I get frustrated when people say, “Youth are the future of the church.” It is true that someday the 14-year-old will become an elder or youth leader or pastor and do great things for Jesus. But that statement implies that the young person is not doing great things for Jesus right now.
It is also true that we sometimes think that 26-year-old just isn’t seasoned enough to lead other adults.
That begs the question, “In what ways are students and young adults more than just the future of the church? In what ways are they the present? And perhaps more importantly, how can we tap into the gifts and contributions of the next generation?”
Raising up the next generation of leaders
Taste and see. Perhaps raising up the next generation of leaders starts with “tasting and seeing” their current gifts and contributions.
When Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good!” the (correct) assumption is that God is good—it’s just a matter of whether we recognize it.
It’s certainly possible to attend church every Sunday, oblivious to how God has already gifted the next generation, but why can’t we (correctly) assume that the next generation already has the “seed” of leadership and service?
Open mouths and eyes are a first step toward raising up the next generation of leaders.
Talk them up. Something else that will help churches recognize that students and young adults are the present of the church is to “talk them up” in front of the church.
This past March, 29 high school students and sponsors from our church went on a mission trip to Peru. The adult leaders not only marveled at the maturity and confidence of these students as they led in teaching and in worship, but they talked them up in front of their peers, on social media and in front of our church.
There isn’t a simple or easy solution to raising up the next generation of church leaders, but shoulder-tapping has always been part of the leadership recruitment strategy.
It sends a loud and clear message to both the church and the next generation when current leaders publicly affirm younger leaders.
Find some shoulders. There isn’t a simple or easy solution to raising up the next generation of church leaders, but shoulder-tapping has always been part of the leadership recruitment strategy. When we see godly and gifted young people, we need to encourage them to consider ministry in the church.
And often, we see potential in a person that they don’t see in themselves. Neither Saul nor David saw themselves as the next king when Samuel anointed them. We will probably “shoulder-tap” people who have not given much, if any thought, to entering into some kind of full-time church ministry.
So, we’re often planting seeds when we tap someone on the shoulder and say, “I see a love for Jesus and leadership gifting in you. You should consider entering into church ministry.”
And then we pray. And we keep tapping shoulders.
Connect them. Churches, more and more, are recognizing the value of intergenerational mentoring, and the next generation is actually eager to absorb wisdom and guidance from more “seasoned” adults.
Our church has made mentoring a significant part of our discipleship process and we currently have nearly 60 mentoring matches. A young adult recently shared with me how their mentor has given them confidence both as a parent and as a leader among their peers.
We must not underestimate what a mentoring relationship can do for both the mentor and the one being mentored.
Give them a chance. Perhaps one of the best things we can do is to give the next generation the opportunity to serve and lead.
Our church had seven summer interns earlier this year who served in kids ministry, student ministry, media/graphics, worship and missions. While none of them were experienced or seasoned church leaders, again and again we saw their current leadership gifts. We gave them assignments, and they tackled them with confidence.
Our church has also launched a Leadership Academy that focuses on training interns (generally high school and college students for three months) and residents (generally post-college adults for six months).
The investment in interns and residents is taxing on our current staff. But while the “leadership drain” on our church staff is high, they are convinced that investing in the next generation of leaders is worth it. We know that 1 Corinthians 15:58 is true: “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Keeping the next generation
But we don’t just face the challenge of raising up the next generation of leaders. The church is also facing the exodus of post-high school students who are leaving the church in significant numbers. How do we keep the next generation?
Research from the Fuller Youth Institute reveals that the greatest factor for creating what they call a “faith that sticks” or “sticky faith” has little to do with youth group size, worship style or denomination. Sticky faith has to do with the number of meaningful adult relationships the students have in their church family. Students who have meaningful relationships with at least five adults in their church (emphasis on meaningful) are far more likely to retain their faith into their adult years.
In other words, the younger generations need meaningful relationships with the older generations in their community of faith if they are going to stay a committed part of a community of faith.
Students who have meaningful relationships with at least five adults in their church (emphasis on meaningful) are far more likely to retain their faith into their adult years.
The adult volunteers in our student ministry commit to all four years of a student’s high school experience. This long-term relationship engagement pays big dividends.
Zeal for the next generation
Romans 12:11 says, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”
“Zeal” literally means inner boil, burn. It’s a deep inner energy, a genuine and deep desire for something. Interestingly, even God needs zeal to accomplish what he sets out to do.
Seven hundred years before it happened, Isaiah prophesied about the birth of Christ (Is. 9:6-7): “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”
Did you catch what will accomplish this? The zeal of the Lord Almighty. Zeal is the “secret sauce” that helps us stay committed to what God has called us to.
Psalm 71:18 says, “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.”
Raising up the next generation of leaders—and keeping them in the church—can feel like daunting challenges, but if zeal helped God pull off the incarnation of his Son, zeal will help us, by God’s grace and with his help, raise up the next generation of leaders.
Brent Warkentin is lead pastor at Ridgepoint Church, Wichita, Kansas. Prior to coming to Ridgepoint in 2005, Warkentin served for 15 years on the pastoral staff at Buhler (Kansas) MB Church and as a youth pastor in Kansas and California for five years. He grew up in Wichita and spent his teenage years in Indonesia where his parents were missionaries. He and his wife, Joan, have two daughters and sons-in-law and three grandchildren.
