Emergents Weblog

Mosaics are expected to be the largest generation in America’s history. Their numbers will surpass the Boomer. These individuals were born between 1984 and 2002 (currently ages 3–21). The Mosaics are in their formative years. They are being parented by two different generations (Busters, Boomers) which adds some interesting flavors in the kettle that is still stewing.

George Barna, a prominent and often quoted statistician in Christian circles, shares his organizations perspective that Mosaics are characterized by: Eclectic lifestyles, Nonlinear thinking styles, Fluid relationships, Cut-and-paste values and personalized spirituality, Open-minded attitudes, Technology-fueled expectations. My subjective experience and opinion on the subject comes to me by way of extreme exposure. I am an borderline Buster, the father three Mosaics and surrogate parent to four more Mosaics via a blended relationship. My extended family boasts more than 30 Mosaics. I have served as a pastor and community leader for over two decades. As such, I have witnessed their behavior and the entourage of countless mosaics and their friends. I have had the blessed oportunity to engage in frequent conversations that have helped me comprehend the meaning and motives behind their thoughts, actions and perspectives reported in various polls.

I would give testimony to the most important factor describing this generation – they are passionate! The spiritual, and interpersonal expression of the Mosaics is intensely passionate! Their lifestyles and values are often misunderstood by the older generations. It is as if they have a different looking glass. Indeed it is the fortune and struggle of each generation to make sense of this world in light of further research projects – the knowledge, results and discoveries made by prior generations.  I would concur that their spiritual habits, allegiances and behaviors are very different from more traditional generations. However, if one would listen long enough to their heart’s expression, they would learn why and know that the Mosaics are passionately devoted to being, and being positively contributing members of a global society. They have the benefit of filtering through more information in education than any other generation before. They more readily access and digest the facets of various global events and this is not from the mainstream media – they read blogs not newspapers they talk with their expansive list of global friends rather than trusting the media to provide the mosaic of information needed to form a well reasoned perspective.

In a recent article it is suggested that a new moral code is emerging in America. The Barna survey quoted in the Chicago Tribute article tried to capture the moral pattern among adults under 25 (the majority of this age grouping would include the Mosaics. Yet I think it is safe to say that the children ages 3-9 years old were not represented in this study and generalization of Mosaics. Barna reported that this age group was more than twice as likely as all other adults to engage in behaviors considered morally inappropriate by traditional standards. The list included: pornography, using profanity in public, gambling, gossiping, engaging in sexual intercourse with someone to whom they were not married, retaliating against someone, getting drunk and lying. The list list is typical of older generations. I dare say that the Mosaics might not relate these as a deviance in their devotion to God or among Christians to the Christian faith. While it reports that this generation deviates from these traditionally immoral actions more than any other generation, please recognize that it fails to test the veracity and honesty of previous generations when they were surveyed. This illustrates yet another beautiful aspect of the Mosaics – they are bluntly truthful, honest and open to sharing what they do – even behind closed doors.  This is not characteristically true of the older, more traditional and statistically conservative generations. From everything I see, this generation of Mosaics is not trying to sabotage the world, they are trying their best to live in peace, with personal integrity and mutual respect to the diversity of beings, cultures, perspectives and faiths known to them.

What shall we demand or expect of the Mosaics? What might we learn from them? Might it be interesting to discover what survey questions and results might arise if the Mosaics were in charge of Barna’s or Gallup’s polling teams?

Remember that from my perspective, the Mosaics are a passionate, earnest and honest generation. They are a generation that is devoted to a cause but they do not show allegiance to organizations or individuals – especially those who ask for blind faith and actions based in obedience to authority rather than for the sake of others.

How then shall we benefit from their energy and commitment to discovering and sharing the blessings of life, abundant and eternal?