The devastation of that which is right has begun! God's response? The mobilizing of an army of artists & creative people who will learn to utilize their 'seer' gifts (the different media of arts) to not only press back the present darkness, but to also seize the future.
- Ernest Paul
In the 21st Century, the terrain has changed completely. The world that existed 10 years ago has become extinct. Today's children are faced with challenges that most people didn't experience until they were in their early or late twenties.
Technology is improving lives and helping us achieve more results (upgrades) but on the other hand, moral values are dropping like dumbbells (downgrades) happening just as Daniel (Dan. 12:4) and Apostle Paul prophesied (2 Tim 3:1-8).
One word captures all this; CHANGE! Change is happening all around us on many levels. We have changes in the following areas:
Changing definitions (what we say things are): A few of physical property he could amass or physical products he could sell. Nowadays indicators of wealth have changed. Companies or individuals that possess intellectual property have become billionaires. Two clear examples are Mark Zuckerburg, a young man in his 30s who invented Facebook (a virtual “continent” of about 1 billion people with a financial value of UD$100B ) and *1 Steve Jobs, whose company, Apple, is on a mission to“reinvent the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with the iPad.” *2 Even everyday words have taken on new meanings, some positive and others negative.
Changing Perspectives & Value Systems (how we perceive things like good and evil): The change has also affected our value systems and the way we look at things. Cultural and national lines have become blurred as access to various nations has become easier. The advent of new media technologies has changed the way we've looked at marketing, education and communication (the most obvious being communication). Communication has taken on new forms with the rise in new forms of media (especially the social media revolution). Traditional views are being questioned and sexual deviation and perversion have risen. In fact, it seems that the moral compass of a lot of today's individuals are either reprogrammed or completely broken. Most movies now don't focus on the good vs. evil storyline. Most tend to plow the line of “not so evil” versus “very very evil”.
Changing Technologies (how things are now done): The surge in technological advancement has completely changed our world. Mobile communications technology and the internet are just some of the technologies that have revolutionized our world completely. Now we can achieve things faster and easier. The change is not only seen in science and technology as other areas have evolved and discovered beer ways to achieve results in sports, business, family life and government. Note that technology refers to way the we do things.
All these changes point to the fact that the world is no longer what it was just a decade ago. It is into this kind of society many young people find themselves and majority of them have no clear guides to take them through this minefield.
One truth Christians have seemed to ignore is this: if we are able to capture the youth, we have the future in our hands. If we lose them however, then we can be sure the future is lost. I believe this is what Satan, the archenemy of mankind knows and uses to his advantage in fulfilling his threefold agenda of destruction (steal, kill and destroy-John 10:10a). He has been able to conveniently capture a good deal of today's generation and send them on a journey into lawlessness (ultimately ending in both physical and spiritual disaster). As far as Satan is concerned, it really doesn't maer how it happens, people must go to hell. In view of this we cannot just stand by and watch, expecting things to just right themselves. We must do something and that not just because we want to preserve a legacy for ourselves but because God is trans-generational and He wants to know each individual personally and has plans for each generation. Besides this, we have received a commission from Jesus Himself to make disciples of all nations (Mahew 28:19, 20).
This is the reason we must introduce the next generation to this God we have seen, touched and experienced! However, for us to effectively minister the gospel of Christ to this new generation, we must first accept that things have changed completely and drastically. And it is only clear to say that if things have changed, then our methods must also change! I must also sound a clear note of warning. That times have changed does not mean our values and principles must be dropped. We only need change our modus operandi. This we must do without compromising our principles.
Footnotes
1. http://business.financialpost.com/2013/08/26/facebooks-market-value-tops
us100b-as-mobile-ad-business-fuels-stock-turnabout/?__lsa=b662-8ba12. http://www.businessinsider.com/apples-new-mission-statement-2013-8 CHAPTER