It always has been a struggle to reach teenagers for Christ,
but those born since 1984 may be the toughest to reach yet, Christian researcher
George Barna said.
The “Mosaic Generation” is comprised of non-linear
thinkers who cut and paste beliefs and values from a variety of sources, Barna
said in a recent radio interview.
It always has been a struggle to reach teenagers for Christ,
but those born since 1984 may be the toughest to reach yet, Christian researcher
George Barna said.
The “Mosaic Generation” is comprised of non-linear
thinkers who cut and paste beliefs and values from a variety of sources, Barna
said in a recent radio interview.
What is more, almost half the Mosaics do not know and do not
care about moral absolutes, he added. To them, it is just a non-issue not worth
arguing over, which means they are a generation comfortable with contradictions,
Barna said.
Barna defines the Mosaic Generation as youngsters born between
1984 and 2002, describing them as such because they are “very mosaic”
in every aspect of their lives.
“Theres (no attribute) that really dominates like
you might have seen with prior generations.
“When we try to show them logically that two things really
dont work together – that either one is right and the other is wrong,
or theyre both wrong – typically what you get is a giggle and then
the response, Yeah, how about that?” Barna said. “Theyre
not really concerned about trying to figure out where things stand on an objective
continuum.”
Society has taught Mosaics to think in this different way through
fast-edit videos, constant computer use and easy access video games, Barna said,
noting 91 percent of Mosaics use the Internet to absorb information and build
relationships.
“Weve taught them, You dont have to
connect the dots the way your parents did,” Barna said. “What
you have to do is just react to whatever you see out there, and as long as it
feels good, as long as it makes sense, thats good enough. …
“Its no longer just a difference in cultural icons,
ones that young people respond to instead of their elders,” Barna continued.
“Now, its a whole different style of thinking and communicating.
Its a completely different set of values.”
The challenge for Christian leaders is how to communicate to
such a generation and get them to understand and embrace Gods Word without
compromising it, Barna said.
“They want spirituality; they want faith experiences;
they want a taste of religion; but they dont want to have to go through
all of the stuff that they see the adults doing at the typical church,”
Barna said of the Mosaic generation.
(Much of Barnas research on Mosaics is compiled in the book, “Real
Teens: A Contemporary Snapshot of Youth Culture”)