Text written in 2013, reading it today after being rescued, seemed somewhat prophetic for the time.
There is undoubtedly a clear change in the “clouds” of the collective consciousness of this digital generation in relation to the church.
The Church is sovereign in Christ, Alive, remains immutable in its Doctrines, however the way of gathering, meetings with a common purpose, through social or ceremonial means, communication and dialogue, interaction, that is, the means of existence of the church is in constant mutation; the difference is that in the digital age it is happening at frightening speed.
If these changes in the ceremonial and behavioral spheres are not perceptible, they are already real in the form of collective consciousness (collective consciousness is a social theory of what already exists in consciousness as a whole, where individuals have the same thought of change or behavior at the same time and, or direction, which is not yet perceptible to the ocular sphere, but which can exist in the form of a social explosion at any moment - The phenomenon of social demonstrations that occurred in Brazil entitled "it is not for the 0.20" is proof of this theory). It is a matter of time for the emergence of new "faces" of the Brazilian evangelical church formed by this generation.
What generation is this?
Young people who are interested in social movements, politics and sustainability, and more than that, are seeking the “purity” of the Church, and highlighting its role in society;
Young people who do not accept corruption in politics, much less in the church; Young people who accept the church in politics, but not politics in the Church;
Young people who are discovering that the church is only the Church if they go beyond the church itself, going through the gates from the inside out, exchanging the old slogan “come here” for “let’s go there…”, to the streets, corners, ditches;
A generation that is moving from exclusion to inclusion.
What generation of young evangelicals is this?
It is the generation that has massive access to information; they are listening to Paul Washer, John Piper, D. A. Carson, and reading the “Ragbag Gospel”, instantly accessing thousands of pieces of information, regarding the Gospel, what the church is, what the truth is – even from each person’s point of view, accessing millions of texts in seconds, simply by choosing words like “tithing”, “what the church is”, “holiness”, “gospel”, “Christianity” etc.
With all possible forms of gadgets, computers, notebooks, cell phones, tablets, and very soon, watches and glasses, where everyone can know a little bit of everything or a little bit of everything.
The church is inherent to this. This generation of young evangelicals is processing the emergence of a new church, even if they don't know it. In this church 2.0 there will be no room for ostentation, authoritarianism, stereotypes, performances by loud preachers with powerful voices, nor singers in glitter, with their celebrations and glamours. The only autograph they will ask for is that of the truth with the Gospel of Jesus; Young people who are not impressed by gestures and shouts, because they only want to confirm the truth in their hearts, and to be continually healed in their souls.
Young people who have a social life, and are activists and citizens, therefore the church will no longer be the only social circle for evangelicals, as they will discover that light shines in the darkness.
I fear that we are not realizing this, and we blame it on the world coming into the Church, and that it is actually the Church that is going out into the world.
Take it seriously, because it may be the honest truth.
Fabiano Moreno – July 2013.