"I'm a pastor."

Sometimes, at those same sort of gatherings where I say, "I work at a nonprofit," it's safe to say, "I'm a pastor." It's an instinctual difference for the most part. Well, kind of. Here's the thing: the younger the group of adults gathered, the safer it is to say, "I'm a pastor."

It's not because the group is closer to my age that it's safer, though. It's because the younger demographic has little or no experience of church, so the statement is benign. These people don't have a warm and fuzzy connection nor a visceral reaction. Instead, reactions waffle somewhere between intrigue that a pastor exists in the real world and lack of interest.

There's a vague knowledge of what goes on at church, but little more. I field questions about my speeches since they don't know to call them sermons. We might have a conversation about the one thing they know about churches or pastors. Often, their knowledge is limited enough that they ask how I could commit myself to a life of celibacy. I smile even as I think about those conversations because those begin with a very basic discussion of the different kinds of Christians.

Just a few weeks ago, I was at one of those gatherings, walking through an art museum. One corridor had a large Christian section. I talked a lot more because I was the only one who know more about the stories behind the art than was written on the placards. I told the stories of Moses and John the Baptist's beheading and the crucifixion of Christ. In another section, someone asked about a festival--I don't remember which one--and I could answer their questions. That painting was by a Mexican artist which led to a me mentioning Santa Muerte. The people with me, who keep up with current events and knew a great deal about drug trafficking in general, had never heard of Saint Death. I realized that even if their news sources had those links, they probably never clicked them. They had no reason to.

As much as the Church has been wringing its hands about the folks my age who have left church, overall, this isn't a generation that left the church. This is a generation that has never been part of the church.

We need to know that. We need to know that we're not worried about reconnections but introductions. We need to stop assuming that, even though the Christian narrative is written into our culture, people can recognize it.

We need to realize that this culture is becoming a place where I can say, "I'm a pastor," and it means nothing at all.

And that's not a reason for mourning; it's a chance for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to transform.