From Generation to Generation

Yesterday Jared preached an important message in the life of our church in anticipation of our Senior Pastor Transition next Sunday. He preached from Psalm 78:1-8, with particular attention to verses 4-7:



Psalm 78:4-7 4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. 5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, 7 so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;



As we look forward to this important moment in our church, let us all see the significance of this transition – not just of one Senior Pastor to another, but of establishing a commitment that ‘children not yet born’ might inherit a Gospel loving church from the fruits of our labor. As Jared quoted my attempt to capture the significance of this event,



Do you know what this transition is about? It’s about a church that is growing up. My generation started this church, laid its foundations, established its culture, and developed its vision. And we have the potential to turn all that into a monument to the past. The test of a good church is its ability to retain its core biblical values as it passes from one generation to the next. The test of good church leadership is to entrust what we love to younger men – and let them lead it. That doesn’t mean that my generation, and those of you who are older than me, take a back seat to the youngsters. It means we have a grown up church – each member, regardless of our age, doing what is best to make sure this church stands the test of time and transition. We’re at the moment of decision on that right now. We all feel it. Do we look back and hold onto what had so much meaning for us in the heady days of our youth? Or do we prepare for the future, and turn the thing over to leaders who see it with clearer vision than we possess?



Please pray for Dave and Jared this week, that it would be a sweet time of anticipation and memories, that they would be aware of God’s ‘well done’ over what is taking place.