Categories
Teaching

Bruce Lee vs. Jesus Christ

If you read my last post, you know how unexcited I felt about seeing the newly released The Emoji Movie. However, there is a movie coming out this summer that I have really been wanting to see: Birth of the Dragon. I loved Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story and most have seen the classic Bruce starred in himself Enter the Dragon where he fights the American version of himself, Chuck Norris!

But if all you know of Bruce is his fighting side, then you don’t know Bruce. Bruce was just as much of a philosopher as he was a fighter. Lee, claimed by many to be the father of mixed martial arts, had a method behind his madness. Bruce never let a crystallized style determine his fighting substance. He was ever-evolving so that he could take on and defeat any art form. Some of Bruce’s greatest teachings relate to this belief such as “become like water” and “using no way as (the) way, having no limitation as limitation.”

Bruce is what I call a master teacher. With school starting back up for most of the next generation (unless your school-round, etc.), teachers are beginning to get back into gear. However, most school teachers couldn’t hold a candle to Bruce’s teaching. I find Bruce to be one of the greatest teachers from the 20th century. He lived what he taught and practiced what he preached.

But whereas Bruce was a great teacher; Jesus was the best teacher! Jesus had some sayings that were similar in wording to Bruce’s teachings, but as different from night is to day in meaning. Bruce said no way was the way. In other words, any religion will do. In fact, mix all religions together and that will work just as well. Just never claim that you have it all figured out. Jesus said the polar opposite in John 14:6 when Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.”

When it comes to water, Jesus says in John 4:14, “but whoever drinks of this water that I give will never be thirsty again.” When it comes to limits, the Lord says he is the beginning and the end (Revelation 1:8).

No one taught like Jesus, not even Bruce Lee. Jesus never said you needed a lot of faith to do great things. Jesus just said you needed faith (“as small as a mustard seed”-Luke 17:6).  Jesus said the first would be last and the last would be first (he went as far to say that one must be a slave to all in order to be first) and that no one could receive his kingdom until they first became like a child (he wasn’t talking about one’s maturity level).[1] Like Bruce, Jesus was very methodical in his teaching. Both were great teachers. I would love to take a martial-arts lesson from the master. But when it comes to matters dealing with eternity and how to live life, I choose the Master every time.

[1] James C. Wilhoit, Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered, 143-44.

 

 

Categories
Communication Education

It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)

Is it official? Have we finally turned the corner? Has the tipping point been reached? What pray tell am I talking about, you may ask? I am talking about the day our culture uses images more to communicate than it does words. What sign do I have that this day may be upon us? Today is the opening day of the highly anticipated (okay, maybe not – just look at the ratings/reviews) The Emoji Movie.

It’s not enough already that we have to string together images to text/talk with one another. Now, we have to watch these images come to life and motion in the bustling city of Textopolis. In case you are wondering, I won’t be watching the movie. But what is inescapable is the fact that using images is vital for effective communication with the next generation.

It used to be that people were illiterate in our country because of a lack of resources (books, etc.), qualified teachers, or an educational system in whole. Now, we have all the resources we could ever imagine at our disposal to cure this remedy. However, for a play on words, we have figuratively disposed of our means while the ends of being illiterate remain.

We really have come full circle, but my fear is that we are going around in the same circle without getting anywhere. In past ages, people were illiterate because they didn’t have a choice. Today, people are illiterate because they have too many choices. One didn’t choose to be illiterate and one did, but both back then and today, illiteracy remains.

When common people were illiterate (go back to the middle ages), arts ruled the day. In other words, people were dominated more by right-brained thinking (feelings visualization, imagination, intuition, rhythm, holistic thinking, nonverbal cues, daydreaming, arts). As civilization advanced (the printing press came out, etc.), people began to be dominated by left-brain thought (thinking in words, sequencing, linear thinking, mathematics, facts, logic). It’s the old analytical/methodical (left-brain) vs. creative/artistic (right-brain) debate. Left-brain people are better at things like reading, writing, and computations.[1] Right-brain people would prefer to draw or paint and thus express themselves.

Where are we at now? We’re in the middle of transitioning once again to right-brained thinking being the dominant hemisphere of use. How do I know? That’s easy—Just ask yourself this question—How many hours a day is the average person in front of a screen? Yes, there will always be nerds like me who like to read a lot, but the average person prefers to sit in front of a screen and be saturated with pictures or visual stimuli. People defer to read or write because let’s be honest, watching is easier. I don’t think the potato couch lifestyle is good for nurturing healthy growth and development, but the younger generation came out of the womb with a phone in their hand (and can’t imagine anything different). We must not degrade the younger generation for this. They couldn’t help that they came out not in a baby boom like the 1950’s, but a technological boom or information explosion of the likes we have never seen before. We must capitalize on their likes and preferences. We must use images to communicate with them. If we don’t, we might not only lose them, but get lost ourselves.

Like them, love them, or hate them, emojis are here to stay. Why? Because they are emotive expressions that say much more than words say themselves. People string emojis together to say something that might take a whole paragraph to write. If you didn’t like shorthand texts, you will probably hate emojis. But if you hate emojis, will you be able to relate to the next generation? Here is some advice. You don’t have to like emojis and you can even hate The Emoji Movie, but it might do you well to see what emojis are out there. And if Jesus were literally walking the earth today, I know he would use an emoji as the perfect object lesson! 😊

[1] “Left Brain vs. Right Brain: What Does This Mean for Me?” by Ann Pietrangelo, found at www.healthline.com

Categories
Leadership

Whose NXT?

In case you are wondering, I did not spell “Next” wrong. NXT is just another way of saying “Next” or “Next Generation.” The Titleist NXT golf ball “is a high-performance ball delivering low driver and long iron spin for outstanding distance along with excellent shot-stopping control.” Perhaps you watched the amazing show put on by golf pro Jordan Spieth this past weekend at the British Open. Spieth, who used Titleist clubs and balls in his most recent win, is the closest thing we have seen to Tiger Woods since well . . . Tiger Woods.

Golf, like every other sport, is always on the lookout for their next great superstar. We know that golf’s young stars of today include names such as Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Justin Rose, Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson, Patrick Cantlay, and Rory McIlroy. But no one is labeled a major star of golf until they well . . . win a major.

Some of the names above have won a major and some have not. If you don’t know anything about golf, there are only four majors and they include the US Open, the British Open, the Masters, and the PGA Championship. Iseekgolf.com recently conducted a reader’s poll asking who would be golf’s next major star. In other words, what golfer would be next to win their first major. Names included Justin Thomas, Matt Kuchar, and Jon Rahm. But none of those names won the vote. Who did? None other than the golfer I would have voted for myself (pictured below).

Rickie Fowler

Golf is not the only industry looking down the pipeline for the next great star. All business sectors are constantly looking to see who is on the rise. Talent is easy to spot.

I think we should have the same mindset for the ministry, while also understanding that God’s way aren’t always ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). If you are in Christ, you are already great because he has made you that way! What I am talking about is spotting young leaders and developing them and their gifts. I agree with Aubrey Malphurs and Will Manchini that one of the church’s glaring weaknesses in today’s world is leadership development. As they argue in Building Leaders, the church has many potential leaders, but the church is not developing “the next generation of Christ-like leadership.”

So next generation parents and leaders—who are you developing? Pastors and church staff—who are you developing? Who and where are the next great preachers, evangelists, missionaries, worship leaders, artists, etc.? Are you not only developing these next great Christian leaders, but sharing your platform with them? Are you letting go or holding on? I know it’s a delicate balance, and that our young stars are going to slip and slide along the way. But at some point, we have to let go of the reigns and step aside. We don’t have to worry about when that time might be. God is in control. But we do need to do everything we can to develop our ministry leaders of tomorrow today!

Categories
Next Generation Ministry

Gaming or God?

In the above picture, you can see what is called the Alienware Area 51. Boy, gaming sure has come a long way than when I used to play! I still don’t mind playing the occasional sports game, but when I was a teenager, gaming was bigger than life. Sure, I was active outdoors and in the neighborhood, went to school and church, but I, like many of my friends, lived to game!

I understand this generation’s fascination with gaming. Barna recently reported that over sixty percent of teenagers stated that the number one reason teens used their phones was to play games. But when I was growing up, we didn’t have smart phones and we sure didn’t have games on our phones.

The neighborhood boys would take turns going to each other’s house to play video games. This way, we could play the game systems we didn’t own and have friendly competition between each other. There was no XBOX Live, where you could play with your best friends online without having to leave the comfy combines of home.

AOL was kicking into high gear about this time so my friends and I began to get involved more with computer gaming. We still went to each other’s house, but this time, we piled the chairs around the computer screen. I can still remember when the Gateway 2000 computer arrived at my family’s home in what looked like a “dairy cow” box.

My favorite game of choice was a strategy game called Civilization. In this role-play game, you picked a nation and its represented leader to try to take over the world. I played the game every chance I got and for hours on end.

I even remember the old magazine Nintendo Power and how the back of the magazine advertised the “Triple Play.” Yep, I had to do it, so at one time I owned the NES, Super NES, and Game Boy.

Games today are much more violent and grotesque than when I used to play. You used to have to have to enter a code to get blood to show up on the screen, and even then, it looked like grey sweat. Stores back in my day wouldn’t have been caught dead selling a game like Grand Theft Auto where you could steal cars and run over cops.

To show you where my game IQ is now, I walked into Best Buy last week and asked where their computer games were. The salesman pointed to me what little they had to offer. The reason they didn’t have much was because everyone downloads their games now. Then I went over to the system console section to see what games they had to offer. Needless to say, I walked away highly depressed. I couldn’t find anything that would suit my fancy.

Games bring a certain healing and destructive power with them. Games are fun and rewarding. Who doesn’t like to beat a hard level, a big boss man, or the game itself? But games can also be addictive, steal one’s life away, and keep people in a fantasy land where they never have to grow up and become responsible adults.

As I said earlier, I understand gamers because I was one. I don’t like to bash the gaming culture, but I do like to give gamers a glimpse of reality that some seem to be missing. The choice really becomes one of two questions. Are playing games your God? Or is God your God? If games are your God, then God is just a game. If God is your God, then a game is just a game. The words of Joshua come to mind: Choose this day whom you will serve . . . But for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).

Some games are appropriate. Others are not. Don’t overplay and don’t get overplayed. And my last bit of advice when it comes to gaming: Play hard, but pray harder. Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you (Mat 6:33).

Categories
Next Generation Ministry

You don’t have to advertise “Great”

BuzzFeed News recently reported an article about a little item that has taken the world by storm. Below is how the article starts:

Somehow, the Great Fidget Spinner Frenzy of 2017 managed to burn its way across the country without a major retailer, TV advertisement or brand getting involved. It wasn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last. And here’s the looming problem, for everyone from toy stores to government regulators: products can now reach millions of people before anyone really knows anything about them.

Consider the hoverboard. The hit viral gadget of 2015 rose to international prominence — and fell into relative obscurity — before big toy brands or retailers could stamp their names on it. Or look at vaping, which has become a national pastime without a major brand or retailer getting a piece of it.

Like the hoverboard and other fads that are here today and gone tomorrow, the fidget spinner craze will eventually fizzle out. Pop star popularity is also transient. But whether it’s a great toy or a great entertainer, you instantly recognize greatness for what it is. Then you go and tell all your friends about the greatest movie you ever saw, the greatest song you ever heard, the greatest car you ever drove, or the greatest toy you ever played.

What about the greatest cereal you ever ate? Frosted Flakes, right? They’re Greattttttttttttttt! Ok, maybe I’m taking things overboard, but I think you get the point. Great things sell themselves. You can advertise, market, and tell everyone you meet on the street about your product, but if it is not great, who cares?

Greatness is something that stands out in a crowd. The cream rises to the top. How else do you explain how the A&W root beer float became such a hot item? I can see the cream now. It’s easy to spot talent too. There’s no need to find a job if job offers are flooding in. I don’t know why, but right now I’m thinking of the Lending Tree commercial, “why go crawling to the bank when the bank can come crawling to you?”

Next Generation Ministry (NGM) is Great! Unlike gadgets that become the latest craze for just a short while, I think NGM’s shelf life will be much longer. Ministry models often do phase out over time, but their run is usually longer than two to three years. For instance, modern-day youth ministry is still present in our postmodern times. Who can forget the youth choirs, the packed churches, and the kicking bus ministry of the 1970’s? Though our churches are not as packed, many churches still have a youth choir and run a bus ministry. And we’re talking over 65 years have passed since then. Yes, NGM is here to stay and I think for a long time!

The wave of the future is here! NGM is relatively new to the ministry circuit and in its infancy stages. But as one of its trailblazers, I forecast that the bandwagon will soon follow. Why? Because you don’t have to advertise “Great”.

Categories
Next Generation Ministry

Security Matters

In light of last week’s horrific event, I thought it a good idea to write about the importance of protecting our students in an increasingly dangerous world. If adults, especially congressmen and women of our great nation, need security while playing baseball, how much more so do our children and youth? Protecting our young should always be a first priority in next generation ministry.

Students are used to practicing lock-down drills at schools. Students are all too aware of bomb threats and the protocols that go along with such a threat. In fact, not only is there a password given over a school intercom to notify teachers of a threat, there are different passwords given for different threat levels. And students know all the procedures that follow as they have rightfully been forced to incessantly practice for any given situation. With all of the hassle, it’s a wonder that students ever have time to learn anymore.

But in today’s world, the hassle is necessary. It may take longer for parents and students to enter in and exit out of school, but safety has to come first. The same should be true at churches and for next generation ministry. Security starts with protecting infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Parents should be required to sign their students in and made aware of the policies concerning drop-off, pick-up, and emergency procedures. Many parents of preschoolers are given beepers, so that if something happens to their child in the middle of the worship service, they can immediately respond.

All next generation leaders (volunteers who work with children and youth) should undergo a background check. This rule applies for leaders who work with the next generation every week (small group leaders, preschool workers, etc.) and for leaders who infrequently work with students (i.e., leaders who just help with summer camps, mission trips, etc.). Most churches have a policy in place requiring new members to have belonged to a church for six months before they are allowed to work with any of the church’s children or youth.

Next generation pastors aren’t CEO’s who are trying to run a student enterprise. No, first and foremost, next generation pastors are shepherds of their sheep. They are willing to take all necessary measures to protect their flock and that includes dying themselves. Thank God for the Capital Area police team that was willing to lay their life on the line. If they had not, twenty to thirty congressmen would have been massacred. There is no greater love for one than to lay down his or her life for his or her friends (John 15:13). Churches represent easy targets for terrorists and other like-minded crazy and deranged people, such as last week’s shooter in Alexandria, VA.

Last week, I did some kingdom-building work by helping a local church (not my own) conduct a mega-sports camp. I was impressed with the high security measures that the church put in place for the event. Some students might have thought the measures to be extreme, but we pastors and leaders understand that times have changed. On the last night (parent night), it was comforting to see a cop car parked in front of the church. Not only do parents feel comfortable about dropping their kids off at a church that takes security seriously, kids feel safe, and that is really what matters. Not to be overlooked, security measures also impact spiritual results. Last week, I saw eleven kids come to know Jesus for the first time in their life!

This weekend, I get the privilege of helping to work a block party event hosted by another church that I am not a member of. Will they have taken steps to guarantee the safety of all in attendance? I do not know, but I do know security matters.

Categories
Legacy

Legacy or Legend?

Buzzwords come and go but the buzzword being heard in the church today is the word legacy. Legacy is an important word in next generation ministry (NGM) because of the command for parents to hand down the faith that they have been entrusted with to their children and to their children’s children (Deut 6:1–9; 2 Tim 1:5, 14). The faith must be passed onto the next generation if the church is going to thrive. Churches and families partner together in the process of passing down the faith to the generations that succeed them. The by-product of parents and leaders successfully handing off the baton of faith is the creation or continuance of a spiritual legacy. It is more important for next generation parents and leaders to possess a spiritual legacy than it is to be a world-renowned legend.

NGM is a very progressive model of ministry and is future-oriented in that its advocates are always standing high and looking out over the horizons to see what lies ahead. However, there is some danger in this trail-blazing approach if balance is not kept in proper perspective. Our natural tendency is to look ahead when we think about passing on our faith to the next generation. After all, our thoughts are on the next generation. However, what we cannot forget is the spiritual legacy from saints past that precede us and has brought us to this point in time: Abraham, Jacob, Noah, Moses, Joshua, David, the prophets, the apostles, and the list goes on.

Because of my conviction to value the faith of my predecessors, I recently made a lifetime investment. I was offered a special deal by Lifeway to buy a total of nineteen books written by spiritual giants of the faith from ages past. Here is the ad that sold me on making the buy:

The voices that shaped your faith in an exclusive collector’s edition to read and pass down for generations to come

Augustine. Bunyan. Chesterton. Edwards. Luther. Murray. Spurgeon. Wesley.  

The Legacy of Faith Library guards the good deposit handed down by champions of the faith whose messages are as applicable today as the time in which they were written. This contemporary collection of the classic texts preserves the author’s words while presenting them in custom bound, leather editions with gilded edges, ribbon markers, and a careful typesetting to guide and enhance your reading experience.

The eight-volume set includes a total of nineteen books and is presented in a handcrafted, mahogany cradle designed to display this one-of-a-kind collector’s edition.

We need the witness of the Church.

We need to hear the voices of those in the past to be faithful in the present. We need to remember stories of heroism under trial—Augustine defending Christianity against its pagan critics and Luther standing before the Roman Catholic magisterium. We need to defend the faith with the wit of Chesterton and the humility of Andrew Murray. We need to embrace Jonathan Edwards’ all-surpassing vision of the beauty of God and John Wesley’s evangelistic urgency. We need to recapture Charles Spurgeon’s ability to proclaim the liberating power of the gospel and John Bunyan’s ability to make these truths accessible even to children.

Church history is important! We have a lot to learn from the Christ-followers who came before us. As I begin reading these books, I plan to include excerpts from the books on this blog. I think it is very important that we highlight the past as we continue to forge new paths in the future. In doing so, our legacy as next generation parents and leaders will only be that much stronger!

Categories
Next Generation Ministry

Episode IV: NGM

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away . . .  Like the intro to the epoch movie Star Wars, I started my first gig as a youth minister at the turn of the millennium. It was the year 2000. I was young and naïve, but somehow God used me to begin and then build up a youth group (that’s what we called it then). I have learned since that youth groups are social clubs like FFA, 4H, and ball teams. Youth ministries serve their world, their communities, their schools, their church, and each other. Youth groups are about themselves. Think games and pizza. Youth ministries are about loving and serving both God and others. Think missions!

As terminology and the profession of youth ministry evolved, I did as well. For many years, I resisted the notion of attending seminary. I did not see the need for it and God was blessing my ministry. But after much prayer and encouragement from others, I finally gave in. A letter from a Pastor in Macon, GA stuck with me as his written words kept ringing in my ears . . . “a call to the ministry is a call to be equipped for the work of the ministry.” So I called Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) in 2005 and asked what they had to offer for training in youth ministry. They told me the closest track they had was called Christian Education and that the plan was to unveil a degree offering for youth ministry in the near future.

Even though SEBTS had no degrees for youth ministry, I decided to enroll and go for my M Div. in Christian Education since I also shared a passion for working with youth in a Christian school setting. After working some in a Christian School and then graduating from SEBTS in 2009, I began working as a minister of children, youth, and education in 2010. I had to wear many hats, but my main emphasis was leading Youth on Mission or building a missional “student ministry” (notice the name change again). Now by this time, SEBTS had lived up to their word and were offering M Div.’s in Student Ministry. I worked full-time until the end of 2013, but near the end of my tenure, I felt God saying “family ministry.”

Being missional was still important, but I knew more than ever, God was transitioning a movement in His Church from “student ministry” to “family ministry.” Ministers like Timothy Paul Jones, Brian Haynes, Jay Strother, Steve Wright, and others were found promoting the family-equipping ministry model.

Around the beginning of 2015, I began my advanced studies at SEBTS in next generation ministry. Next generation ministry was more than “student ministry” and it was more than “family ministry.” NGM was the best of both worlds and more! Students were defined in terms of more than just children or youth and family ministry was essential. Silos were broken, leaders were valued, and disciples were made.

I can attest to the difficulty of working as a youth minister in my early 20’s and working with silos in my early 30’s. After all, it is difficult for a 20-year old to relate to parents and a person of any age to break down silos. Next generation ministry is different than youth or student ministry in that it requires a leader who is experienced in both ministry and life.

I was watching a next generation sport today called soccer (I know its an old sport but its catching on like fire in the USA). An advertisement from today’s big game, the UEFA Champions League Final, stood out to me and may be an ad you remember while watching a football game. The ad was a beer commercial and it said, “it takes 15 years to be a Heineken brew-master.”

That’s the way I feel about being a next generation pastor. To be able to work well with young adults, parents, leaders and students requires someone at least the age of 35 or someone who has about 15 years experience. 20-year olds should still be given the opportunity, like I was, to minister to youth. But youth ministry is not the same as next generation ministry. Youth are part of the next generation, but youth ministry is just one part of the whole in the big picture of next generation ministry. Next generation pastors must be strong in ministry to preschool, college, singles and married young adults as well. I have been a next generation pastor for over two years now and “am still learning” as the commercial went on to say. Youth ministry . . . student ministry . . . family ministry . . . next generation ministry . . . what lies beyond the final frontier? Only God knows . . .

Categories
Next Generation Ministry

Congratulations Graduates!

Numbers 15:37-39 – “The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so remember all the commands of the Lord, so that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.

Graduation Day—a day mixed with emotions. All involved—parents, teachers, administrators, students—carry with them a bittersweet feeling on Graduation Day. It is both a happy and a sad moment. The sun is shining, but the rain is falling. If you are really struggling, open up to the Book of Psalms and begin reading. In many instances, Graduation Day, a milestone event, is merely a symbol that little Billy or Sally has grown up. Graduates not only leave their old school behind never to return, but often leave home (“empty nest”), only coming back on occasion.

Graduation Day is a special time for me this year! My niece graduates from high school tomorrow and then sets sail for UGA, the University of Georgia. I am happy for my niece’s accomplishments and achievements but sad to have seen her grow up so quickly. When she flips the tassel and throws the hat up, it’s time for a new part of her journey to begin.

Reading the biblical passage above struck me in a strong way this past week. The tassel did not represent graduation for the Israelites and the tassel was not attached to a graduation cap. However, I hope upcoming graduates understand that when they they finally flip their tassel, they will look it and recount God’s faithfulness to them and remember his commands. College life will test one’s commitment to Christ in many ways. Graduates who recognize that God was with them through high school will understand that God will be with them through college. Unlike men, God does not change. The big theological word that we use to explain God’s unchanging nature is immuatability. I am glad that God does not change but I am even more glad that God does not leave or forsake us (Heb 13:5). Life is ever changing. Generations come and generations go, but God’s faithfulness remains.

In NGM, we celebrate milestone events! Graduation is just one such milestone in a young person’s life. Next generation leader, have you ever thought about what you want your church graduate to look like when he or she graduates from your ministry? If not, you should have. What is the end goal? The end goal should be to develop a fully committed follower of Christ. If you’ve done your job right, you have worked with parents, children, students, and leaders for eighteen years (if you’ve been serving that long) just for this moment! And though the discipleship process never ends, it becomes clear to all that you have left your mark! Though society no longer looks at pastors with the same gusto, your position is of supreme importance and you should share in feeling a sense of accomplishment as your graduate walks across the stage, be it at school or at church.

Yes, graduation is happy and its sad. But what do you do when it is all over? Just remember what comes up after the rain and after the sun. Rai͡nbows signify God’s faithfulness to his promises. When it is all said and done, walk away in joy knowing that God and his Word are not going anywhere. And maybe, just maybe, your graduate will find a pot of gold at the end of his or her rainbow.

Categories
Great Commission

NGM in 3D

Today’s post is special because I am writing it in 3D! No, you do not have to put 3D glasses on to be able to read it, but you do need to visualize the subject of next generation ministry (NGM) from the vantage point of three different dimensions: globalization (the third world), technology (the third wave), and motivation (the third drive). Our world is vastly changing so try to keep up! I will first explain each dimension in 3.0 form. Then I will conclude by taking all three dimensions and integrating them into the subject at hand: next generation ministry.

Thomas Friedman who wrote The World is Flat: 3.0 writes, “Globalization 3.0 (which started around 2000) is shrinking the world from a size small to a size tiny and flattening the playing field at the same time” and that the dynamic force behind the globalization movement is “individuals and small groups” who have been empowered. Friedman says that Globalization 3.0 is going to be driven by “a much more diverse — non-Western, nonwhite – group of individuals.”

Steve Case, inventor of AOL, describes The Third Wave (what I call Technology 3.0) as being “where entrepreneurs will use technology to revolutionize major real world sectors – including healthcare, education, transportation, energy, and food – and in the process transform the way we live.” The internet will no longer be an “Internet of Things” such as apps, social media sites, search engines, etc., but will become an “Internet of Everything” that will disrupt every industry as “it is integrated into every part of our lives – how we learn, how we heal, how we manage our finances, how we get around, how we work, how we eat . . . everything from energy to insurance, from agriculture to manufacturing, is transforming.” We will do more than interact with the internet. The internet will interact with us.

The third wave isn’t coming. The third wave is here! For example, the Helo LX Wristband is a new disruptive technology that is the world’s most advanced lifestyle wearable. The Wor(l)d Helo blows away the competition such as Fitbit Blaze or Surge, Samsung Gear S2, Microsoft Band, Garmin Forerunner, and the Apple Watch as the Helo does so much more than just measure heart rate, step counter, calories, distance covered, and sleep quality. The Helo is iPhone/Android compatible and can also perform an ECG/EKG, monitor blood pressure and other vitals, and sensor for mood and fatigue. The Helo comes with germanium plates, Himalayan salt plates, a panic button, and an emergency SOS GPS location device. That’s not all. In the future, the Helo will have other health and fitness features such as the ability to take one’s blood oxygen, body temperature, blood sugar, and blood alcohol levels while also serving as a mosquito shield. In the third wave, you will no longer need to go to the doctor to get a checkup as the doctor will now be able to check up on you 24/7 wherever you are.

Daniel Pink explains the third drive or Motivation 3.0 in his book Drive as the upgrade we all need “in order to meet the new realities of how we organize, think about, and do what we do.” Pink describes the third drive “as a way of thinking and an approach to life built around intrinsic, rather than extrinsic, motivators” and “powered by our innate need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.” Pink uses the words autonomy, mastery, and purpose to describe the desired behavior that “concerns itself less with the external rewards an activity brings and more with the inherent satisfaction of the activity itself.” Pink says this type of behavior “leads to stronger performance, greater health, and higher overall well-being.”

So what do Globalization 3.0, Technology 3.0, and Motivation 3.0 have to do with next generation ministry? Everything! Next generation leaders must capitalize on the third world, the third wave, and the third drive by understanding the times and then venturing into the unknown realm themselves. More importantly though, next generation leaders must weave these three dimensions into accomplishing the Great Commission (Mat 28:19-20). Next generation leaders must be internally driven to reach an ever-flattening world and to make disciples using the latest technology. As international partnerships are made and “cities that were once marginalized become entrepreneurial powerhouses,” next generation leaders find themselves in a unique position to be the catalysts of some of the greatest mission mobilization the world has ever seen!

Take your talent to a desperate world (anywhere on the globe), do what God made you to do that you love doing (intrinsic motivation), and use any means you can (including technology) to help you make disciples of all nations (NGM)!