Generation X and Y by Chew Phye Keat dated 22.9.13

Generation X and Y by Chew Phye Keat dated 22.9.13

Introduction

Bro. Chew Phye Keat is the current Chairman of FES ( Fellowship of Evangelical Students ) Malaysia.  FES started in 1962 in the Peninsula.  In the 80s FES had about 5 staffs and now they have 30 staffs.  However, the total numbers of education institutions are about 750 in Malaysia.  They are now in about 80 of them.  There are a lot more grounds to cover.

Bro. Chew is in Kuching to celebrate 10^th anniversary of FES, Sarawak on Saturday 21^st Sept 2013 at our Church.

Generation X, and Y

Bro. Chew shared that from his own observations and experience he noted the challenges that people have to handle in this current age.  Why is there Gen Y? He said because we had Gen X.

Gen X – those born in 1925 to 1942, they were known as the “Silent Generation” simply because they got through two world wars and had to rebuild their lives.  Those born in 1961 to 1980 were known as “Baby boomers”.  This was the generation many of us are in.

Gen Y – those born in 1980 to 2000.  This is where the younger generation like the present students in universities and those young working adults are.  Why these generations?  This is because each group have their own specific characteristics.  Between Gen X and Y there appeared to be a “generation gap”.  Bro. Chew that he does not own a smart phone.  His wife of late learnt about the smart phone when her friends are using “Watsapp” a communication platform on internet delivered through smart phone.  In order to have access to this system one must have a telco’s data plan.  So she got one and had been communicating with her friends on “Watsapp” but she found it “troublesome” as many of her friends seem to be on-line for hours!

God is with us in all generations.  Psalm 90:1  “Lord, you have been our dwelling place
    throughout all generations”.  We cannot reach Gen Y with Gen X platform because our experiences are different.  This is a challenge for parents in handling the Gen Y.  Bro. Chew shared that we can use prayer of Jesus in John 17 to relate to Gen Y.  Jesus was praying within earshot of His disciples because He wanted them to hear what He had prayed. 

John 17: 6 – Jesus revealed those He got out of the world.

John 17:11 – The people are in this world and He is coming to us.

John 17:14 – the world hates them and this is pivotal to our faith.  Bro. Chew shared that when he interviewed new believers before they go for baptism, he found those with dramatic conversion more able to relate how they came to Christ.  Those who have been from church all their lives seem to be unable to share how they came to faith.  One of the challenges that the Christians youths of Gen Y found difficult to blend in with the non believing friends is that they usually do want to participate in what the non believers say and do.

John 17:18 – people are sent into the world.

7 Characteristics of Gen Y

1.       Self confidence – people of this generation are usually self confident and they articulate what is in their mind well.

2.       Entitlement – people felt they are entitled to things.  Bro. Chew said this is not necessary bad.

3.       Peer connected – phenomena like FOMO – fear of missing out.  PVS- pocket vibration syndrome, like when you put your mobile on vibration mode and you check it constantly.  This characteristic is closed to peer pressure.

4.       Technologically competence – in a negative sense technologically addicted.

5.       Self actualized – this is Maslow theory of self actualization. You can be whoever you want to be.

6.       Morality – what feels right to you is right – from Bro. Chew experiences with the young people he said many non believers are questioning why Christians are against homosexuality.  They felt that they had the right to choose their relationships.  But for Christians there are absolute like God’s prohibition of homosexual relationships.  This tendency is not in their DNA Bro. Chew said, they must have been abused and mistreated in their lives.

7.       Narcissistic – love of self.

These are the challenges.  So how do we cope with these?  How do we help the Gen Y to be in this world and yet not of this world?

3 Areas to watch

1.       Pride – this can destroy

2.       Moral compass – Christians be the moral compass i:e be counter culture.  Philippians 1:9-10

3.       Be sent into the world – this is about God and not about you.