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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Our journeys in faith possible thanks to our elders

Paul Graves The Spokesman-Review

The June issue of Sojourners magazine cover shows three smiling young adults and these words: “Making Their Mark: Young Christians are finding new ways to connect their faith to action. The church, and the world, will never be the same.”

I so hope those young Christians and other faith-filled young adults can deliver what Sojourners has announced. As I read the various articles about young Christians living in their communities and acting out their faith in ordinary ways, I was encouraged.

Yet I also wanted to learn more than these articles provided. I wanted to learn about those from whom these young people had learned their faith-generated enthusiasm and insights.

Every generation of young people who wants their faith experience to be real for them rightfully challenges their churches to be “more relevant.” But that term was not invented by Generation X, Y or Z. I’m sure the cry for relevancy will be shouted by the newest group of young people when Gen Y’ers have become elders.

Some things never change, do they?

I also don’t know how much significant conversation the Sojourners writers had with young Christians about the healthiest traditions of the church. God knows better than any of us which of our traditions have led to very unhealthy personal piety and destructive social actions. Their numbers are great.

However, I want to remind young faith seekers that they did not come to their faith in a vacuum. The history of the Christian church – or any faith tradition, for that matter – is filled with the “wheat and weeds” that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 13:24-30.

Our faith fields are never pure. Still, our churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship are the places where people of ordinary faith have become people of extraordinary faithfulness.

There are faith places where unhealthy traditions have been put aside not only when they became irrelevant, but when they disrespected the basic truths of a particular faith, or of a particular faith house, or even of individuals who had the courage to say: “We are called to be more faithful than this.”

I am encouraged by the faith-filled passion and dedicated action of young people who want to walk the talk. But I hope they know they don’t walk that talk alone.

As my consulting ministry indicates, I am an Elder Advocate.

I am deeply aware that my own faith was formed in great measure by family members, friends and others who were older, often so much older, than I was. I strongly believe that no young adult has come to “the faith” without some primary or secondary connection to an elder in the faith.

So I would like to honor Faith Elders who have been significant role models, guides and inspirations. My invitation to anyone who reads this column is this: Please let me know who is a Faith Elder for you.

You may know this person quite well, or only by reputation. The Faith Elder may live in the Inland Northwest or anywhere else. How has your elder lived his/her faith out in your community?

(I wrote this column on the 100th birthday of a man in Southern California, Bill Hammaker. I’ll tell you in a later column why Bill is a Faith Elder for many people.)

I would like to be able to interview some of these men and women, whether by phone, e-mail or in person. So if your “nominee” is willing to speak with me, please give me contact information.

To be honest, I’m not sure how I will eventually write about your Faith Elders. But write about them I will.

I want us all to remember that our faith journeys have been made possible in part by those who go before us, and who walk with us still.