Media release: Crossing the Generation Gap

Children’s workers were challenged at Scripture Union’s annual national conference to learn about today’s culture so that they’re on the right wavelength when passing on their faith to the next generation.

Keynote speaker Jackie Cray told the 150 delegates – some of whom had flown in from across Europe -- not to assume they could share the Christian faith with their children and young people in the same way they had received it when they were growing up.

The conference aimed to help those working with children and young people to handle the challenges of communicating their faith within a different culture from the one in which they grew up; a society in which it can be no longer assumed that children are familiar with the gospel story.

The fast pace of change, a loss of permanency, and insecurity between generations in today’s secular culture presented immense challenges to sharing faith. ‘There’s always been a difficulty in passing on our faith to the next generation, because every generation is new,’ said Jackie. ‘But it’s especially difficult when the frameworks for knowledge and understanding are no longer there, or obscured.’

The conference, which took the theme From Generation to Generation, focused on Daniel, who was exiled to Babylon, as an Old Testament parallel to the modern challenges with living out and passing on faith. Daniel lived in an age of significant change, was plucked from one culture and forced into another country, and re-educated in its culture, language, tradition, and literature.

Jackie said: ‘Daniel didn’t fight against learning the new culture, history, language and literature of his new country,’ she said. ‘If he knew the language, literature and culture of the day, he could communicate with others. He’d got common ground, pictures, images, metaphors and stories – all the ways we use in our work with children and young people. He could use these to share his faith story with others. It’s important that we learn enough about the changing culture we live in even if we don’t like some of the things we watch or we listen to.’

Delegates could choose from a wide range of seminars and workshops -- for those just starting to work with children and young people, for those who wanted to develop their leadership skills, and those who wanted to unpack the tweenage phenomenon, examine the drink and drugs culture, lead volunteer teams, use technology, teach the Bible creatively, and take schools seriously.

The demand for places outstripped availability this year. Next year, the conference is at two venues in November – The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, and High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire.

Notes to Newsdesk:

1) For more information please contact Scripture Union’s media officer Adam Petrie on 01908 856030.

2) Photo credit: Richard Wells

3) Jackie Cray is President of Scripture Union Council, and an experienced teacher and trainer with under-fives. The conference, From Generation to Generation, was held at The Hayes, Swanwick. As well as streams for children and young people’s leaders and workers, there were streams for family ministry, running small groups, and training trainers.

4) Scripture Union is an international mission movement working with churches in
more than 140 countries to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to children, young people and families, and to encourage them to develop spiritually through the Bible and prayer.