As a child of the 1970s, we are labeled the apathetic generation.
The generation before us was remembered for protests and riots.
Protests against the Vietnam War were large, loud and vocal; even at times violent. The civil rights movement had massive numbers of people, including women, uniting under one banner of equality.
This generation stood for things they believed in.
Then came the '70s. The war was over, oppression became less noticeable, and our generation discovered the phrase "whatever."
Many of us did not care.
Nothing so single-handedly caught our attention, and was our biggest passion at that time — which thankfully was very short-lived — as disco.
Now, we are well into our 50s, and wonder why this country is in such turmoil.
The apathetic generation tuned out. "Whatever" became the rule.
Now is the time to change all of that.
In the Bible, Joshua showed us the way to capture our purpose and redirect our lives. He issued a challenge: Would they choose God and follow Him — or would they go another way?
He then directed a statement that should resonate off our hearts and minds and knock away the apathy from our lives: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Serve Him, stand for Him — loud, long and in numbers too numerous to ignore.
I am not talking about church as usual, but a personal relationship with our Creator. By recognizing our flaws and placing them under Him, we can have an immediate effect on our corner of the world.
I, for one, do not intend to leave my part of the world without making a bold statement for serving Him.
In our churches today, we talk about many things, but do we teach and act upon — even hold one another accountable — for our actions outside of those walls?
Today's events have many proclaiming Christ's quick return, but why are we, as a body, not going full out to win as many as we can?
Crowns await us for being overcomers, not bench sitters. These crowns are for soul winners, not those sitting in the pews shouting "Amen" and doing nothing.
If we acted as though we truly believed in His return, would we not seek His face continually and be praying for all those that do not know Christ and His redeeming grace?
We should be able to see large numbers added daily to our churches, opportunities for others to win their families; friends becoming closer.
Yet a generation is dying and headed for hell, for we will not stand up and live according to His Word and serve Him fully.
Apathy is indeed a killer, but it is merely one symptom of a lack of love.
Maybe we each should heed Joshua's challenge, and ask the Father to eliminate apathy in our lives, and act to change today's generation.
The Rev. Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Ministries, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HELMS: Eliminate apathy; change today's generation