Resolution - Next Generation Ministry

Happy New Year! May this be the year that evangelism trumps terrorism. About 2000 years ago, a man met 12 of his followers on a mountain, gave them the big idea, and released them to turn the world upside-down. About 20 years ago, another man met his followers in a room and shared his idea of bringing America down. Jesus and Osama Bin Laden both led movements with radical ideas that changed the world as we know it.

My fear in next generation ministry is that students in next generation ministry are not getting the gospel. I don’t mean that they are not hearing the gospel. I mean that they don’t understand the gospel is bigger than them, their idols, the time they have been allotted to live on planet earth. Most people who start movements don’t set out to. Martin Luther King Jr. did not say, “I have a plan.” No, he said, “I have a dream.” God wants his church to reach the whole known world with the gospel! Are you in? Are you all-in?

The idol of our time is entertainment. The average young man plays 10,000 hours of video games before by the time he is 21. Let’s be honest: Another idol of our time is porn. Statistics have shown a large percentage of men in the church (that includes pastors) are struggling with this idol. Our culture promotes tolerance of many sins, including watching porn. With the proliferation of iPhones, etc., without filters, I can only image the percentage of sex addicts we are raising up. Help addicts understand acceptance (from God), not just forgiveness, freedom (in Christ), not just shame. Another idol is sports. I once heard someone say if you spend more time talking about sports in a week than you do talking about God, you have an idol. Not all idols are bad things. Some idols are good things. But when a good thing becomes a God thing, it becomes a bad thing. Idols never deliver all they promise. I always tell people sin will take you farther than you want to go, cost you more than you want to pay, and keep you longer than you want to stay. Sin robs us of our time, talent, and treasure. The gospel is much grander and glorious than entertainment, video games, porn, or sports combined. I know I’m primarily addressing men and young men here but women and young women have idols too. Throw all your idols in one basket and they come no where near touching the affections derived from the gospel.

I don’t think the next generation gets the gospel because we next generation leaders don’t get the gospel. Preach the gospel to yourself first. Immerse yourself in it, read books on it, listen to gospel-centered preaching, saturate yourself in the gospel. Do you not know what the gospel is? It is the birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord, but its more. It’s more than propositional truth. It’s more than personal allegiance, surrendering yourself for God’s kingdom purposes. The gospel began before creation and will continue after the world has been restored. Jesus is the good news and there is no end to his kingdom. The gospel is a passion we have that will never go away. Yes, you may go to heaven, but you will never forget how you got there – that’s the gospel! You can never say enough, write enough, hear enough about the good news because the good news of the gospel never becomes old news. The gospel lives inside of you if you know Jesus. I once heard when you read the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), its like your looking Jesus in the eye, face to face, mano y mano. Jesus is the gospel. When you share the good news, you’re sharing Jesus! What else would possess an 8 year-old to share Jesus with an 80 year-old? Why else have people throughout the ages given up their possessions, their family, their very lives? – because of the gospel!

Once you know it, next generation leader, share it! Be like Jeremiah the prophet – let that fire out of your bones. Though the weeping prophet didn’t see results, he couldn’t just keep the message inside of him. Tell it as you go, not just when your at church. Serve, but share. We need less service projects and more mission projects where we serve and share. Evangelism and discipleship go together. Who wants peanut butter without the jelly? Your students will see you sharing the gospel and will follow suit.

Finally, live the gospel. We just celebrated Christmas. We experienced the Word come alive in human flesh. Some people only know about presents wrapped in paper, not the Present wrapped in swaddling clothes: God incarnate – Jesus, the God-man. Live what you are. Live the gospel. Let it be your identity. Paul talked about knowing nothing but Christ. John said he had to decrease. Jesus talked about dying to self. What say you?

Religion says look right, act right, be right. Jesus says follow me. The religion of our day is moralistic therapeutic deism (MTD). We have confused the essence of the gospel with the results of the gospel. Morality says be good. Therapy says feel good about yourself. Deism says God does not involve himself in your life affairs. THAT’S NOT THE GOSPEL! God does care about you or he would not have given up his one and only Son (John 3:16). John 3:16 is the gospel in a nutshell.

I am beaming with excitement for the year 2017! I have waited in great anticipation for a book that comes out this year entitled Share Jesus Without Freaking Out by Alvin Reid. I plan to buy copies of this book to share with all the leaders and students in my next generation ministry. And I would encourage you too to purchase this book as well.

Dr. Reid or Doc as I call him (we are good friends) has often told me the #1 fear in America is public speaking and the #2 fear is snakes. As a middle school student, I loved snakes and wanted to become a herpetologist. Now, I’m glad I’ve changed my professional aspirations! In middle school, I got nervous speaking, but now I rather enjoy it. The point I’m making is our fears tend to change over time, but I can understand if you still hate snakes and making speeches (most of America does).

I have other fears though, fears of which will probably make you laugh. When I walk into a post office, I feel like a lost puppy. I don’t know what to do. Tax work scares me. I feel awkward at banks, can’t relate to tellers, and though I like the sound of the drive thru tube, just give me the ATM. I still hate heights, won’t ride a roller coaster, and though I don’t mind flying, airports aren’t my thing.

Maybe you feel right at home while walking in or working at a bank, post office, or airport, while it scares me to death. Our differences are what makes the world go around. And as you can see, we often fear different things.

Fear or no fear, Christians are not sharing the gospel like they need to. I think sharing Jesus has become the Christian’s #1 fear. How many Christians do you know of that don’t even say the name of Jesus at home. You don’t have to tell the next generation that you’re scared to tell others about Jesus. They already know. They are your kids, your grandkids and they’ve been watching you for all the years you’ve been alive. When you don’t talk about Jesus at home, you’re sure not going to talk about him in the world.

Go ahead, say it…Jesus…there—you did it!…and don’t just say it at church by finishing the hymn out…the sweetest name I know. If his name is really that sweet, you need to get used to saying it wherever you go…at school…at work…to your neighbor…at the lunch table…and the list goes on. It’s not a duty, it’s a privilege. You talk about that which you love the most, that which you are most passionate about, but the church has made sharing Jesus sound so complicated, that no one feels capable of doing it or that it’s even possible of being done.

You don’t have to rehearse a perfect gospel presentation or go to a twelve-week training program on evangelism before you start telling others about what Jesus has done for you. All you have to do is open your mouth! The Holy Spirit is pretty good at giving you words too! The outlines, the canned presentations, etc. aren’t bad and can assist you in this endeavor. But why not start with a natural conversation as opposed to an awkward presentation. This way, both you and your hearer will feel more comfortable.

People have always needed to know about hell, but if that’s all they hear you screaming, I’d be running the other way too! We’re not supposed to be hollering madmen scaring away those we’re trying to win to Christ. It’s often the scared man who begins to open his mouth and proclaim Christ that finds success. It’s because this timid soul comes across as someone who doesn’t have it all together. Oh…you mean, they’re just like you and me? Now, I can listen to a guy like that!

Don’t freak out! Just be yourself. When you come across as that person who doesn’t have all the answers, I think you’ll find people are more willing to listen to what you do have to say. And guess what, they’ll probably ask you more questions and you will probably have some questions for them…funny how that works. Need a resolution for the New Year? How about sharing Jesus without freaking out!