이 정석 교수의 신학 문답 Q&A

I. What is the biblical model of generational transition?

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The word “generation(s) dor, genea” is used 201 times in the Scripture. As Gary McIntosh understood in his book One Church Four Generations, “Scripture obviously takes the theme of generation seriously.” Geneologies in Genesis, Matthew and other books shows successful lines of generational transmission of faith.

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In the creation, God commanded man continual childbearing. After the Fall, generational transmission of faith was commanded. Its success or failure decides the life or death in the genuine and spiritual sense. After many generations, only Noah made a success and only his family was saved and survived. The failed was all perished. Abraham was successful in the generational transmission of faith through sacrificial obedience education of Isaac, and God became the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses and Joshua are another good example of successful generational transition. In the Ten Commandments, God mentioned about it: “…punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generation of those who love me and keep my commandment”(Exod 20.5-6). God commanded to teach their children about Exodus and His commands, and instituted feasts for that purpose. In 1 Sam 2, Eli is depicted as an example to fail in the generational transmission of faith, and God said to him: “Why do you honor your sons than me? Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.” Israel was a national congregation, and they were treated as a congregational unit. Therefore, they were altogether blessed or punished. Adam was the representative, and therefore when he sinned all sinned, so all condemned. Here, we find that congregational failure in the generational transmission of faith, church suffer altogether. Church is a community of faith, and individualistic thinking is not right.

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In the NT, Jesus was incarnated, and it revealed that even God has generational relationship. Jesus was rejected by his people, and the right to be the children of God was given to whoever welcomes Him and believe His name: “Many will come from the east and the west, and will take places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subject of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where they will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”(Mt 8.11-12) Jesus felt disgusting of the hypocrisy of Jewish people: “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men. You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own transition… Thus you nullify the word of God by your traditions that you handed down.”(Mk 7.8-12) Here, we are aware hypocritical and traditional transmission of faith as its failure, even though they are all attending church. Jesus was critical of his generation as “wicked, adulterous, unbelieving, and perverse generation”.

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In Acts 16.31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household” became the biblical ground of covenant theology which emphasizes the generational transmission of faith and family as a covenant community. Apostles engaged in the ministry as generational transmission of faith, and called them as my sons or children. Here, we find that church as a family and its success depends upon the success of generational transition. Also, the relationship of parent and children was the basic link of generational transmission of faith. It will be successful when children obey their parents and parents (fathers) do not exasperate or embitter their children but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6.1-4, Col 3.20-21) Accordingly, the church leaders and officers are required to be example of successful generational transmission of faith(1Tim 3.4, 12, 5.10, Titus 1.6). Apostle John expressed his great concern about it: “It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.”(2Jn 1.4) 1Tim 5.1-2 instructs to treat several generations properly. Heb 12.5-8 asked fathers to follow the Divine Father in the discipline and punishment of their children.

　

II. What have been the actual patterns of generational transition?

　

In the church history, family have been the major channel of generational transition, protected by the Christian government and assisted by the church catechism class. Children were baptized and parents were given responsibility to raise them as the children of God, and when they are old enough to confess their own faith they were confirmed by the church and became members of the congregation. However, the political and educational secularization resulted in the great threat of faith transmission to the younger generations. Sunday school movement and Christian school movement has filled the past support of Christian society. However, family has been its major organ.

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In America, immigrant churches made a successful transition through church, family, and school. However, secularization and disestablishment resulted in its difficulty. Moreover, industrial revolution and technological development made rapid cultural change and generational gap-all of them made generational transmission of faith very difficult. Now, 75% are lost after high school and college age. Pre-boomer, Boomer, Buster(X), Bridger (Millenials) are so different to be in one congregation. So, many churches fail in it, and the failure results in the gradual aging and disappearance of the congregation. However, some successful churches in it grow. Now, there are three models: inherited, blended/mixed, and generation-specific models(Jackson Carroll and Wade Roof, Bridging Divided Worlds). According to Gary McIntosh’s One Church Four Congregations, there are six models: Seeker-centered, Seeker-sensitive, Multiple-track, Satellite, Rebirthed, Blended models. In worship music style, 22% contemporary, 35% traditional, and 43% blended (soften contemporary music and speed up traditional music) in 2001 survey.

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In the Korean Immigrant churches, 80% are lost after college. There are five models: Graduation model (leaving after Sunday school), EM model (English sub-congregation), independence model (separated as an independent English congregation. Either Korean only or Asian congregation), leadership transition model, or KM model (teaching Korean). So far, there is no successful intergenerational ministry to make generational transition happen. The last year, we celebrated centennial, but there were only 30 churches at the end of 1960s. The massive Korean immigrants came after 1970s. 268thousands in 70s, 334thousands in 80s, but from the 90s it decreased to the half (171thousands). This trend will cause some problems: In the 90s already G1 30-60 reached its peak and from 2000s it decreases; In the 2010s, G1 reaches it peak (1 million), which will be outnumbered by G2 (1.134 million), and also G1 61-80 will outnumber G1 31-60. It means the rapid aging of Korean congregations if immigrants do not increase but maintains same. The failure to embrace G2 and succeed G1 will results in the sad phenomena that the Korean church disappear some day and Korean descendents will lose their Christian heritage of faith. Already, G2 marriages with non-Koreans are serious: 80% in woman, 35% in man. If 80% of silent exodus goes to the non-Korean churches, it may not be a problem except cultural and ethnic identity loss. But, the problem is that most of them are losing faith when they leave Korean community.