I've found a kindred spirit in Pastor Ed Underwood. Ed is pastor of the historic Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles, CA.
We are both products of the Jesus People Movement of the early 1970's, fans of the LA Dodgers and the USC Trojans, and grandparents.
We're ministry veterans (old guys) who want to see a fresh revival in the church, and are committed to intentional, relational discipleship to equip and raise up the next generation of leaders. Here's Ed's post—
Sooner or later, the ones who always get things done in a local church, the ones who make the key decisions, they will die.
It’s a one-to-one ratio. Everyone in our faith communities will die–pastors, elders, deacons, volunteers, teachers, and everyday serious disciples of Christ–every one of us will die.
A sad reality? Yes. But it doesn’t have to be a desperate problem.
Unless the ones who are closest to the end refuse to risk what Jesus risked: Handing off his community to the next generation.
[bctt tweet="We need to risk what Jesus risked: Handing off his community to the next generation. @EdUnderwood" via="no"]
Jesus’ community is the church. Notice that he didn’t choose one person over forty to birth his church.
Notice also that Jesus’ devoted followers, the Apostles, were constantly building into the next generation. Peter took John Mark under wing, Paul had his Timothy and Titus.
But all the teaching, equipping and modeling is lost if those of us who are on in years refuse to pass through the threshold of trust.
The Threshold
The day will come when we not only speak truth into the next generation, train the next generation, equip the next generation, and encourage the next generation, but we also hand off to them. Until we trust the next generation to do what we’ve been doing all of our talk about loving community and caring about the future of the work of God is just that.
Talk
Because we’ve stepped back from the real test of trusting God’s Spirit at work in the next generation.
Trust
Until we actually give them voice, space, and ownership, we’re just one more bunch of old Christians clinging to the inertia of institutionalized church.
And we’re the ones who lose, because if we’ve done what Jesus asked us to do–make disciples–we’re missing the greatest earthly joy of community: watching the next generation’s giftedness glorify our Lord.
The Payoff
Last weekend we risked our beloved community, Church of the Open Door, to the next generation.
When I first proposed this radical idea to hand off responsibility for our 100th Centennial Celebration to the next generation there were a few raised eyebrows. I mean this was a big deal. What if they blow it? What if it doesn’t work out? What if? What if? What if?
If you’re reading this and you’re over forty you need to know that you’ll never run out of “what ifs.”
I have some better what ifs:
What if they have creative ideas we would never imagine?
What if they could energize a demographic we’ve lost touch with?
What if they, not us, are on the cutting edge of what the Holy Spirit’s doing in this world?
A tent, family, and hashtags
We risked it.
And rather than blowing it the next generation of Church of the Open Door blew our minds.
With creativity.
With energy.
With a front row seat to the power of the Spirit in their lives.
They wanted informal, not formal. They wanted family friendly, not program driven. They wanted it outside under a tent, not in the worship center. They wanted to build a memory for their children. And they wanted a hashtag rather than a videographer and a memorial magazine.
Wow!
I still can’t figure out how to use the #cod100th hashtag, but every time someone under thirty shows me how I can’t believe how spectacular our 100th Anniversary was.
It seems Church of the Open Door’s future is in good hands.
I read Ed's book, Reborn to Be Wild: Reviving Our Radical Pursuit of Jesus, and realized we were kindred spirits. We have similar passions! We want to pass on to the next generation all that Jesus has poured into us.
I hope you'll visit his site where you'll find more great posts and some great resources. Here's the link to the original post on Ed's site— Risking Community to the Next Generation
Ed is featuring one of my recent posts, so check it out at— EdUnderwood.com