Leadership Is About Raising Up The Next Generation
Hey Gang,
I’ve got to tell you I am so excited about the Lord Jesus and what He is up to. Several of the staff at Faith Promise have asked me what I got while I was at the conference. (First, I know they did not read my blog last week. Not smart.) I was impacted by so much, but what moved me the most was the fired up students and young adults at Hillsong Church. It rocked me to the core. So, what am I going to do about it? Great question!
1. I am going to be a better leader. I have watched the young adult population grow and for that I am grateful. I know I want to see young adults by the thousands committed to the church the Lord is building. This will require me to be better and filled to the max by the Holy Spirit.
2. I must change my attitude about young adults. I thought I had, to be honest with you. I think I let down on our young people and lowered the bar. Not now – I am looking for young adults to buy in and pour their passion for Jesus into His church and I want to help them develop a heart for the house.
3. I am going to open up more leadership for them. I have watched denominations begin to die because they did not make room for the next generation. I am going to make room. On the stage, ushers, greeters, singers, dramas, and everywhere you look you will see them. As a matter of fact, I have already met with our middle school Pastor, Matt Grimes, to get his help and he was fired up.
4. I am asking the Lord to move in revival and draw them in by the thousands. Most of the disciples were young adults when Jesus called them to come and follow Him.
5. I will be more pointed in my leadership. I usually want people to do what I ask because they want to. Not anymore. As the Senior Pastor I will be a little more forceful and make sure everyone on the staff lines up with the vision. We all need to grow and this is my area right now.
Pray with me that we do not lose the next generation. As leaders in the Kingdom of God it is our responsibility to bring them along and raise them up. Look around – there are not many young adults in most churches. We are not going to be most churches. It is time for some serious leadership for Jesus.
Love ya,
Pastor
7 Comments
Encouraging young adults is a great thing. May God bless you as teach them and energize them to live for God. Thank God that change and growth are hallmarks of Faith Promise Church. An increased focus on young adults will help them live a full life of purpose and blessing and will help Faith Promise have a lasting impact on the area for Jesus.
Truthfully, I always have a little trouble with this concept of focusing on the young. It’s my own weakness. I don’t know if it’s my bitterness about lost opportunities when I was younger. What could I have done if I came to know God and Jesus sooner? When I mull on this, it seems as if my greatest opportunities have already passed. I remember all the speeches where it feels like one generation gives up and looks to the next generation in hope. I’m not dead yet and I’m not stuck in some inescapable rut. Change, growth, and energy are not the property of the young, but God gives me (and anyone else) a reason for real hope that change, growth, and energy are available for all who love and pursue God.
Rock on Pastor Chris!
Yes indeed my the Holy Spirit fill you and the staff.
I remember being young within a church. I was given chances to serve thur a youth church council. I was apart of the picking worship music,had a youth league newspaper and organized youth garthering events with adult advisers. We once a year were given the chance to run the whole service. Except for the sermon.
Greeters,Ushers,scripture readers,Pastor had help from us giving of communion and the setting up of it as well as we even got in on counting the offering. The youth group started at age 11-19 and then you went into College/Singles church circles. We got lost when we went to College or University. I remember I didn’t want to join those funny smelling women until I reached 30 something. Plus we no longer had our parents after us to attend. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the music nor the studies. My friends of 8 years went off and most of them out of town to go to higher education. Your young believers drift. Some join University and College Christain Campus activities. Those who staied home don’t rest in the Lord as they ought to. Because they don’t see the rewards of the kingdom even as young believers.
They don’t dare tell an employer that they want a weekend off. Even as a seasoned employee weekends are hard at times to be given off to worship. Sad there is no longer the Blue law in this country. Sat. night started Sabbath. That give Messianic Jewish believers the opporturity to worship a Sabbat Shalom before sundown and then the Nation of Christains
all day Sunday.
Getting and keeping Youth in the Church depends on how grounded the youth are in their faith. Do they see the Holy Spirit at work through the older generation. Are we being the examples of working faith? Are we truely loving one another or are we double talking, being gossips,losing our tempers or just not being real to this generation. They want to see and know God as well as Yashua (Jesus) in our actions. This will be the example God requires of this generation. I was always told that my actions speak louder then my words.
I pray for a revival as well. May it happen over all Gods children young and old in this area of TN
Shalom
Wonderful! I can only imagine what God is going to do next – through middle school age learning to serve – what an impact that will have on their lives. Thank you Lord.
Please do PC….Please do! They need to hear it from you….they look up to you. That age group has so much to offer….God could and will do so much through them…
Biddle’s are in. Matthew already tells me that he is going to be a general in the military or a professional athlete. Both are areas that he can be an example in. My neighbor has two brothers that play in the NFL, I thought it was interesting that her brother signed a magazine he was in last week for Matthew that said God Bless.
I figure if one of my ancestors worked under the administration of Andrew Jackson the sky is the limit.
God is good, think big!
I think it was Wess Stafford from Compassion International that cites a figure about children and salvation. 85% of Christ followers gave their lives to Christ between the ages of 4 and 14. Focus on the youth is indeed most fertile ground.