Preparing the next generation

I’m writing this from somewhere 300000 feet above Australia on my way to Indonesia.
I have been thinking about what I shared at church yesterday and how it is going to impact not only my generation but the generations to come.

Pioneering is hard work. Leaving the comfort of the known and creating a path to the unknown is not for the faint hearted as my wife tells me all the time – Gods work is not for the faint hearted.

A Samoan proverb ‘Asa le gasu o le taeao’ – getting up early in morning to clear and plant the field. It is not easy, it’s cold, it’s dark, it’s wet from the due at night and most of the time you have to carve your way through the bush.

Those who come later will enjoy and reap the benefits of the farmer who consistently paved the way.

The success of the next generation in the things of God is largely depend on the work of today’s generation. I want the next generation to stand on the shoulders of today’s leaders so they can see further and farther, to have a wider perspective and see the big picture of what God wants to do in them and through them.

The Bible says that David served his generation then he died.

Advice to today’s generation – Don’t die without leaving a legacy.
Advice to the next generation – You are not suppose to fill our shoes! Fill your own. Start from where we left off.

Why are young people not in church?

Many pastors and church leaders, even parents are asking the question, ‘Why are our young people not in church?”

I asked myself this question many times in my early years as a pastor. As a church we have put a huge emphasis on reaching children and young people, which means we have to do whatever it takes to connect with them. For me personally I need to be in touch with today’s generation by trying to put myself in their shoes and what they are facing in this fast paced world.

When you are in your 40′s its hard work. Young people speak a lingo of their own, trying to read and understand coded txt / sms messages is always a mission. Lets face it, it is a culture of its own. The youth of today is quite different from when I was a young person.

Some adults tend to speak negatively about young people but I don’t blame them entirely for their behavior. They are exposed to so much at a very young age. Most young people never had a childhood that most of us adults had in our days.

As to why Young people are not in church, I think the answers lies in our own attitude toward them.

My advice to pastors and leaders is to ‘Stay in touch’ with young people.  Do whatever it takes to get into their world. Talk, txt, FB, high5, bebo, tumbler, tweet, or a good old ‘Hey wazzup man!

I think the question ‘’Why are the young people not in church”, is he wrong one to ask. Instead we need to ask ourselves, “How can we get young people to come to church and love church”.

That will open up a lot of ideas and conversation, that will lead into a mission and a strategy to reach young people. The best people to answer that question are young people themselves. When you get answers, be prepared to make some changes in your church, leadership, music, programs, preaching even the way you dress. That is if you are serious to see young people in church.

(BTW, this has been my experience in our church over the last 7 years).