2055

2055

Publication: The Lookout

Date: November 27, 2005

Column: First Look

Category: Future; Trust; Vision

What will* life *be like 50 years from now?

Unless the Lord returns first, by 2055 my children will be senior citizens, my grandchildren will be in their 50s, and my great-great grandchildren will be preschoolers. Personally, I plan to be in Heaven with the Lord by 2055, but I'm concerned about those who will follow in my generation's footsteps.

What will America be like 50 years from now?

Will gasoline cost $300 a gallon? Will gasoline-powered vehicles exist at all? Will baseball still be America's pastime? Will anyone care about football by the time we get to Super Bowl LXXXIX?

How will marriage be viewed in 2055? Will parents bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Will life be protected from conception till death? Will justice prevail in the land of the free? Will our citizens still pledge allegiance to a nation "under God"?

As technology becomes more efficient, will the quality of music, art, and entertainment improve or decline? In 2055, will sexual purity be the norm or the rare exception? Will pornography and sexual perversion continue to multiply? Will homosexual behavior be embraced as a cultural norm and encouraged by religious and political leaders? Will racism continue to divide neighbors and churches? Will our nation's children be healthier, better educated, and more honest and respectful, or will these values decline?

What will the world be like 50 years from now?

Will the shadow of terrorism continue to spread gloom across the globe? Will the world's children have enough clean water to drink, fresh air to breathe, and nutritious food to eat? Will Christians suffer persecution in lands dominated by radical Islam—and in nations dominated by intolerant secularism? Will missionaries travel, preach, and serve freely, or will it become more difficult to spread the gospel as time goes by?

What will the church be like 50 years from now?

Will followers of Christ preach his Word faithfully and without compromise? Will their message be "Christ and him crucified"? Will they baptize new believers and teach them the whole counsel of God? Will they gather regularly for mutual encouragement, to celebrate the Lord's Supper, and to pray? Will they be careful stewards of their resources, supportive of God's work, and generous with the poor?

Fifty years from now, what will happen to all those mega-buildings constructed by mega-churches? Will they be filled with faithful worshipers, or will they be ecclesiastical dinosaurs—half-empty reminders of the church's glory days?

Tough questions? Yes. Reasons to worry? No—reasons to work. The men and women who will answer those questions in 2055 currently are little boys and girls playing in our backyards, sitting at our dinner tables, and attending our Sunday school classes.

The future belongs to the faithful and strong, not to the faint of heart. Today's children are tomorrow's leaders. We'd better teach them well.