority of the students (over ninety percent) agreed that the Bible is “completely true

and is God's revelation of Himself, His will, and His plans.” This contradiction with the

previous statement illustrates that students believe in the truthfulness of Scripture but do

not make the connections between this truthfulness and its authority over all people for

all times. It presents the perplexing question of how the students can believe the Bible is

completely true, yet be unsure if there is such a thing as truth and if that truth is

applicable across all geographical and chronological boundaries.

Whereas postmodern philosophy contends that there is no metanarrative that

gives structure to all of creation, the students indicated a strong level of agreement with

both statements concerning God’s overall plan. All students who answered agreed with

the statement that God has an overall plan for the world and for His creation. This level

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of agreement runs completely contrary to what the culture loudly proclaims. It proves, at

least from this sample of students, that the message against a biblical metanarrative has

not completely become the dominant worldview of teenage culture. The students agreed

almost as strongly with the belief that God had a specific plan for their individual life.

There was less certainty in their agreement about whether or not they were still in the

process of discovering God’s plan for their life.

Postmodern Christian scholars, such as Stanley Grenz and Thomas Oden tell

us that the Millennials value things that are older and vintage. Nearly twenty percent of

those surveyed were not sure or disagreed with the statement that “it is important to me to

learn about what Christians who have lived before me believed and experienced.” It

seems that the desire for the old is tempered with the cultural focus on the temporary and

the instant. It may also indicate that students struggle so much in their everyday lives

that they do not take the time to even think about Christians before them, much less learn

about them.

Finally, most students agreed that living an authentic spiritual life was

important to them. Authenticity in lifestyle is highly valued quality among this

generation of students. The students believe that living a life that is hypocritical or

inauthentic is worse than not being a believer at all.

Music and Worship

The final section of questions in the survey instrument dealt with the area of

music and worship. The students were presented with a series of questions concerning

their general understanding of worship and with more specific ones over the various

aspects of corporate and personal worship. Table 6 provides a full listing of the students’

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responses to these questions.

Table 6 : Responses to Questions Concerning Music and Worship

Statement SA A D SD DK I feel that I have a good understanding of what worship is. 38.66% 58.82% 0.00% 0.00% 0.84% I sense God's presence on a regular basis in worship. 26.05% 51.26% 13.45% 0.84% 6.72% The type of music used in worship helps people worship God in a better way. 48.74% 32.77% 7.56% 1.68% 6.72% The style of music used in worship is an important factor in my personal worship experience. 38.66% 39.50% 14.29% 0.00% 5.88% I normally sing and participate in the worship services at the church. 58.82% 35.29% 1.68% 1.68% 0.84% I believe that there is a correct way to worship God. 19.33% 28.57% 17.65% 13.45% 19.33% Baptism and the Lord's Supper are important parts of worship to me. 51.26% 40.34% 1.68% 0.00% 4.20% The use of visual elements in worship is important to me. 17.65% 47.90% 18.49% 0.00% 14.29% SA – Strongly Agree; A – Agree; D – Disagree; SD – Strongly Disagree; DK – Don’t Know

The first question sought to establish how well the students felt they

understood what worship is. The majority agreed with the statement that “I feel that I

have a good understanding of worship is.” Although they claimed to possess a good

understanding of worship, more questioning was needed in order to evaluate their claim.

One of the more troubling results of this survey was found in the response to the

statement that “I sense God’s presence on a regular basis in worship.” Twenty percent of

those surveyed disagreed with this statement or were not sure if they had experienced

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God’s presence in worship on a regular basis. While consistent with larger surveys on

this topic (See George Barna, Experiencing God in Worship), their response reveals

shows an important area of needed instruction and correction.

Most of the students felt that the style of music was in important factor for the

congregation as a whole and for themselves individually. Fourteen percent of the

students disagreed that the style of music was an important factor in their worship

experience. Such a response may be indicative of those students who have learned to

embrace all musical styles in worship, or it may be that these students are apathetic to any

particular worship style. Regardless of the reasoning, it is evident that style is an

important factor in worship to many teenagers. This is consistent with the typical strong

passions about style of music in every other area of their lives. The rise in popularity of

contemporary worship has led many churches to separate their worship services into two

camps: one tailored to the older population and the other to the younger generations.

Nearly eighty percent responded that they regularly participated in the worship

services at church. These services include the regular Sunday morning and evening

services, as well as the Wednesday evening youth worship service. The responses

indicate a willingness on the part of the students to be active participants in worship.

Another fact revealed by the survey is that the students readily participate in the student

worship services, but are not engaged in Sunday’s corporate worship services. These

facts show that students want to worship and participate, but only in a medium that is

comfortable to them.

The statement “I believe that there is a correct way to worship God” was

presented in order to prompt the students to consider what they believe concerning

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worship. This question, along with the final question where the students provided a short

definition of worship, was designed to determine if any postmodern philosophical

influences were detectable in their beliefs. As expected, the teenagers provided responses

that covered a wide spectrum, from the simplistic, yet personal to the theologically

accurate. Nearly fifteen percent of the students strongly disagreed that there is a correct

way to worship God. Another nineteen percent indicated that they were not sure. This

result provides evidence that the students are not adequately trained in what a biblical

definition and pattern of worship is nor how to evaluate worship forms.

Several of the students’ definitions demonstrate the influence of postmodern

thought. One tenth grader responded that worship is “any way a person chooses to grow

closer to God. Worship can be found in many circumstances.” One high school senior

expressed that worship is “praising God, whether it be through singing, praying or

reading Scripture - As long as to you it praises Him.” Such thinking is consistent with

the pluralistic individualism of postmodernity. “Worship is a way to put fourth [sic]

praise and love to God in a way that I believe is fun and personal.” This statement shows

a human-centric view of worship in which the act of worship is meaningful because it is

fun and personal, not because it corresponds with scriptural instructions.

Several students gave answers that indicated some exposure to teaching on the

subject of worship. One male high school junior defined worship as: “Any act with the

intent of giving glory and honor back to God.” “It represents his “worth-ship” to us.”

Another senior gave this response. “Worship is living a life that expresses God as

supreme and divine ruler of one’s life.” “It is glorifying God by doing what He wants

His children to do, be it praising with song, preaching with words or simply

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demonstrating with actions.” Both of these statements show that the students have spent

time in formulating their beliefs concerning worship and have developed a good

understanding of the biblical nature of worship.

One area in which nearly all of the students agreed was the connection of praising

God with the overall topic of worship. The students understand that worship is more than

just an action during a worship service. It is a lifestyle that is practiced throughout the

week. Students provided numerous examples of the various actions in worship, including

singing, praying, dancing, reading scripture, and hearing the preached word. Surprisingly

there was little specific mention of a direct connection between music and worship.

Coupled with the previously identified responses about the role of musical style, this fact

displays that the students have a relatively good understanding about the nature of

worship and are not been overwhelmed by the popular notion of equating a particular

musical style with worship.

The elements of symbol and sacrament are often mentioned as an effective means

of connecting with the Millennials. Over ninety percent of the FBC Keller students

affirmed the importance of baptism and the Lord’s Supper in worship, but over thirty

percent of the students indicated that visual elements were unimportant to them in

worship. The results point out that students have not made the connection between the

visual symbolism of baptism and the Lord’s Supper and the other visual elements in

worship. In part, such thinking can be attributed partly to their ages and on the other

hand, a general lack of aesthetical understanding within the popular culture.

Consequently, an opportunity is provided for musical and scriptural education through

which the students can grow in their expression of worship.

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Observations and Summary

When the survey instrument was created, certain hypotheses were made

concerning the anticipated responses. On the whole, I anticipated a wider variety of

responses from the students than were actually given. The students overwhelmingly

affirmed the majority of the survey’s sentences. This is not a negative result because it

provokes a great deal of though-provoking reflection and provides an interesting snapshot

of this particular group of students. Since these students are so actively involved in the

ministries of FBC Keller, it can be expected that these students are likewise strongly

committed to living spiritual vibrant lives.

Because most of these students have grown up in FBC Keller, it is important to

understand how the worship practices of this church have shaped their views on music

and worship. Historically FBC Keller has placed a strong emphasis on the intellectual

aspects of corporate worship with less attention being given to the aesthetic, emotional,

and experiential. This emphasis provided them with a strong foundation for the

formation of their individual spiritual belief system, but it has limited their understanding

of a more complete view of worship.

The stability of the community in which these students live is one of the most

important factors in their spiritual development. A strong home life, within a safe, secure

suburban environment, has provided these students with every opportunity to discover

their unique giftedness and express it within the local body of believers. FBC Keller

should strive to find new ways to integrate the lives of students and parents through the

medium of music. These connections will provide means of creative dialogue and shared

learning and will foster a heightened sense of community.

Postmodern philosophy has not permeated the lives of the students to the

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degree initially assumed. Rather than completely abandoning the modern ideals of

structure, rationality, and tradition, the students have randomly adopted the popular

culture’s version of postmodernity. In postmodern thought, self-expression is of utmost

importance. These students desire to live godly lives, but want to do so in a way that

reflects their own unique personalities. They readily accept the Bible as the foundation

for truth, but they are unsure what truth is. Rather than being consumed by the tidal wave

of postmodern approaches to ministry, FBC Keller, under the leadership of the Holy

Spirit must utilize the information gained in this study to revaluate her ministry approach

to students and seek to bring together the truth of Biblical doctrine and worship with the

new postmodern context of today’s teenager.

The final chapter of this document outlines several suggestions for ministry in

the context of FBC Keller. Following the specific applications, more generalized

approaches to music ministry in the postmodern culture will be made. It is hoped that

through the data gained through this survey, the results will provide a stepping stone for

others to adapt and create student ministry programs of their own.

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Churches must find creative ways to harness technologies such as online social

networking to help teenagers find their places within the Body of Christ.

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CHAPTER 4

SUGGESTIONS FOR APPLICATION

In the previous chapters we have seen the effects of the tremendous

transformations in teenage culture over the past twenty-five years and have identified

several primary characteristics of the Millenial generation. Through careful research a

sample group of this generation was surveyed and the results were tabulated and

interpreted. Now perhaps the most daunting task remains. How does one use this

information to actually make a difference in the lives and teenagers? How can churches

design worship and music ministries that speak the “heart” language of this generation,

yet still remain faithful to Gospel message that has remained unchanged for nearly two-

thousand years? I will seek to propose a few answers to these questions in general and

more specifically address areas of concern in the student music ministry at FBC Keller.

In chapter two, five characteristics of the Millenial generation were discussed.

We saw that the Millenials were experience driven, communally based, technologically

advanced, historically aware, and spiritual hungry. In the following pages I will seek to

show how the music ministry of our churches can capitalize on these qualities in order to

make a lasting impact on the lives of students.

The music ministry of the church speaks to the desire of an experience in two

major ways. First, music is by its very nature experiential. The making of music is a

physical act that almost always elicits a response. The physicality of music, whether it be

vocal or instrumental music, allows the student to use his or her body to serve and

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worship God. Rather than engaging their faith through intellect alone, they are able to

physically express it. Music also affords students the opportunity to go places that would

otherwise be closed to the message of the Gospel. Over the past years, the students of

FBC Keller have shared their gift of music at several major sports venues, homeless

shelters in major metropolitan areas, neighborhoods, trailer parks, rehabilitation clinics,

and even a farm. These experiences have formed a patchwork that has woven their

songs, spiritual lives, and the call of God into a powerful expression of faith.

In addition to the physical actions of making music and experiencing new

places as they perform, students find the ultimate experience in a life-changing encounter

with Christ. Music is uniquely suited to helping students encounter truths of scripture in

non-threatening ways and helps them to incorporate them into their lives. Rather than

seeing the Millenials’ need for a new experience as a sign of immaturity or lack of

concentration, churches should embrace this quality and use it as a means of spiritual

formation. In her search to appeal to students and to get them to be involved, the church

must never surrender her ultimate call to make worshipers of God and disciples of Christ.

Music is a powerful tool that will equip students for a lifelong lifestyle of worship and

will provide them means to experience the truth of scripture in new and exciting ways.

Churches must help students make the connection between the words that are spoken and

sung with the lifestyles of worship that they are called to live.

The students surveyed regularly participate in worship and I am sure that this

fact would be consistent in many other churches throughout the country. For far too long

we have sought to cater to students by bringing in a few guitars and singing choruses.

This short-sighted view has perpetuated the idea that students only desire superficial

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spirituality based upon emotion. We do our students a great disservice if we do not

challenge them to expand their personal musical preferences and see the value in a wide

palette of musical styles in worship. Our students will only grow as far spiritually and

musically as we are willing to take them. It has been my experience that students are far

more willing to try new things than I have the courage to show them.

Ways to speak to the desire for an experience:

• Take students to a new environment for worship. Visit a park, a

cathedral, a concert hall. Have them see that worship and music belong

not only in the church but also in every parts of their lives.

• Use a wide variety of musical styles in worship and student music

ensembles.

• Encourage students to use their bodies in worship and help them

experience worship physically.

• Take them to exciting places to share their music and the message of

the Gospel.

The second major distinctive of the Millenials is their strong desire to be part

of a community. Students have always historically shown a desire to be accepted within

a peer group, but rapid globalization, the splintering of family life, and social

transformation have accelerated this trend to “tribalization.” Students label themselves

and their peers as “jocks, preps, Goths, skaters, losers” and many other stereotypes. The

typical teenager will float between several peer groups throughout his or her teenage

years.

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These social groups wield a tremendous amount of power in the development

of ideas, beliefs, and behavior. Aside from their parents, the most important influences

on teenagers’ lives are their peer groups. If all we do is provide a safe environment

where all are accepted regardless of race, gender, and physical appearance, then we will

radically impact teenage culture.

The music ministry of the church provides this kind of environment through

choral and instrumental ensembles. In these groups students learn that they can

contribute to something that is positive and creative. The group dynamic of these

ensembles can help students to internalize the values and beliefs of Christianity without

realizing. Paul’s depiction of the Body of Christ is evident in the need for every

instrument in a student orchestra. In the same way, students must find that they have

something of worth to contribute to the greater good. Their performance or abilities are

not what is most important, but rather it is simply their presence and participation within

the group that is most valuable.

Several ways to foster a sense of community within your musical ensembles:

• Institute a care group system where adults are connected to a group

of students and pray for them regularly and invest in their lives.

• Take the time to get to know your students beyond a superficial level.

When we take the time to cultivate relationships with the students,

they will develop a greater sense of community.

• Help students see that they are part of a larger community of faith

and that each part has a role to play in the mission of the Kingdom of

God.

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• Provide a safe way for students to share their joys, hurts, and

successes with their peer group. Fiercely protect their trust and foster

a sense of mutual acceptance.

Perhaps there is no greater difference between this generation and those which

preceded it than the rapid technological advancements and their effects on everyday life.

Technology has provided a means to differentiate teens from their parents and provide

them powerful sources of identity. The personal computer and internet are almost

completely integrated into the lives of teenagers. The computer is quickly replacing other

forms of media as the primary vehicle of communication for the Millenials. There is a

deep-seeded relationship between music and the internet with the Millenials. From peer-

to-peer downloading applications and online stores such as iTunes, the internet has

become the primary vehicle for new music purchases and information.

This natural connection of music and the internet provide student music leaders

with an opportunity to share new music, generate excitement about upcoming musical

events, and expose teenagers to styles and types of music they might not encounter. By

utilizing a form of media readily accessible with teenagers, leaders can demonstrate their

willingness to incarnate the ministry into a natural environment of teenagers. It has been

my experience that the teenagers surveyed have demonstrated excitement as I have

incorporated new forms of technology into the student music ministry of the church.

What does this mean for the church? There are two primary responses that the

church must make. First, ministries must embrace technology and utilize it as much as

possible. Technology is the lingua franca of today’s teenage culture. Churches that fail

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to see this fact will appear to be dull and socially ignorant to teenagers. Technology

provides ministers with ways to be in constant contact with students through email,

instant messaging, and other forms of digital communication. The use of technology by a

ministry gives it credibility in the eyes of teenagers and demonstrates a genuine desire to

embrace the everyday life of the teenager.

Technologies such as Myspace.com and podcasting allow ministry to extend

beyond the typical Sunday and Wednesday activities into everyday life. I have found that

the more I embrace technology in ministry, especially in a social way, the better response

I receive from teenagers. The internet provides a sense of anonymity to teenagers and

allows them to share their feelings for all to see. I have found this as a powerful tool to

find avenues for ministry. It allows me to know what is going on in the students’ lives

and helps me pray for them more specifically and to ask questions that will lead to further

discussion. By having a personal web page where I share aspects of my life, such as my

personal struggles, my family life, and my relationship with God, students are able to get

beyond the superficial relationship of minister to student and see me as an authentic

person. A person who struggles just as they struggle and celebrates the simple joys in

life.

Technology also has created a generation who is starved for physical touch.

Just as the TV was the babysitter for Generation X, video games and the internet serve a

similar function with the Millenials. Rather than make a phone call, today students

simply text message each other. Ministers must not forget that technology can never

replace physical presence in the lives of the students. No email, blog post, instant

message can replace your physical presence at a student’s football game or band concert.

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We can make a powerful impact on the lives of student’s simply by being there

physically for them. Our presence communicates their worth to us and ultimately their

value to the God we serve.

Suggestions for ministry:

• Develop a ministry webpage that is interactive and not simply a digital

newsletter. Allow students to contribute content and take ownership

the design.

• Learn new forms of technology and use them in ministry. Send your

students text messages and emails. Have a student develop a

presentation outlining the upcoming choir tour. Be creative.

• Never let technology take the place of your presence. An email can

never take the place of a word of encouragement or a hand on the

shoulder.

This generation is an intriguing juxtaposition of tremendous technological

advances with a keen eye toward the things of the past. There has been a marked

increase in the interest for all things old or “retro.” Teenagers embrace the styles of their

parents “hipper” years. In other ways, students are very conscience of the vast

sociological and environment impact of the Baby Boomer generation and others. A large

percentage of Millenials are actively involved in such social causes as the fight against

infectious diseases such as AIDS, ethnic cleansing in portions of the African continent,

and environmental concerns such as global warming. These social interests in many

ways are the response and commentary on those who had preceded the current

generation.

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The church has a responsibility to communicate the historical foundation of her

faith to this new generation. The rich heritage of the Christian faith provides students

with a sense of community and security in a world that is rapidly changing and

threatening. Music ministries are finding success in incorporating classic hymns in

creative ways with you. In fact, Passion, an organization that is on the forefront of

ministry to college students recently released a music recording that featured traditional

hymns of the faith with new instrumentation and arrangements. The students at FBC

Keller use these songs in worship regularly in their weekly student services and the youth

choirs have used several of the arrangements in their programs. It is been my experience

that students are very open to historical musical expressions of faith as long as proper

instruction is provided and that the music is presented to them in fresh experience.

Historical forms of spiritual expression such as the spiritual disciples, prayer

walking, spiritual mentorship, and meditation are all effective tools in the church’s

possession in reaching this generation with the transforming message of the gospel. The

music ministry has the rich history of liturgy and symbol that can be incorporated with

current expressions of worship and music. The most important part of using these

elements lies in the education of the students in their historical roots and how these

practices can transform their lives today.

Suggestions for Ministry:

• Be creative in your use of old and new forms of worship. Matthew

13:52 records these words of Jesus. “He said to the them, “Every

teach instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like a householder who

brings both new things and out of his treasure-store.”

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• Provide students with the reasons why historic forms of worship and

music were originally used and demonstrate for them their practical

application today.

• Encourage students to write new melodies and arrangements to classic

hymns of the faith. Alternately, have them write new lyrics to existing

hymn tunes.

• In using symbols and liturgy, pay careful attention to make sure that

students connect the symbol with its spiritual significance. It is far too

easy to design a worship service with candles, incense, and dark lights

and think that it is connecting with teenagers. Do not equate trends

such as emerging worship with authentic worship. Students must learn

to express themselves in worship in a wide variety of styles.

Lastly, and most importantly, the Millenial generation is desperately seeking

for spirituality and answers to the looming questions of life. Postmodern philosophy has

sought to erode their trust in the institutions of faith and truth. This attack on the

Christian faith, coinciding with rapid globalization, has created an environment where

students are just as likely to get involved with other faiths like Buddhism and Islam, new

age movements like Scientology or Wicca, or simply create a hodgepodge of

contradictory belief systems.

The church must not neglect her duty to cling to the truths of scripture and

teach them clearly and effectively. Ministers cannot, however, present truth in the same

ways that previously were employed. Students do not automatically accept truth

statements simply because they are doctrines of the Christian faith. Great care must be

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used to connect belief systems with the everyday affairs of life. One area that churches in

general and FBC Keller specifically must improve on is in the biblical literacy of its

students. Students cannot leave our churches without receiving instruction on the

exclusive claims of Christ and Scripture.

Students must also receive training in how to accurately evaluate the messages

of popular culture and compare them with the claims of scripture. Simply telling them to

believe something because it is found in Scripture will not last the trials of secular

university life. We must find ways to have students engage culture intellectually while

they are under our ministries. Through the direction of the Holy Spirit, our training of

this generation will provide them with the tools to make decisions that will eventually

lead them to a lifelong pursuit of the Kingdom of God.

The music ministries of our churches must also train students in how to be

worshipers. As was shown in the study of the students at FBC Keller, far too many

students equate worship with a musical style or specific actions. Ministers must do a

better job in helping students understand how to experience the presence of God in

worship, and they should evaluate the worship practices of the church to ensure that they

are consistent with biblical, Spirit-led models of worship. The students need to be trained

in how to prepare themselves for worship and how to remove distractions that would

hinder them from an authentic encounter with the Spirit of God.

Practical Applications:

• Incorporate instruction of biblical doctrine alongside teaching on the

practical matters of the faith.

• Great care must be given to craft worship experiences that provide

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answers to the deep spiritual questions that the Millenials have. We

must not simply design and lead worship services, but we must also

teach our students why we do what we do.

• In the area of music, we can help students evaluate the music of

popular culture and help them determine what messages are being

communicated. We cannot simply dismiss secular music without

teaching students to be critical listeners. Consequently, we must also

take great care in selecting music that is biblically sound and musically

appropriate for our students. Their evaluation of music must also

extend to the music that is used in worship.

• An investment in the spiritual lives of teenagers will transcend any

musical instruction that we can provide them. We must never let our

musical aspirations take the place of true spiritual formation in our

teenagers’ lives.

Conclusion

In this work I have sought to understand the unique qualities of the Millenial

generation. The undercurrents of change are moving through our churches all over the

country and we must not fail to take action. Our students are often called the future of

our churches, but in fact, they are the church of today. By faithfully performing our

responsibilities as music ministers, we will provide students with a foundation both

spiritually and musically for the rest of their lives. The challenge is great and the

responsibility is immense, but as we depend on the limitless resources of the Holy Spirit

we can make lasting impact on the lives of this Millenial generation and on the

65

generations to come.

66

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barna, George. Real Teens. Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 2001.

City Of Keller, Texas. "Fast Facts." 2006. http://www.cityofkeller.com/ED/FastFacts.htm. (accessed August 29, 2006).

Dawn, Marva. A Royal "Waste" of Time: The Splendor of Worshiping God and Being Church for the World. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1999.

Drucker, Peter F. Post-Capitalist Society. New York: HarperBusiness, 1993.

Edwards, Randy. Revealing Riches & Building Lives: Youth Choir Ministry in the New Millennium. St. Louis, MO: MorningStar Music Publishers, 2000.

Gelder, Van, Craig. The Church Between Gospel and Culture. Edited by George R. Hunsberger and Craig Van Gelder. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1996.

Greer, Robert C. Mapping Postmodernism: A Survey of Christian Opinions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003.

Grenz, Stanley. A Primer on Postmodernism. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1996.

Groothuis, Douglas. Truth Decay: Defending Christianity Against the Challenges of Postmodernism. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Hampton, Jim and Rick Edwards, eds. Worship-Centered Teaching: Guiding Youth to Discover Their Identity in Christ. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 2001.

Henderson, David W. Culture Shift: Communicating God's Truth to Our Changing World. With a foreward by Haddon Robinson. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1988.

Howe, Neil and Bill Strauss. Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation. New York: Vintage Books, 2000.

Hyman, Gavin. The Predicament of Postmodern Theology: Radical Orthodoxy or Nihilist Textualism?. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001.

Jones, Tony. Postmodern Youth Ministry: Exploring Cultural Shift, Creating Holistic Connections, Cultivating Authentic Community. El Cajon, CA: Youth Specialties, 2001.

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Kelley, Matt. "An Introduction To Postmodernism (and Why It's Not A Bad Word)." Youth Specialties, 2004. http://www.youthspecialties.com/articles/topics/postmodernism/pomo_intro.php?/ (accessed July 29, 2006).

Knight III, Henry H. A Future for Truth: Evangelical Theology in a Postmodern World. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997.

Long, Jimmy. Generating Hope: A Strategy for Reaching the Postmodern Generation. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997.

Middendorf, Jon. Worship-Centered Youth Ministry: A Compass for Guiding Youth into God's Story. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 2000.

Miller, Craig. Making God Real for a New Generation: Ministry With Millennials Born from 1982 to 1999. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2003.

Niles, D. Preman. Preface to Faith in a Global Economy: A Primer for Christians, by Rob van Drimmelen. Geneva: WCC Publications, 1998.

Rabey, Steve. In Search of Authentic Faith: How Emerging Generations Are Transforming the Church. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2001.

Raschke, Carl. The Next Reformation: Why Evangelicals Must Embrace Postmodernity. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004.

Redman, Robb. The Great Worship Awakening: Singing a New Song in the Postmodern Church. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002.

Sweet, Leonard. Postmodern Pilgrims: First Century Passion for the 21st Century World. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2000.

Vanhoozer, Kevin J. The Cambridge Companion to Postmodern Theology. Edited by Kevin J. Vanhoozer. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 2003.

Webber, Robert E. The Younger Evangelicals: Facing the Challenges of the New World. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002.

Wu, Esther Jing-Wua. "The Danger Of Postmodernism: Making The Gospel About Us." Youth Specialtes, 2003. http://www.youthspecialties.com/articles/topics/postmodernism/danger.php?/ (accessed July 9, 2006).

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APPENDIX 1

SURVEY INSTRUMENT RESULTS

Count Percent Response 1. What is your gender?

53 44.54% Male 66 55.46% Female

2. What is your age?

20 16.81% 12 21 17.65% 13 31 26.05% 14 25 21.01% 15 15 12.61% 16 6 5.04% 17 1 0.84% 18

3. In what school grade are you currently enrolled?

21 17.65% 7 27 22.69% 8 31 26.05% 9 27 22.69% 10 6 5.04% 11 5 4.20% 12 2 1.68% No Answer

4. Are your parents?

103 86.55% Married 3 2.52% Separated 7 5.88% Divorced 4 3.36% Other (Widowed) 2 1.68% No Answer

5. What genres of music do you listen to on a regular basis?

63 52.94% Rock 48 40.34% Country 43 36.13% Other

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42 35.29% Alternative Count Percent Responses

41 34.45% Hip-Hop/Rap 39 32.77% Pop 25 21.01% Dance/Techno 21 17.65% Classical 17 14.29% R&B/Soul 6 5.04% Latin 5 4.20% Folk

6. In a typical day, how many hours do you spend on the Internet?

57 47.90% Less than 1 33 27.73% 1-2 hours 18 15.13% More than 2 11 9.24% None

7. What kinds of things do you view online or what kind of activities do you

regular participate? 65 54.62% Email 64 53.78% Instant Messaging 60 50.42% Social Networking 48 40.34% Purchasing/Downloading Music 37 31.09% Browsing 23 19.33% Sports Information 18 15.13% Learning about new music 7 5.88% News

8. Do you have a personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ?

114 95.80% Yes 0 0.00% No 5 4.20% No Answer

9. My relationship with God is a vital part of my everyday life.

5 4.20% Disagree 45 37.82% Agree 64 53.78% Strongly Agree 4 3.36% Don't Know 1 0.84% No Answer

10. I have a desire to grow in my relationship with God and learn more about

Him. 0 0.00% Strongly Disagree 0 0.00% Disagree

26 21.85% Agree

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90 75.63% Strongly Agree 3 2.52% Don't Know

Count Percent Response 11. My relationship with God has led me to make changes in my attitude,

lifestyle, decisions, and behavior. 0 0.00% Strongly Disagree 0 0.00% Disagree

41 34.45% Agree 72 60.50% Strongly Agree 6 5.04% Don't Know

12. My parents are an important shaping force in my life.

1 0.84% Strongly Disagree 6 5.04% Disagree

37 31.09% Agree 73 61.34% Strongly Agree 2 1.68% Don't Know

13. My friends play an important part in my spiritual life.

3 2.52% Strongly Disagree 9 7.56% Disagree

62 52.10% Agree 41 34.45% Strongly Agree 3 2.52% Don't Know 1 0.84% No Answer

14. I believe that there are things that are true for all people, in all places, and

in all times. 2 1.68% Strongly Disagree 4 3.36% Disagree

27 22.69% Agree 45 37.82% Strongly Agree 41 34.45% Don't Know

15. I believe that the Bible is completely true and is God's revelation of

Himself, His will, and His plans. 0 0.00% Strongly Disagree 0 0.00% Disagree

10 8.40% Agree 108 90.76% Strongly Agree

0 0.00% Don't Know 1 0.84% No Answer

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Count Percent Responses 16. I believe that the Bible has answers to my everyday questions and

concerns. 0 0.00% Strongly Disagree 1 0.84% Disagree

28 23.53% Agree 86 72.27% Strongly Agree 4 3.36% Don't Know

17. I believe that God has an overall plan for the world and for His creation.

0 0.00% Strongly Disagree 0 0.00% Disagree

10 8.40% Agree 109 91.60% Strongly Agree

0 0.00% Don't Know 18. I believe that God has a specific plan for my life.

0 0.00% Strongly Disagree 0 0.00% Disagree

10 8.40% Agree 106 89.08% Strongly Agree

2 1.68% Don't Know 1 0.84% No Answer

19. I am still in the process of discovering God's plan for my life.

0 0.00% Strongly Disagree 1 0.84% Disagree

55 46.22% Agree 61 51.26% Strongly Agree 2 1.68% Don't Know

20. It is important to me to learn about what Christians who have lived

before me believed and experienced. 2 1.68% Strongly Disagree 5 4.20% Disagree

63 52.94% Agree 34 28.57% Strongly Agree 15 12.61% Don't Know

21. It is important for me to live an authentic spiritual life.

1 0.84% Strongly Disagree

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1 0.84% Disagree 31 26.05% Agree 79 66.39% Strongly Agree 7 5.88% Don't Know

Count Percent Responses 22. How many times a month do you participate in a worship service at FBC

Keller? 1 0.84% 0 times 3 2.52% 1 time

23 19.33% 2 - 4 times 90 75.63% 5 or more 2 1.68% No answer

23. I feel that I have a good understanding of what worship is.

0 0.00% Strongly Disagree 0 0.00% Disagree

70 58.82% Agree 46 38.66% Strongly Agree 1 0.84% Don't Know 2 1.68% No Answer

24. I sense God's presence in worship on a regular basis.

1 0.84% Strongly Disagree 16 13.45% Disagree 61 51.26% Agree 31 26.05% Strongly Agree 8 6.72% Don't Know 2 1.68% No Answer

25. The type of music used in worship helps people worship God in a better

way. 2 1.68% Strongly Disagree 9 7.56% Disagree

39 32.77% Agree 58 48.74% Strongly Agree 8 6.72% Don't Know 3 2.52% Nothing

26. The style of music used in worship is an important factor in my personal

worship experience. 0 0.00% Strongly Disagree

17 14.29% Disagree 47 39.50% Agree 46 38.66% Strongly Agree

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7 5.88% Don't Know 2 1.68% No Answer

Count Percent Responses 27. I normally sing and participate in the worship services at the church.

2 1.68% Strongly Disagree 2 1.68% Disagree

42 35.29% Agree 70 58.82% Strongly Agree 1 0.84% Don't Know 2 1.68% No Answer

28. I believe that there is a correct way to worship God.

16 13.45% Strongly Disagree 21 17.65% Disagree 34 28.57% Agree 23 19.33% Strongly Agree 23 19.33% Don't Know 2 1.68% No Answer

29. Baptism and the Lord's Supper are important parts of worship to me.

0 0.00% Strongly Disagree 2 1.68% Disagree

48 40.34% Agree 61 51.26% Strongly Agree 5 4.20% Don't Know 3 2.52% No Answer

30. The use of visual elements in worship is important to me.

0 0.00% Strongly Disagree 22 18.49% Disagree 57 47.90% Agree 21 17.65% Strongly Agree 17 14.29% Don't Know 2 1.68% No Answer

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75

APPENDIX 3

A BRIEF SURVEY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF POSTMODERN THOUGHT

In order to come to a better understanding of this generation of students known

as the Millennials, one must first understand the societal forces that have brought about a

paradigm shift from the modern to the postmodern world. From its earliest stages of

development to the present, postmodernity has eluded definition and has been a source of

much confusion, consternation, and debate among anthropologists, philosophers,

theologians, and a whole host of others who devote their careers to the study of society

and human interaction. While there is no concise definition of what constitutes

postmodernity, few observers fail to acknowledge that society continues to undergo a

transformation that challenges the past few hundred years of rational, Enlightenment

thought.

Every few hundred years in Western history there occurs a sharp transformation. Within a few short decades, society rearranges itself—its worldview; its basic values; its social and political structure; its arts; its key institutions. Fifty years later, there is a new world. And the people born then cannot imagine the world in which their grandparents lived and into which their own parents were born. We are currently living through just such a transformation.39

The term “postmodern” is itself an enigma. It is definition by non-definition.

“What is the “postmodern”? Perhaps the most obvious (and slightly banal) answer is that

it is literally post-modern; it is something that succeeds, rejects, overthrows, or

39 Peter F. Drucker, Post-Capitalist Society (New York: HarperBusiness, 1993), 1.

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transcends the modern.”40 At the heart of all postmodern thought is the rejection of the

ideals of the Enlightenment epoch with its emphases on human rationality, causality, and

an all-encompassing metanarrative of scientific progress. Philosophers such as Jacques

Déridda (1930-2004), Michel Foucault (1926-1984), and others have carried forth the

ideas of the late nineteenth century philosophers to their logical conclusions and have

wages war on the “social constructs” that have held sway over human thought for the past

few hundred years.

“Postmodern” has quickly become a popular word synonymous with paradigm

shift, cultural and religious relativism, and anything that can be considered anti-

establishment. As Marva Dawn notes in her work, A “Royal” Waste of Time:

The term postmodern is used in a wide variety of ways and covers a wide variety of ideas as postmodern worldviews, attitudes, concerns, and results spread rapidly throughout the world and enter every major aspect of contemporary life. In university history departments, postmodernism leads to revisionist accounts of events and an ever-increasing fracturing of society into victim groups demanding their own stories. Postmodernist philosophers absolutize the relativity of truth, stress playfulness, and speak in random aphorisms. English teachers and visual artists who accept postmodern theories claim that there is no meaning in texts or paintings except what the reader or viewer brings to them.41

When confronted with these ideas for the first time, many people struggle to understand

the fundamental concepts of postmodernity, yet easily observe its implications in

everyday life. In order to understand the effect of postmodernity upon teenagers and

their views of worship and music, careful attention must be made to the transitions in

society beginning before the Renaissance and Protestant Reformation, through the

40 Gavin Hyman, The Predicament of Postmodern Theology: Radical Orthodoxy or Nihilist Textualism? (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001), 11.

41 Dawn, 39.

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Enlightenment and the American and French Revolutions, and to the post-September 11th

present in which students in our local churches find themselves.

The current study will examine major philosophical and theological ideas in the

so-called “pre-modern” time from the birth of Christianity through the Protestant

Reformation. Then the focus will shift to tremendous changes brought about during the

Renaissance and later the entire Enlightenment project. The philosophers of the late

nineteenth century and early twentieth century, including Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-

1900), and Claude Lévi-Strauss (1908-present), began the discourse that began to

fragment the seemingly impenetrable fortress of Enlightenment thought and provided the

foundation for much of the middle and late twentieth-century philosophies and beliefs.

Finally, there will be discussion of the major French and American philosophers who

have had prominent roles in articulating the transformation from a modern society to a

postmodern one.

Premodern Times: The Birth of Christianity to the Renaissance (1400-1600)

Throughout antiquity little thought was given to concepts such as personal

freedom, dueling societal narratives, or the equality of conflicting views of thought. For

the average person, one’s lot was determined at birth, and most people simply fulfilled

their place in society, be that peasant, priest, or king. The dominant feature of society

was the specific religion of a people group. Religion permeated the details of everyday

life, and the fate of each person was ultimately beyond his or her control. Life was

simply dependent upon the will of the god or gods of the individual people group.

Religion was the overarching reality that framed all of life, and it formed the basis for

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understanding one’s position in the universe.42 Douglas Groothuis describes this

premodern society in his work Truth Decay.

Premodern cultures typically have little or no cultural or religious diversity, minimal or no social change, have not been affected by secularization and are prescientific. A premondern society is culturally coherent, social roles are prescribed, and there is little exposure to aliens or foreigners who would endanger its way of life.43

The source of authority or power in a premodern society was centered in the

role of the tribal religious leaders. These persons were the dispensers of the will of the

gods and thus the most important voices in a specific culture. Members of a society did

not question the authority of its leaders because to do so was to question the tribe’s deity.

The tribe put its faith in the shaman, priest, or other religious figure to accurately

communicate the will of the deity to the common person.44

Christianity differs from most of the ancient religions because of Christ’s

claims to incarnate divinity and his identity as the “Logos,” or literal word of God.

Unlike other faiths, including Judaism, Christ did not merely interpret God’s word to the

people; He was the Word of God to the people. As Christianity flourished throughout the

Mediterranean basin in the first and second centuries, it quickly replaced the other

dominant religions in those areas. Christian priests, bishops, and leaders took the place

of the local shamans and priests, but most of the societies’ structure remained unchanged.

While social class, vocation, and economic status continued to be determined by birth

42 David W. Henderson, Culture Shift: Communicating God's Truth to Our Changing World, with a foreward by Haddon Robinson (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1988), 188.

43 Douglas Groothuis, Truth Decay: Defending Christianity Against the Challenges of Postmodernism (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 33.

44 Dawn, 41.

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and religion, Christianity served to give structure and meaning to life.

Throughout the first millennium of Christianity, the Church was the most

important entity within society. Empires continued to rise and fall, but the Church as the

singular stabilizing feature within the culture. Within the walls of a local cathedral, an

ordinary person found the answers to the weighty questions of life: Where did the world

come from? Why am I here? Is there any value to my life? The answers to these

questions were not found by looking within oneself; rather, they were only found through

the divine revelation in the Christian Church. “Religion, the state and culture were

deeply enmeshed, if not fused institutionally.”45

The great Christian philosophers and theologians articulated the faith in a way

that placed God at the epicenter of all human activities. Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

envisioned a society governed by the rule of faith in his masterful The City of God. The

seat of power, both spiritually and politically, quickly found its way to the pontificate in

Rome. The Pope was seen as the ultimate interpreter of Christ, the actual Word of God.

Papal mandates in effect had the same authority as did the Scriptures themselves.

For hundreds of years Christianity towered above the landscape of society.

The authority of the Roman Catholic Church went unchallenged, and truth, as dispensed

by the appropriate religious authorities, was viewed as absolute and unquestionable.

Slowly but inevitably, forces began to question this authority and would ultimately cause

a radical shift in society’s understanding of itself and the universe.

45 Groothuis, 34.

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The Renaissance and Protestant Reformation (1500-1650)

The medieval way of life underwent radical transformations as a result of the

events associated with the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation. Culture, science,

and religion all experienced dramatic paradigm shifts because of the work of the leaders

of these two movements. During the 1400s a movement among the intellectual class in

Italy spread quickly throughout the whole of Western Europe. This Renaissance or

“rebirth” of learning derived much of its impetus from the literature and philosophy of

Ancient Greece and Rome. Philosophers, artists, and social thinkers all sought to

rediscover the lost principles of these idealized societies. Suddenly, these Renaissance

men began to question and refute religious beliefs and philosophy that had held sway for

centuries throughout Europe.

There was a dramatic shift away from spiritual matters to an emphasis on the

place of humanity within society. “The focus of life substantially shifted from divine

concerns to human interests and from the spiritual world to the world of nature.”46

Humanism became the dominant ideology of the time and laid the foundation for the

governmental revolutions which would follow centuries later. For the first in hundreds of

years, intellectuals “began to develop their thinking outside of, and independent from, a

biblical framework.”47

On October 31, 1517, the very foundations of religious life in Europe where

shaken when Martin Luther (1483-1546) nailed his 95 Theses on the door of Wittenburg

46 Craig Van Gelder, The Church Between Gospel and Culture, ed. George R. Hunsberger and Craig Van Gelder (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1996), 116.

47 Groothuis, 34.

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Chapel. Luther’s carefully crafted work identified areas within Catholic doctrine and

practice that either needed to be eliminated or reformed. Luther’s actions sparked a

controversy that quickly spread throughout Europe. The concepts of sola scriptura, sola

fide, sola gratia, and the individual priesthood of each believer resonated within a

populace already conditioned by a humanistic individualism. As the Reformation ideals

spread, the overarching authority and power of the Roman Catholic community began to

wane.48

Other reformers including John Calvin (1509-1564), Ulrich Zwingli (1484-

1531), and even English King Henry VIII (1491-1547) helped bring this reforming ideal

to the rest of Europe. Their ideas brought about tremendous change in both the religious

and political structures in England, Switzerland, and the rest of Europe. In each case,

these reformed challenged long-held belief systems and instituted new forms of religious

expression in areas that had been dominated by Roman Catholicism for hundreds of

years.

The Rise of the Modern World (1650-1950)

The Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation joined to create what later

became known as the “modern world.” Humanistic thought and philosophy dominated

the university classrooms, and soon entire generations of students and thinkers shifted

their intellectual energies toward a look inward instead of looking upward to God.

Scientists, sociologists, and philosophers sought to understand this new modern world

thought the power of the human intellect and apart from a spiritual framework. “It

48 Jimmy Long, Generating Hope: A Strategy for Reaching the Postmodern Generation (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997), 62.

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became the goal of the human intellectual quest to unlock the secrets of the universe in

order to master nature for human benefit and create a better world.”49

The various wars over religious doctrine and government power during the

1500s only served to further this intellectual movement.

In the eyes of many intellectuals, the doctrinal disputes that divided Christians into competing confessional camps lay behind the armed conflicts that had ravaged the continent. Their disgust with confessional wars led these thinkers to question the validity of doctrine itself. Doctrinal commitments, they argued, only serve to divide people.50

Rather than looking to religious authorities for answers, society turned to a seemingly

dispassionate and unbiased force: the scientific community.

The Scientific Revolution

A scientific revolution that began with the work of Copernicus (1473-1543)

and Galileo (1564-1642) found its culmination in the discoveries of Isaac Newton (1643-

1727) in the late 1600s. Science began to provide answers to the physical constitution of

the universe that were seemingly at odds with what had been taught by the religious

institution for hundreds of years. The scientific method of research, questioning, and

evaluation replaced the role of faith in the search for meaning and truth. The goal of this

scientific revolution was “to liberate humanity from dependence on a divinely ordered

universe. The universe was understood as being ruled by human reason and being

committed to human freedom.”51

49 Grenz, 3.

50 Ibid., 63.

51 Long, 63.

83

The British philosopher and scientist Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) was one

of the first intellectuals to champion the role of science in anthropological study. In his

work New Atlantis, he put forth his view of science as a tool in the hands of modern man

by which the environment could be changed for humanity’s benefit.

Francis Bacon (1561-1626) developed the idea that a rational knowledge of life—what came to be known as scientific knowledge—could (and should) be used as a tool for mastering the natural world. Rational knowledge gave humans the ability to control and predict. Reason came to function instrumentally, giving human beings power over nature and allowing them to use it for whatever ends they felt to be desirable.52

Bacon theorized that nature would reveal its secrets one by one as scientists employed

their rationalistic method to the study of nature. His work was characterized by a

growing optimism in the power of human reason to understand the world and subject it to

human will and thereby put it into humanity’s service. Instead of being divinely-ordained

and controlled, Bacon viewed the universe as a machine that followed specific rules and

exhibited distinct and ever-present qualities.

The high-water mark of this revolution in science came in the work of Isaac Newton (1642-1727). Newton’s universe was a grand orderly machine. Its movements could be known, because they followed certain observable laws. Newton’s own goal was to explain the working of this universe. He set out to show that the properties and behaviors of every particle could be determined, at least in principle, by relatively few fundamental laws.53

The Social Revolution

Around the same time as these scientists were transforming human

understanding of the universe and how it functioned, a group of sociologists led a similar

revolution in social theory. The modern idea of social progress led by scientific

52 Van Gelder, 117.

53 Grenz, 67.

84

discovery was a theme that resonated strongly throughout this entire time period.

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) brought about much of the initial impetus with this concept

of a “Preferred Human Society.” He stressed the role that human reason played in each

person’s contribution to society. By relying on his or her intellectual powers and

rationality, a person could maximize the individual’s contribution to the social fabric of a

community and thereby improve existence for every member of that society.

John Locke (1632-1704) carried this idea forward and expanded on the

element of a person’s responsibility in social development. All of history was viewed as

developmental, and each generation sought to build upon the legacy of the previous

one.54 Locke argued that the “mind begins as a tabula rosa, a blank slate, and that it is

totally passive in the knowing process. Through the senses, the mind simply receives

“impressions” from the external world, which it uses to formulate ideas.”55 This strong

belief in the role of the senses in social development further led people to turn away from

a theological understanding of the world and to an understanding that elevated rationality

and causality.

In his Second Treatise of Civil Government, John Locke proposed the

establishment of a “common order through a social contract that spelled out everyone’s

rational rights, responsibilities, and privileges.”56 He was also one of the first

Enlightenment thinkers to advocate religious tolerance, and he held to the belief that there

were still aspects of knowledge, specifically revealed truth, which could not be rationally

54 Van Gelder, 118.

55 Grenz, 75.

56 Van Gelder, 117.

85

understood.”57 Religious tolerance allowed for the positive effects of Christianity and

other faiths without the pressure of subscribing to its specific moral and intellectual

obligations. Locke believed that Christianity was the most reasonable choice among the

various religious options available at the time.

What makes Christianity reasonable and persuasive is not is account of God’s miraculous and supernatural effects, but its ethical effect on each one of us. Christianity, in short, has a pragmatic purpose; it serves as the moral guarantor of democratic politics. Since revealed truth cannot be adjudicated by the fallible intellect, it must be either discarded as a serious prospect for thought and reflection, or left as an item of private conviction.58

Philosophical Revolutions

All of the factors mentioned above combined to shape a new modern world in

which human experience and rationality took the place of faith in revealed truth. The

philosophers of the time sought to free the human mind from its societal bonds to

tradition, revealed truth, and social structure. Perhaps the most important philosopher

involved with this search was René Descartes (1596-1650). He sought “to devise a

method of investigation that could facilitate the discovery of those truths that were

absolutely certain.”59 He began with doubt and reduced all knowledge to a single fact.

The restatement of Aristotle’s famous thought, cogito ergo sum, or “I think, therefore I

am,” formed the foundation for his entire epistemological system of knowledge.

This philosophy of doubt shifted the focus away from the object of study and

onto the subject itself.

57 Carl Raschke, The Next Reformation: Why Evangelicals Must Embrace Postmodernity (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 27.

58 Ibid.

59 Grenz, 64.

86

The central implication of the Cogito is that the means to discover true knowledge requires the radical doubt of all things, and from that posture of ignorance, it beings through inductive reasoning to construct a knowledge of the universe. With this methodology, however, the one thing that cannot be doubted is the fact that one is indeed doubting.60

The autonomous individual used his or her rational powers and worked from an

assumption of objectivity in approaching a subject of study. This process of knowledge

differed significantly from the premodern concepts of divine revelation and tradition.61

The concept of the individual’s employing rationality and objectivity to

achieve knowledge laid the foundation for the work of the philosopher Immanuel Kant

(1724-1804). Rather than receiving divine revelation or merely responding to stimulus,

Kant proposed that humans were inherently boring with certain concepts and ways of

understanding.

We do not derive knowledge of the external world from sense experience alone, he argued. The senses merely furnish “raw data,” which the mind then systematizes. This process of organizing sensations, he added, is made possible by certain formal concepts present in the mind. These concepts act as a type of grid or filter providing the parameters that make knowing possible.62

This preexisting structure of “knowing” provided a foundation for all knowledge.

Because all persons are born with this intellectual framework, true objectivity could be

achieved. Facts are understood as truth inasmuch as they corresponded to the natural

understanding of humanity as a whole. The belief was the human mind is structured in

such a way as to respond universally to truth. The influence of this line of thinking is

60 Robert C. Greer, Mapping Postmodernism: A Survey of Christian Opinions (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 234-235.

61 Van Gelder, 117.

62 Grenz, 76.

87

found in the opening words of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to

be self-evident.” Kant premised that there will fundamental ways of thinking that were

common to all people for all times.

Any system of truth was evaluated not on its claims to truth but rather on its

rationality. Under this system the modern mind subjected all knowledge to a test of

rationality and human experience. Rather than exercise faith in a belief or concept, one

was to experience the surrounding world, utilize his or her rational powers, and come to

the most obvious solution. Kant’s philosophy had tremendous implications for the

Christian faith.

Kantianism took up the cudgel or the age of reason and transformed the Reformation focus on Christian liberty and the assurance of personal salvation through faith into a rational certainty of the truths of doctrine as warranted by the precepts of universal morality. Kant did away with the Reformation theme of personal trust in a personal God and replaced it with what he alternately dubbed “moral faith,” “rational faith,” or the “metaphysics of morals.”63

Christianity was true not because of any particular divine claims but instead because it

corresponded most closely with rational understanding.

The Enlightenment Era

The work of those scientists, sociologists, and philosophers previously

mentioned helped to fashion what has now become known as the Age of Reason of the

Enlightenment Era. All of these forces combined to transform a society based on

revealed truth and ecclesiastical authority into a world based upon universal laws of

science, human understanding, and rationality. The importance of God was reduced to

63 Raschke, 90.

88

“his value for the human story.”64

The goal of the “Enlightenment Project” was to free humanity from superstition and found a philosophy and civilization on rational inquiry, empirical evidence and scientific discovery….The modernist vision presupposed the power of rationality to discover objective truth.65

Since the Enlightenment era, Christianity has grappled with balancing the role

of the human intellect and reason with the proper place of faith. Christianity was reduced

from its former role as primary arbiter of truth. Enlightenment thinkers adapted it to suit

their personal and rational preferences. “Enlightenment thinkers did not entirely reject

belief in God but replaced Christian theism with deism—belief in a Creator without

revelation or providence or incarnation—but this evisceration of theism naturally led to

naturalism.”66

The Transition to Postmodernism

Few can look back at the Age of Reason and fail to see the tremendous impact

that this time period had on everyday life. Revolutions in both American and France

championed these Enlightenment ideals of reason, basic human worth, and dignity, and

instituted forms of democratic government. Anthropologists dreamed of a utopia which

science and the basic principles of human reasonableness would end war, cure disease,

and bring lasting peace. However, all of these achievements had a darker side. The shift

from a dependence upon revealed truth to the need for factual evidence that could be

observed by the senses and understood rationally by the mind created an unsteady

64 Grenz, 61.

65 Groothuis, 35.

66 Ibid.

89

foundation for society. The modern mind sought to master the world through reason, but

“in order for this mastery to be accomplished, the system had to exclude, expel, or negate

that which was deemed to fall outside it, namely (often more than not), the nonrational or

nonscientific.”67 Christian faith was reduced to a belief in a Creator who was not active

in the affairs of creation and a mental assent to truths that were self-evident to all through

the cognitive power.

By the nineteenth century the foundation of this modern world began to show

signs of fissure as philosophers such as Charles Hegel (1770-1831), Karl Marx (1818-

1883), and Friedrich Nietzsche demonstrate the fallacies of a wholesale adoption of

modern principles. The premise of Kant’s Active Mind was that a nascent formal logical

structure was fundamental to human reasoning powers. “Instead of trusting authorities,

human beings insisted increasingly on their autonomy, and all truth, including what could

be scientifically determined, became relative.”68 Because the validity of any fact was

dependent upon sensory evidence or its rational explanation, truth for one era could

become non-truth for the next.

Charles Hegel envisioned a process by which the very nature of truth changed

across eras of human experience. He “theorized that the ordering of truth could be

isolated into individual epochs, all of which move in logical sequence toward the

eschaton (the future end from which all of history is pointed).69 This concept of

developmental history prepared the philosophical community for the work of Friedrich

67 Hyman, 11-12.

68 Dawn, 42.

69 Greer, 249.

90

Nietzsche. Nietzsche shared Hegel’s premise of the ongoing development of history, but

differed as to the positive nature of this development.

In Nietzsche’s view, the underlying struggle of society was for power: the

power of the forces of nature and the power of one’s personal struggles. Truth was not

revealed by deity and dispensed by the appropriate spiritual leader.

Much of the world’s troubles could be traced to the Christian faith. With it ethic of self-sacrifice and concern for others, it had managed to compromise the enormous potential of humanity, bringing humanity down rather than raising it up. It didn’t set us free; it bound us, stifled us, pulled us down.70

Rather than subjecting oneself to the demands of religious faith, the individual should

free himself from these shackles and create a world of meaning independently.

Nietzsche believed that all truth was a matter of interpretation and the ideal of

objective truth was a false one. Humanity had forsaken its true purpose of experiencing

life in its fullness and created systems of thought and religion that provided relative

safety in true intellectual and social progress. In his work Thus Spoke Zarathustra, he

defiantly proclaimed “God is dead.” By doing so, “he dismissed the notion that human

beings are able to construct any rational meaning for life beyond the will to power.”71

This philosophy, known as nihilism, provided the framework for much of what has

become known as postmodern thought.

The Postmodern Condition

The work of Friedrich Nietzsche and his followers helped to create an

environment in which the fundamental nature of truth and epistemology was

70 Henderson, 189.

71 Van Gelder, 118.

91

questionable. Instead of appealing to a higher sense of faith and reason, meaning was

ultimately to be found in the individual. Writers such as Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-

1951) questioned the very nature of language and understanding. Working from the

assumption that knowledge in general was relative, Wittgenstein asserted that language

and dialogue were not the fixed systems as had once been believed. Words did not

ultimately convey meaning, but instead the reader created meaning through the process of

reading and interpretation. Historical context and environmental factors shaped one’s

understanding of a texts. The same text could have differing meanings to different

people, with each interpretation dependent upon one’s position with respect to that text.

The relative nature of truth and the human search for meaning are hallmarks of

the postmodern condition. Postmodernity “abandons the quest for a unified grasp of

objective reality. It asserts that the world has no center, only differing viewpoints and

perspectives.”72 The modern ideals of absolute truth, autonomous human knowledge, and

universal objective principles of reasoning have been rejected and replaced with

relativity, social construction of truth, and the supremacy of the subjectivity over the

objective.73

Relativity and Uncertainty in Science

The foundation for much modern thought was the security of the scientific

process and its dispassionate search for truth awaiting to be discovered. The scientific

discoveries of the early twentieth century radically challenged this Newtonian universe

72 Grenz, 7.

73 Kevin J. Vanhoozer, The Cambridge Companion to Postmodern Theology, ed. Kevin J. Vanhoozer (Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 2003), 8.

92

governed by objective natural laws. Albert Einstein (1879-1955) ushered in a new era of

scientific thought with the publishing of his General Theory of Relativity in 1905. He

proposed that space and time

are not absolute but relative, stretching and squeezing in unaccountable ways. In certain circumstances, because matter and energy are related, light bends, lengths shorten, spaces curves, and time slows down. There is no fixed point to stand on, nothing solid we can grasp. Everything moves, nothing is pure.74

The scientific disciple, known was of quantum physics or mechanics, revealed a universe

that was suddenly mysterious again. The universe behaved in ways in which the modern

scientific community could not understand or describe effectively.

The work of Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976) carried forward Einstein’s theory

of relativity of the function of the universe, time, and space, and applied it to the actual

interactions of subatomic particles. Through investigation and careful study, he

discovered that scientific results and raw data was not objective and neutral, but instead,

was entirely dependent upon the perspective of the observer.

In his study of light Werner Heisenberg found it impossible to determine the position and speed of subatomic particles. Measured in one way, light appeared to be made up of electronic particles. But looked at in another way, it was clearly a series of electromagnetic waves. It seemed the act of observing light caused light to change. In the subatomic world of quantum physics, you cannot get an objective measure of anything; what is true depends completely on your perspective. This is Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, and it sounds disconcertingly like Nietzsche’s perspectivisim: There is no objective truth. Perspective is everything. There is nothing we can know with certainty.75

The effects of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle and Einstein’s Theories of Relativity

were felt throughout the world. These theories were used to harness the immense power

74 Henderson, 190.

75 Ibid., 190-191.

93

of the atom and construct the atomic bombs dropped on Japan at the end of World War II.

Perhaps even more significantly, they provided postmodern philosophers with a most

important tool in their fight against modernity, namely the repudiation of objective

scientific fact as the source of true knowledge.

Postmodern Philosophers

Primarily, the work of three philosophers has brought the ideals of

postmodernity into the academic and public consciousness. Jean- François Lyotard

(1924-1998), Michel Foucault (1926-1984), and Jacques Derrida (1930-2004) carried the

torch of Nietzsche and the other philosophers before them and struck the death knell for

the Enlightenment era. Each of these men provided a unique viewpoint of

Postmodernity. Together their ideas crystallized into the postmodern philosophy that is

prevalent to this day.

Jean-François Lyotard

The French philosopher and writer, Jean-François Lyotard, made his primary

contribution to the postmodern philosophy with his rejection of any concept of a

metanarrative, Whereas the premodern world embraced a religious metanarrative that

gave meaning to life, and the modern world found its meaning in scientific progress,

Lyotard argues that every society has its own story.

Lyotard’s theory about the postmodern rested on the notion that life needs to be understood in terms of narrative. He held that every narrative, or discourse, has its own internal set of rules and self-understanding. He believed that Enlightenment thinkers made a great mistake when they set on particular kind of knowledge—scientific knowledge—above all others and insisted that all experience be interpreted in terms of it. He challenged the premise that it was possible or desirable to construct a grand narrative, especially one that focused all reality

94

through the narrow lens of instrumental reason.76

Each person views reality through a sieve of individual narratives, both social and

religious. The assertion of one system of belief above another is an act of aggression

because it does not take into account differing viewpoints or metanarratives.

This rejection of the metanarrative further breaks down any concept of

absolute truth because the question becomes, “whose story, whose interpretation, whose

authority, whose criteria counts, and why?”77 Christianity and its metanarrative of

creation, the fall of man, and his redemption through the work of Christ, are therefore

invalid because of its claims for exclusivity.

Michel Foucault

Another French philosopher, Michel Foucault provided another perspective on

the rejection of a universal system of truth. Following Nietzsche’s lead, Foucault argued

that central to all knowledge was an assertion of power. Knowledge was not neutral, but

rather was the result of the dominant social class’s power over the disenfranchised. “He

rejects all theoretical language and general descriptions for the particular, and decries all

normative judgments as hidden assertions of power.”78

This power struggle resulted in the subjugation of those voices which differed

from those in power. Therefore, all of history was necessarily subject to reevaluation in

order to determine the prejudices inherent in the historical accounts.

76 Van Gelder, 128.

77 Vanhoozer, 10.

78 Henry H. Knight III, A Future for Truth: Evangelical Theology in a Postmodern World (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997), 58.

95

This will to knowledge/power is evident in the way historical narratives invariably exclude certain objects while “privileging (i.e. focusing on) others, says Foucault. It shows itself likewise in the tendency of historians to smooth out heterogeneous elements in order to secure the appearance of homogeneity in history and to advance the semblance of historical progress.79

Foucault’s ideas have permeated throughout the academic community and have resulted

in a host of revisionistic histories that give voice to the oppressed and elevate their

“voice” to the forefront without regards to the truthfulness of their claims. This is clearly

observed with the increasing emphasis on the role of women, minorities, and

homosexuals in historical studies. The central issue at the heart of these historical

accounts is not the actual contributions that each of these groups may or may not have

made to society, but rather the retelling of “their story” of oppression or suppression.

Jacques Derrida

The final postmodern philosopher under consideration is Jacques Derrida. His

primary contribution to postmodern thought was the concept of deconstructionism.

Philosophers during the late nineteenth century sought to discover the underlying

structure in language and text, and thereby understand a specific text more completely.

Derrida went beyond this concept by suggesting that in order to find the true meaning of

any text, one must “deconstruct” it and remove any social constructs or narratives

inherent within it. Under this view, the “meaning is not inherent in a text itself” but

“emerges only as the interpreter enters into dialogue with the text.”80

By subscribing to Derrida’s view, one must subject any claim to truth to

79 Grenz, 131.

80 Ibid., 6.

96

scrutiny to determine the underlying biases and motives. This process seeks to remove

any assertions of power on the part of the writer (as proposed by Foucault) and creates an

attitude of flexibility of truth. Because understanding is dependent upon the interpreter,

conflicting interpretations are equally valid because the original intent of the author is not

of primary importance. Ultimately “truth is relative to the community in which we

participate.”81 Each social unit creates a narrative or myth that legitimizes its existence

and gives it meaning. Therefore the elevation of one narrative above another must be

“deconstructed” to the point that its claims to objectivity are reduced in order to level the

field between the two narratives.

Postmodernity and Popular Culture

All of these postmodern concepts have come to shape the twenty-first century

culture in which the Millennial Generation finds itself. The philosophical concepts have

emerged from the academic discourse and permeated public consciousness. Other social

factors previously mentioned such as globalization, the Internet revolution, and the

conflict between the Western and Islamic world, have ushered in a new era in which all

truth is relative.

In a spatial sense we have become a global village, where everyone must function within an emerging world culture and a globalized world economy. In a cognitive sense, we are made aware of this emerging global culture through modern communications media, which are able to take us around the world in a matter of minutes.82

81 Long, 74.

82 Van Gelder, 29.

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Summary

Moral values and cultural expectations are now viewed as relative to any

particular individual and “tribe.” Teenagers are presented with an ever-increasing set of

options by which they supposedly provide meaning to their lives. All of these options are

presented as equally valid and any assertion of truth by a particular system is seen as

imperialistic and aggressive. Christian teenagers struggle to discover their unique

identity in a world as postmodern citizens and as followers of Christ. The upcoming

chapters will detail their struggle and seek to explain how the teenagers of First Baptist

Church in Keller, Texas, have balanced their faith in God as revealed through Christ and

the postmodern, post-Christian world that surrounds them.