Millennials are the latest theologically orphaned generation. Why? Because their church leaders have effectively abandoned them—we’ve left them to figure out discipleship by themselves, to figure out church growth by themselves, to figure out the application of biblical Christianity in general by themselves.

For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers . . .
— 1 Corinthians 4:15a

Setting – November 1992, an evangelical church in the American South.

Concerned Voter: I don’t know. I can’t believe the American people elected this man.
Unconcerned Voter: Ah, don’t worry. He’s a natural leader.
CV: Yes, but some of the things he stands for, some of the things he says are in opposition to the way of Jesus.
UV: He just knows his audience, is all. He says he’s a Christian. That’s good enough for me.
CV: But does he actually live out what he says he believes? Lots of people are saying he’s a womanizer. Or worse.
UV: Who are we to judge? Look, God can use anybody. Think of King David. He was an adulterer too.

Aaaaand scene.

The above scenario is entirely imagined. I say “entirely” because I cannot imagine that it actually took place in any conservative church hallway in the early ’90s. No, evangelicals stood almost lock-step in opposition to the elected president that year, and they did so largely because of his platform but also because of his questionable character. Indeed, we heard lots and lots and lots about his character. Still do, in fact. Evangelicals care a lot about character. Except when they don’t.

I’m a child of the ’70s and ’80s. I grew up in the height of Reaganism and the rise of the Moral Majority/Religious Right, and so on. I remember the Sunday Oliver North came to “preach” in our church. I still have the hardback copy of his book that he signed for me, though I don’t remember a thing he said from the pulpit. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb to suggest that it wasn’t a Christ-exalting piece of biblical exposition. I do remember wondering why he was speaking as a patriot when his patriotism seemed to be applied in some kind of scandal.

I don’t remember any of the churches I grew up in going overboard on the nationalistic fervor, even during the chilliest years of the latter stages of the Cold War. Patriotism just kinda hung in the background, like the flag on the sides of so many church altars. But, then, the gospel just kinda hung in the background too.

One thing I do remember our preachers and Sunday school teachers telling us, however, is how much being a good person mattered. Your reputation, your integrity, your character—this was your currency. This warning was expressed in a variety of contexts and with a variety of applications. It was especially stressed during anxious election seasons, but it was a constant lesson from our elders, for whom personal integrity meant so, so much.

We were schooled on the importance of the Christian worldview—in opposition to postmodernism and other philosophical evils. Our teachers typically weren’t well-versed in philosophy, but they warned us zealously against moral relativism, situational ethics, and hypocrisy.

I was scared into the kingdom by one of those late-’70s “Left Behind” films. Nothing could be more important than to stand for the truth, even in the face of the anti-Christ’s persecution.

We Saw You at the Pole, where evangelical students gathered ostensibly to pray for the country but also, honestly, to thumb their noses at all those worldly humanists who wanted to take away our right to pray in schools.

We ate apologetics books like communion wafers—and were about as nourished. What we learned was to argue, to corner our opponents in their intellectually unfurnished corners, defeating them with our theistic strength and consistency.

And then something happened. Our Merlins and Gandalfs became Barnums and Baileys. Or something. Worldview became market share. The rock-hard truth unchanging became circumstantial application.

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