Meantime, the Barna Group (http://www.barna.org/) recently released a series of US 'random' survey results which included specific reference to those between 18 and 25, of which 25% believed the Bible was the very word of God, word for word. Moreover a total of 67% of young adults held the Bible to be 'sacred'.
Mark Tronson has been ministering to elite athlete young people for 27 years in situations where there has been ample opportunity for two-way discussion. In his opinion, there are many young Australians who would be equally as positive as indicated by this US study.
The overwhelming responses of Mark Tronson's interviewees to the question above, "What message do they wish to bring to young people?' cover two main points.
First, they wish to say that youngsters should take Jesus Christ at His word: He does forgive, He does make your life whole again; God does love you, yes you! He does provide a fresh start, His word is true and it can be tested.
Second, they wish to indicate the importance of reading the Bible. His word is empirical, its reality is stated in the Book, the Bible. Young people should read it for themselves and listen to God as He speaks through the Holy Spirit, speaks into their hearts and challenges them to engage in the most radical rethink of their lives and existences.
Interestingly, M V Tronson thinks that non-churched young people may be more inclined to respond to such a challenge than those raised in a church-going family.
Churched young people have become familiar with this language from a young age. They've heard it all before. As they reach their later teens they are beginning to follow their natural instincts to rebel against authority (particularly that represented by their parents), and they may respond negatively to this religious authority as well.
Moreover, there are Church Life statistics that indicate a strong drop-out rate of young adults. On the other hand, Mark Tronson has met many elite athletes of the 18-25 age-group who have had life pretty easy in middle class Australia. Their destiny looks fairly straight forward, money is not difficult to come by, play and friends are their reality.
Then someone drops this challenge of Jesus Christ into their lap, and asks the following questions: "Hey, come, follow me, let's have a proper test, how strong are you? Take this book, the Bible and read it for yourself."
"What are you doing about injustice? What are you doing about commitment? Where do you stand on righteousness? Why do the wicked prevail way too often? Why don't the powerful stand up against evil?"
This is as radical as any other manifesto they may read in their rebellious years! For some, it has become an aphrodisiac, the new high. For many, it has leapt at them from left field, and they've taken up the cudgel.
M V Tronson readily acknowledges that for way too many, it has been all too hard, and the easy road of excessive booze and destructive partying has been adopted without too much reflection.
But, he says, that for everyone of those who takes up the challenge of Christ that leads directly to the Cross, there is a magnificent rejoicing in the heavenlies.
"This new generation of believers (in the US at least), which is 25% of the population, will radicalise Christianity in many ways," says M V Tronson, "that my own generation will not recognise. We will fret over, and moan about it. Then, eventually, it will become the norm. Then a new generation will arise, who will rebel ... and …"