How will you live so next generation can know God?

Around the family table

“…that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep his commandments;”
—Psalm 78: 6-7 (NRSV)
“That the next generation might know….” What a challenging but worthwhile outcome for our faithfulness as Christians and as church growers: that the next generation might know!
In part, that is the hoped-for outcome of our transformation efforts in the McAllen District: that the next generation might know.
I chose to be a Christian at age 10. I knew neither all the difficulties nor all the blessings that would follow that early decision. But I am grateful that my parents created an environment around me that graciously led me to that opportunity to decide to follow Jesus.
My parents were intentional themselves about following Jesus, partly so that the next generation (including me and my sister) might know Christ’s love, power and hope. And indeed, I have set my hope in God. So I am not only thankful but humbly indebted to my faithful parents for my heritage of the Christian faith.
I chose to be a Methodist at age 28. I knew that I had found both the Christian community and the Christian practice that I had been longing for. The acceptance, caring and stimulation of both St. Luke and First UMCs in San Angelo provided the impetus for me to make a career-altering decision as I became not just a United Methodist but a United Methodist pastor.
Again, part of their witness to me was that the next generation of United Methodist pastors (like me) might know the support and encouragement of God.
To this day I remember their example of relying on the works of God over one’s own work. And I am grateful.
How will you choose to live around your family, in your congregation and among those in your world so that the next generation might know the God whose teachings are life-giving?
One way that our regional church (our Southwest Texas Annual Conference) has chosen to increase our witness so “that the next generation might know” is through starting new churches.
(Our conference has also chosen to witness by helping existing churches transform their mission and ministry so that they become more effective in reaching out to the community. Our own district has been helped by the annual conference in this way.)
In June 2006 our annual conference voted overwhelmingly to conduct the Offering Christ Today for Tomorrow campaign to raise capital funds for new church starts (clergy training and support, land acquisition, sound and facility equipment). This campaign was developed after much research and thoughtful prayer. Some of you were involved in that planning.
The first phase of the campaign has been soliciting major gifts. So far, about $2.5 million has been received in this phase.
The bishop and district superintendents, the New Church Development Commission, and the members of the Major Gifts Committee have all made financial commitments to this worthy emphasis. Mary and I agreed on our personal commitment to this campaign and have begun to honor that commitment with our regular monthly financial contributions.
For sure, we want to be included in building new churches so “that the next generation might know” God.
The next phase of the campaign is the invitation to local church pastors and to congregations to discern what God is leading them to commit in giving to this need to expand the number of new churches in our annual conference.
The goal is to involve every congregation in our district (and in our conference) in this important challenge of growing the church.
Pastor commitments to giving are to be made for three years, and congregation commitments are for three to five. Pastors will return their commitment cards by Ash Wednesday and churches by May 1.
Bishop Joel N. Martinez has written, “I am convinced that the success of our efforts is essential to the health of our denomination…. When we offer Christ today, we ensure that our children and grandchildren will know the unspeakable joy of life in Christ tomorrow.”
I urge you prayerfully to consider a sacrificial and heroic response to this campaign of Offering Christ Today for Tomorrow so “that the next generation might know” the hope and work of God.
So, I ask you again, how will you choose to live around your family, in your congregation and among those in your world so that the next generation might know the God in Christ whose teachings are life-giving?
It will make a difference—not only for you but also for those most dear to you, not only for those you know well but also for those you have never met—some of whom are being used by God to transform the world.