Keys to Reaching the Next Generation – Top Four
CFCC’s Brad Abare and Phil Cooke were interviewed for an hour by Conversant Life.
The best part of the interview can be summarized by their Top Four Keys to Reaching the Next Generation for Jesus Christ. It’s not an exhaustive list, and they were answering questions on the fly, but like most leaders in the church they were already thinking about these things and I felt like these four things were spot on.
Keys to Reaching the Next Generation
- Vision + Culture = You must have a vision and you need to create a culture of transformation within your church. (I don’t know of another church who has done this better than Quest)
- Monologue →Dialogue: We need to move from Monologue to Dialogue in how we interact with the congregation in all of our gatherings (YouVersion)
- Lions and Tigers and BEARS…Instead of passing on our faith, the torch, responsibilities we need to carry it (bear it) with them. Mentoring will be essential.
- T r a n s p a r e n c y – In the internet age there is no hiding what you own, buy, sell, or do so don’t try to hide. Leaders must be comfortable with sharing their personal struggles. (Just ask Tiger Woods)
Skye Jethani Reflections @ Story 09
Consumerism Worldview
1. I am the center of the universe
2. I have unmet desires
3. There is a pill, person, procedure or program to help me with any problem that I have.
4. Jesus is a commodity
We have made Jesus into a means to an end instead of THE END.
We have a choice every weekend where we can educate or illuminate…to teach or preach. We can help people get through this life, or help them see another Kingdom, a Kingdom they say that they believe in, but need an imagination to see.
Fatal Flaws in “Instructional Preaching”
1. It doesn’t work in crowds. People don’t retain information.
2. It doesn’t challenge people’s perceptions of reality
There is a difference between preaching and teaching.
Kuros – preaching, announcing, gives a glimpse of another reality
Preaching requires experiential knowledge
Didakeo – teaching, conveying instruction
Teaching requires a basic set of knowledge and skills
Instructional preaching is really just teaching.
We need to PREACH on the weekends, and require people to use their imagination. We need to do our teaching elsewhere.
Skye’s book is a must read…see side bar for quick link to Amazon.
You are never too old to fail.
He should know better than that!”
Ever heard those words? Have you ever said them?
Somehow in my mind, and I assume everyone’s mind, we are tempted to believe that one day we arrive. We will get to a place where we have enough money, wisdom, knowledge, 60″ flat screens, and Audis and we’ll build a $20 million dollar home on the inter-coastal in Sarasota and we’ll have to choose whether to lay by the pool or venture to the private beach to read and have a cup of coffee. We live like we will eventually get to a place in life where decisions come easy, and the decisions we make will always be right.
Today, I realized that this is all wrong. I know, it’s a shocker!
Reading 2 Chronicles 15-16 where Asa rules for 35 years making all of the right decisions, and then
Asa messed up, and his mistake cost him a peaceful end to his life.
This life with Jesus is a journey, and while we are always intended to stay on the narrow path we can choose to detour at any moment. The enemy is lying in wait for any opportunity to lead us away. Our destination is Christlikeness, and the completion of that journey will only happen on the other side of death or Jesus’ return depending upon which comes first. There is no retirement from the work that Jesus needs to do in us.
Are you living your life as if your arrival is eminent, or are you continually being changed knowing that a fight is required to remain on the narrow way?