Years ago, I heard a lecture from a Vanderbilt professor on the questions that burn in the heart of the three previous generations. At the time, Gen Z was quite young, so we did not know the question keeping this generation up at night. But for Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials, the questions were clear.

As I thought about each question, I saw a meaningful connection between grandparents, parents, and children. But I also saw a troubling trajectory, a disturbing trend leading away from a sound Biblical foundation to the spiritual wild west we live in today. This becomes increasingly clear as we factor in Gen Z’s burning question.

To be clear, each generation has a vital central concern. But if we get these questions out of order, Houston… we have a problem. A very big problem.

Baby Boomers are preoccupied with TRUTH.

The generation born in the 40s, 50s, and 60s earned their name from the huge spike in birth rates that came after World War II. Baby Boomers are strong, focused, hard-working, and resourceful—traits they learned from their parents, who lived through the Great Depression.

And, as a whole, Baby Boomers believe in truth based on reality that applies to everyone. In other words, they still believe in some form of universal truth. There is no “my truth” for this generation. There is just “the truth,” whether that is the truth of what actually happened in history, the truth revealed in our biology, or the truth of right and wrong. Truth is a fixed point from generation to generation, not an ever-changing mark you will miss if the arrow takes too long to land.

To be clear, that is not to say that every Baby Boomer agrees on what the truth is, but overall they do believe truth exists, and that it has transcendence.

For Baby Boomers, the prevailing question is:

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