Bridging the Generation Gap

How a multigenerational mindset changes everything

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” – Psalm 100:5

“I’ve never sent an email before.”
Those were the words of my 14-year-old Gen Alpha daughter.

It stopped me in my tracks. She can build a presentation on her phone, edit a video for Instagram in under a minute, and run a group chat with more structure than most office teams, but an email? Completely alien.

Then there was the other day when I asked that same daughter to get some cash out of the machine outside the corner shop. She looked at me as if I’d asked her to solve world hunger.

“What’s a cash machine?” she said. “I’ve never used one of those.”

We were then standing in the shop queue, waiting to pay, with a young Gen Z girl behind the counter. I tried to make a light joke about #cashmachinegate, but the cashier looked embarrassed and admitted she’d never used one either, before quickly adding, “I have seen cash once though!”

Welcome to the strange reality of generations living side by side in an ever changing world.

Ever seen a Gen Z employee show their manager how to blur their background on Teams, then freeze when asked to make an actual phone call? That’s the modern workplace. Each generation brings strengths and frustrations. But instead of trading wisdom for curiosity, we often settle for judging each other.

“Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.” George Orwell

Spend five minutes in any workplace or family gathering and you’ll hear the same cross-generational soundtrack.
Boomers think everyone younger is glued to their phones.
Gen X calls Millennials entitled.
Millennials roll their eyes at Boomers for “ruining the planet and the housing market.”
Gen Z thinks Millennials are obsessed with coffee and nostalgia.
And Gen Alpha quietly wonders why anyone still uses Facebook.

Each group has its stereotypes ready to fire: “snowflakes,” “dinosaurs,” “keyboard warriors,” “Karens,” and “OK boomer.” It’s mostly humour, but underneath sits a simple truth: we’d rather label each other than listen to each other.

It’s not just technology that divides us. Each generation sees life through a different lens.

Older generations look down and see what’s missing: discipline, respect, resilience. They remember how hard they worked, how little they had, and how grateful they were for it. From that view, younger generations can seem soft or entitled.

Younger generations look up and see what’s broken: systems that failed them, habits that harm the planet, or attitudes that feel outdated. They spot hypocrisy and a reluctance to listen. From that view, older generations can seem stubborn or out of touch.

It might feel easier to leave each other to it, to stay in our own lanes, speak our own language, and shake our heads at “the others.” Yet God’s plan has always been multigenerational: Abraham to Isaac to Jacob, Paul to Timothy, grandmother to mother to child.

Maybe the real miracle isn’t just that God loves a thousand generations.
It’s that He keeps inviting them to love each other.

Every few years the headlines declare that this is the generation that’s lost God. Church attendance is down, belief is fading, faith is out of fashion. Yet time and again, God proves otherwise. Just when culture writes Him off, a quiet revival begins.

The truth is that God has never struggled to reach any generation. He has a habit of showing His love to every one of them. That’s what faithfulness means.

God calls every generation to work together. The young are meant to dream what could be; the old are meant to have visions of what God can still do. When old men stop dreaming, young men lose vision. But when both generations share what God has given them, His purposes move forward. (See Acts 2.)

“One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.” – Psalm 145:4

Faith travels through biblical storytelling, personal testimony, and lived example.

Our multigenerational call is simple: translate God, teach truth, and tell stories.

So what are we passing on?
Are we making faith visible and practical, or just theoretical?
Are we modelling something worth imitating?

The next generation doesn’t just need to hear our faith; they need to see it. That only happens when we stop hiding behind generational stereotypes and step towards one another. Criticising differences or avoiding connection because it feels uncomfortable does nothing to bridge the gap.

To keep faith alive, we must know God’s love personally, live it out visibly, and think beyond ourselves to those who follow.

“To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations..” Ephesians 3:21

Christ is the glue that holds every generation together. The Church thrives when faith is passed on not through words alone but through multigenerational lives that reflect His enduring love.

Maybe that’s the point about the next generation. They might not answer the phone, but they can still answer God’s call. Will we help them hear it and respond?

RAISING GEN ALPHA: Helping Kids Navigate Everything from Anxiety to AI

Gen Alpha is growing up in a world very different from the one their parents did. Born between 2010-2024, this generation faces intense pressure from school, social media, mental health struggles, and the rapid rise of technology. Despite their deep desire to make a difference, parents, educators, and faith leaders often feel overwhelmed by the growing generational divide. How do we bridge the gap to make a connection and ensure these children and teens feel seen, heard, valued, cared for, and safe?

Using the acronym ALPHA (Anxious-minded, Leading influencers, Pandemic-impacted, Hyperconnected, and AI-shaped) to explain the challenges and experiences that have shaped them, author Dave Boden equips readers to disciple Gen Alpha with clarity, compassion, and confidence. By understanding the world today’s children are growing up in, we’re better prepared to equip them with the faith and insight they need to thrive.