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Lord, we pray that You would move powerfully in the younger generations. Bring revival among gen Z, God, and free these youth from their indoctrination.
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Analysis. If you know anything about the younger generation, you know that many of these teens and young adults have a real passion for justice, even if misguided at times.

Pray for your fellow intercessor.

 

Many of them are also highly empathetic, commonly siding with the perceived underdog and outcast. That’s why so many Gen Z young people stand with the LGBTQ+ community or even identify as such.

It is an essential part of who they are.

All this is common knowledge, and it helps to explain why between 21-40 percent of Gen Z self-identifies as somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum compared with less than 3 percent of Baby Boomers, even though relatively few Gen Z’ers engage in same-sex activity.

It is a matter of solidarity more than practice.

That’s why one of the chapters in my latest book is titled, “If Gay Is Good, then Christianity Is Bad.” The Church must be rejected because it rejects the LGBTQ+ community.

What I recently discovered, however, is the degree to which these mindsets still influence and impact some committed Gen Z Christians. In light of this, how can we better serve them and help them fulfill their potential in the Lord?

Since 2004, I have spoken to countless thousands of people of all ages on issues related to LGBTQ+ and the Bible, following the divine mandate to “reach out and resist,” meaning, “reach out to the people with compassion; resist the agenda with courage.”

Put another way, it is not a matter of grace or truth but of grace and truth.

Recently, I was speaking to hundreds of multi-national, Gen Z ministry students on this very topic, and as always, I did my best to speak with sensitivity and compassion.

I pointed to the hurt and rejection suffered by LGBTQ+ individuals over the years. I said that the vast majority of them are not activists and are simply trying to live their lives in peace. I emphasized that many of them feel hated by God and the church. And I explained that some of our gospel cliches are highly offensive to them. For example, when we say, “Love the sinner and hate the sin,” they hear, “You hate me, since this is not what I do. This is who I am.”

I shared with tears stories of young people “de-transitioning” after having life-altering hormone and surgery treatments as teens. And even when I showed shocking examples of LGBTQ+ indoctrination of little children, I explained that those involved, be it the parents or the teachers, really thought they were doing a good thing.

So, the presentation was as caring as could be, spoken with a heart of love.

Yet when most of the students laughed out loud when I read off lists of the latest preferred gender pronouns, a small minority of the students were offended. They felt as if everyone was laughing at one of their friends or loved ones and as if I was ridiculing one of their friends or loved ones.

One young woman from Latin America, herself a former lesbian, wanted to talk with me before class one day.

Speaking with love, respect, and honor, she told me that, years earlier, “It was because of men like you that I left the church.”

She fully recognized my love for her and for those who still identified as LGBTQ+, and she acknowledged the care with which I spoke. But when I had addressed the destructive fruit of LGBTQ+ activism, drawing reaction from the students, I crossed a forbidden line. That’s how deep her sense of empathy was with her former community.

Later that same night, one of the ministry leaders shared something with me that absolutely shocked him.

During my final session, where I talked about the larger culture and how we got to where we are today, I showed the powerful and creative video of Messianic Jewish gospel singer Beckah Shae titled If Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ ‘Unholy’ were a Christian song by Beckah Shae.” The video became especially relevant after the overtly satanic performance of “Unholy” at the Grammys, where Smith wore a hat with devil’s horns, just one of the many truly demonic features of the performance.

Before I showed the students the video, my only mention of Smith and Petras was to say that Smith identified as non-binary and Petras identified as transgender. Then I briefly described what happened at the Grammys. (Many were already familiar with what had taken place.) I then played Beckah’s video, which changes the call to do something unholy into a call to accept God’s love, live a holy life, and avoid His coming wrath.

Her video says nothing about Smith or Petras and nothing about being gay or bi or non-binary or queer or trans.

Nothing at all. And the students loved the video, appreciating the power of the rewritten lyrics.

Yet, this ministry leader told me, a young Christian woman who was in my class took offense at the video. She explained to him that she felt like it was an attack on Sam Smith, whom she felt she had to defend. After all, she had been watching Smith for years, and she grew up with the sense that she always had to defend and protect the LGBTQ+ community.

So, at that moment, even as a follower of Jesus, she felt more solidarity with Sam Smith, who sang a song called “Unholy” while dressed like the devil himself, than with a godly Christian woman who changed the call to do something unholy into a call to do something holy.

How extraordinary.

This underscores the degree to which Gen Z not only feels empathy for the perceived underdog and outsider, which is commendable, but also the degree to which this generation has been massively indoctrinated, even brainwashed, by the spirit of the age, which is grievous. It also underscores the degree to which this young generation is more bereft of a solid biblical worldview than any previous generation in our history.

I do not blame them for this, since they grew up under our watch and care (or, under the watch and care of our kids). And I recognize that there are millions of solid, biblically grounded, clear thinking Gen Z believers, representing the vast majority of those I have the privilege of teaching and training.

But we must not underestimate the degree to which they have grown up in a radically different world than we did, one in which same-sex “marriage” is the law of the land. In which trans is trendy and gay is cool. In which any rejection of LGBTQ+ activism is perceived as hateful.

And in which, even for some Gen Z Christians, there is a deeper sense of solidarity with LGBTQ+ people than with the ways and Word of God.

And so, just as the older generation focused so much on LGBTQ+ issues that we lost sight of the people, the younger generation has focused so much on LGBTQ+ people that they have lost sight of the issues.

May we join together across the generations to bring positive change to the world through the grace and truth that are in Jesus.

And may the Lord give us deeper wisdom, compassion, and conviction as we minister to this young generation which now represents roughly one-third of the world’s population – about 2.5 billion precious souls for whom Jesus died.

How are you praying for gen Z? Share this article to encourage others to pray.

(Used with permission. By Dr. Michael L. Brown from AskDrBrown. Photo Credit: Ernest Brillo on Unsplash)

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Carl
February 27, 2023

Jesus said to be born again we must be born of water and the spirit. I think the water is baptism and we receive the spirit at the time we confirm our faith. Being born again does not mean we no longer sin, but that we realize when we do we must confess our sins and by our contrition show our sorrow. Some sins are so strong we must continue to repent asking God for the strength and grace to overcome them.

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Michael Guidera
February 27, 2023

I believe spiritual battles are engaged in the mind. Strong holds come about through behaviors contrary to God’s principals. The enemy, evil forces, also are at work enforcing deception and sustaining these strongholds. As a Christian, a believer in Christ, we have the ability, to utilize the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us into all Truth and pull down these strongholds in our own minds. This is a process. The speed of this process varies with each individual.
It is the role of His Ekklesia to demonstrate all the fruits of the Spirit, patience, love, longsuffering, etc. to a fallen world. It takes much maturity to love others when strongholds have blinded them seeing the truth. They may even persecute us because of their misunderstanding.
I believe there is an area that we are neglecting in the church. That area is unity. When a person sees true unity in a group of people, it will draw them towards that group. The LGTB+ community do experience a level of unity. But it can only go so far. Should not the church demonstrate much more unity? How shall we know a true believer? By his love for one another. Not much focus has been put on the importance of unity within the body. Look at how many denominations there are. Look at all the divisions in the body. I think the focus has been too much on ourselves. As we the church mature in our relationship with one another, our behavior will help tear down these strongholds in others who are bound. Thank God for suffering as a Christian, because it is through this difficult process that our hearts are made whole through this purification. We become more able to accept and love others. I am seeing this process happening in my own life and of those around me and it gives me hope. Let’s not lose heart but have compassion on those that are stuck in a deception. For we all come from a fallen state and it is only by the grace of God that we are freed from our own strongholds. This understanding gives us patience to endure the difficulties in loving those that are so deceived.

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Lori Meed
February 27, 2023

For a long while now, I have carried in prayer and action the call to join Abraham, Isaac and Jacob generations in the ekklesia. Each generation has a powerful and unique piece of God’s plan for this age. Rarely in scriptures, was a call of His accomplished in one lifetime. The same is true now. May we join hearts and minds in unity for love in action across generational lines. Jesus make us one! Holy Spirit guide us and help us stand against every difference that would divide.

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Carol
February 27, 2023

Christians or true followers of CHRIST does not have a feeling of solidarity with any sin! They have passed from death to life and want to share CHRIST with all sinful lifestyles. I understand why the world is so focused on the satanic sin of lgbtq but why are we as Christians focused on this one sin? I totally disagree with Dr. Brown’s assessment of Gen Z. There is sin and death, and CHRIST and Life! When Gen z become born-again, old things are passed away and behold all things are become new! A born-again believer’s only dealings with any sin is to lead people out of darkness and into the marvelous light of JESUS CHRIST! Period! The Gen z people described by Dr. Brown are not born-again! Nor are they followers of CHRIST! They need to renew their mind with the Bible if any feel solidarity with lgbtq, or a liar, or a thief, or a drunkard, or any other sin! FATHER GOD please wake up YOUR people to read YOUR WORD and live it, and come out from the world and be separate in JESUS MIGHTY NAME! Amen!

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Jessica Renshaw
February 26, 2023

“What does Gen Z think about Jesus?” I think this is a more important question than “What does Gen Z think about LGBTQ+?”

Out of 1,000 applicants, nine Gen Z (ages 11-25) from different backgrounds, with no prior knowledge of “The Chosen,” were selected by the directors of the TV series to watch together and share their opinions of the first season of the Christian show.

These nine were incredibly open and candid with their reactions, some of which were startling, some beautiful, some heart-rending. The entire interview gives a powerfully insightful look into the hearts and minds of this generation, an influential generation we must take the time to know and listen to if we want them to consider the gospel.

Here’s a peek at “Unfiltered.” https://duckduckgo.com/?q=the+chosen+gen+z+documentary&t=newext&atb=v278-1&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXW_41mMvOGQ

The full interview, “Unfiltered: Gen-Z Reacts to The Chosen,” is available through the free “The Chosen” app. “Nine strangers. One generation. What does Gen Z think about Jesus?”

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    Mrs D
    February 27, 2023

    Jessica,
    Thank you so much for sharing this link. It was eye-opening to hear from GenZ. MUCH to pray about for that particular generation and following generations. When GOD/JESUS is no longer the CORE of society, the younger generations become increasingly vulnerable, BUT GOD…..I am grateful for His sovereign intervention on behalf of our youth. There is HOPE — because of HIS REDEEMING, OMNIPRESENT LOVE.

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Bill Johnson
February 26, 2023

Thanks for this information. I have a married son in his early 30’s who was brought up in the church but identifies with this culture. Not really sure how to approach him and his wife about this. Need this good info!!

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Nancy
February 26, 2023

Profound … insightful!!

I spent 3o yrs working alongside the gay community, many whom I loved and called treasured friends and some regrettably have died.. I have a niece who is lebian in a long term relationship.

THIS one article relating to GenZ simply defies me!!!! It attributes to the power of media and a defunct educational system (education? NOT!! RATHER, SOCIAL ENGINEERING!).

For me? It is a “call to arms” to bring back balance, viable EDUCATION, and reason. Perhaps we need to acknowledge that we have sacrificed an entire generation, but begin nurturing the future!!

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Hope
February 26, 2023

Re: Kelsey Grammer, the “star” of the “Jesus Revolution”. Why do you encourage us to celebrate a man who unabashedly produces an alcoholic, mind-bending beverage, namely beer, which is responsible for thousands of highway deaths every year?!

    Mike
    February 27, 2023

    Jesus turned water to wine at the feast in Cana. Not only just wine, but a very high quality good tasting wine. Do you have a problem with that? Why so critical of Kelsey Grammer for drinking beer. A person can be addicted to sex, , food, pills, etc. Does that mean sex, food, and medicines are bad? Does your attitude bring you peace and joy in Christ? Food for thought.

    2
Jeaneene Nooney
February 26, 2023

Wow, very enlightening, yet deeply disturbing. Thank you for sharing this.

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