I have the privilege of spending much of my life with young church leaders. As a seminary dean and missionary trainer, I hang out with people younger than I am. I’m the teacher, but I learn from the young generation as much as—if not more than—I teach them. Sometimes they teach me something new, as with technology and social media. In other cases, they simply remind me of something I’ve forgotten or have taken for granted. Here are some of those general reminders that I, and perhaps other older leaders, need to hear from young church leaders.
- Christianity is intended to be life-on-life. This generation understands that no Christian is to live in isolation. Accountability is non-negotiable. Small groups are centers of life transformation rather than only weekly fellowship gatherings.
- Authenticity is critical. Young church leaders have watched other leaders fall. For many, even their families of origin have been marked by duplicity. They want to trust other church leaders, but, frankly, they have seen too much. Anyone whose life models authenticity will catch their attention.
- Mentoring matters. The most common request I hear from young church leaders is, “I want someone to mentor me. I need someone to walk with me through ministry.” Given that Jesus and Paul discipled others primarily through mentoring, we older leaders cannot ignore this request.
- Christianity is a “doing” faith. For my generation, Christian commitment has sometimes been limited to church attendance and monetary support, with little attention to service and ministry. Young leaders, though, assume a “hands on” personal faith. Christianity without action is at best an incomplete faith, at worst a false one.
- We will not reach non-believers if we don’t really know any. The young generation is not interested in remaining in the “Christian bubble” that my generation has created. They seek to genuinely know and love those who do not yet follow Christ.
- We cannot ignore social ministry. We older leaders have often neglected social ministry, for fear we would lose our focus on evangelism. The young generation, though, is striving to correct our omission. Their faith is a Great Commission faith (Matt. 28:18-20) that does not miss the hurting and disenfranchised (Matt. 25:31-46).
- Church discipline is biblical. Leaders of my generation have largely ignored church discipline. Not so with young leaders today. They may at times lead too quickly into discipline, but they are willing to tackle this biblical responsibility. They understand that ignoring this need is neither loving nor godly.
- The local church is the missions sending agency. We older leaders often delegated this responsibility to other agencies and organizations. Young church leaders recognize the church’s mandate to raise up missionaries and church planters, send them out, and then care for them while they are on the field.
- Denominational loyalty must be earned. Many in my generation have invested in a single denomination. Young leaders, though, do not share this loyalty. We must take some responsibility for this reality, for we have not adequately convinced them of the value of cooperative work. Rather than judge them, we must hear them, teach them . . . and be willing to adjust if needed.
- If faith requires death, that’s okay. This commitment is perhaps the one that most grabs my attention. Young church leaders are often less concerned about big church buildings and earthly recognition; they are most burdened about getting the gospel to the 4 billion+ people who have little access to the gospel. If doing that work requires moving their families to the most dangerous places in the world, they are ready to go. That kind of faith often puts mine to shame.
- They genuinely long to have time with older folks They truly do. And, we miss opportunities for growth if we don’t hang out with younger folks at times.
What other insights have you gained from young church leaders? What else do we need to hear?
Thanks, Adam. Many of us recognize some things must change. Hang with us.
Sorry, Mark, but I’m not sure I understand your comment.
I meant to say “here”. Basically, we did not suggest something new without thinking it through. Performance metrics, etc.
Thanks for the clarification.
I agree with you. By the time many boys were 25 they had fought WW II and survived the horrors of either the European theater or Pacific theater. Now at 25, many aren’t permitted to do anything complicated or serious.
I keep asking why people have to be over 55 before their suggestions are considered.
Thanks, Mark. Good thoughts.
Mark: this is one of the most profound statements I’ve ever heard (“by the time….25”). No wonder so many “young” leaders get restless “paying their dues”.
(P.S.: Chuck, pass my e-mail address along to Mark if it’s possible. Would like to dialogue with him. Thanks.)
Thanks, Don. IF we mentor (and you’re right–too few older leaders do), we must commit to releasing the young leaders to lead. We may still need to walk beside them awhile, but that kind of shared, transitional leadership can be strong.
Thanks, Matt. Please know that some of us older folks do want to partner with you in ministry.
Thanks, Meredith. The older I get, the more I don’t want there to be a demarcation between young/old.
Thanks, Hal, for your thoughts.
Don’t give up, Jon. Take this time to evaluate yourself (we all have room for improvement, regardless of our age), and continue to seek someone to mentor you. Sometimes it takes a while to find to right connection.
Thanks, Michael.
David: I pray that God will find you that right mentor.
Thanks, TMM, for your thoughts. You have made me think.
Thanks, brother. I know you understand the importance of this generation.
I am joining Dr. Rainer in that prayer, David.
Young Church leaders need to practice preaching in a community ministry and try their ideas out on a Christian Meetup.com group before taking their ideas and preaching to a church setting….
A church should be strong in doctrine above all, know and practice your doctrine and most things will fall into place.
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