The Pursuit Of

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The Pursuit Of

• Empowering Future Generations

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Empowering Future Generations
Jesus Stated I Will Build My Church and the
Gates of Hell Will Not Prevail Against It.
One Key to this Truth is Our Ability to Empower
Future Generations.
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Empowering Future Generations
1. Passing the Baton of Leadership
A. Testing Our Faith. gt The Church in America
has hit a wall of resistance. gt Survival means
hearing from Heaven and Shifts in our
thinking. gt Review of 1st Kings Chapter 19
Revelation.
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Empowering Future Generations
1. Passing the Baton of Leadership (cont.)
gt Emerging Generations (Judges 210 15). gt
First time in our history that we have four
generations living at the same time.
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Empowering Future Generations
Dr. Mel Mings Overview of Recent Sampling of
6000 people in USA Who Claim to be Christians
Builder Generation Christian Culture 2 of 3 65
Baby Boomers Judeo-Christian 1 of 3 35
Generation X Pluralism 3 of 20 15
Millenial Generation No Religious Memory 1 of 20 4
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Empowering Future Generations
In four generations we went from 13 out of 20
identifying themselves as Christian to 1 out of
20 doing so.
83 of those who became Christians did so before
the age of 20.
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Empowering Future Generations
We MUST invest disproportionate amounts of money
and resources on reaching children and youth.
This is a HUGE Harvest Field. With 80 million
Millenials in the USA, they would represent the
7th largest country in the world.
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Empowering Future Generations

• B. Testing Of Our Relationships.
• Leadership Issues Among Pastors and Staff
• Builders/Boomers Tend to View Millenials/Gen-X
  as lazy and unprepared.
• Millenials/Gen-X tend to view Builders/Boomers
  as control freaks and manipulative.

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Empowering Future Generations

• B. Testing Of Our Relationships. (continued)
• This is a big area of conflict as we try to
  integrate leaders. Its not a matter of whos
  right or wrong, its a matter of generational
  processing.

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Empowering Future Generations
Barna Statistics
The current generation of leaders will pass into
retirement between 2011 and 2025.

• Who are the successors we are preparing?
• What specific steps are being taken to
  intentionally mentor the next generation of
  leaders?

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Empowering Future Generations
Barna Statistics continued
The Baton of Leadership is NOT being passed in
Business

• USA will have a 10 million worker shortfall by
  2010 (Taleo Management)
• 500 of the largest companies can expect to lose
  50 of their senior management.
• 40 of companies DONT have a Management
  Succession Plan.

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Empowering Future Generations
The Baton of Leadership is NOT Being Passed in
Government.

• With Baby Boomers entering retirement, the
  knowledge and needed experience for government is
  going out the door with them. (Governing Magazine)

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Empowering Future Generations
The Baton of Leadership is NOT Being Passed in
Church.

• The number of adults who DO NOT attend church in
  America has nearly doubled since 1991.
• Only 51 of Protestant pastors and just 8 of
  Protestant parishoners possess a Biblical
  worldview.

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Empowering Future Generations
Will We Survive These Trends?

• The Answer is YES!
• As God does His part and we do our part,
• The Church Triumphs!

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Empowering Future Generations

• YES means acting NOW!
• YES means that we fulfill our Commission.
• YES means that the next generation is our hope.
  There are no passengers on the ship of life
  only crew.

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Empowering Future Generations

• YES means passing the baton of leadership to the
  right people.
• YES means mobilizing adults to pass the baton of
  Culture-Shaping Leadership on to the next
  generation.

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Empowering Future Generations

1. Receiving the Baton of Leadership (Were Not in
   Kansas Anymore Toto!)

A. Must be Intentional.

• Elijahs World was Changing (1 Kings 191521)

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Empowering Future Generations

• It was time for new ideas in order to reach the
  culture of his day.
• Elijah calls Elisha.
• His first priority was to find his successor.
• He had a new understanding of the way God was
  working in his day.
• He made himself available to Gods resources.
  (The Word, other believers, and the Holy Spirit)
• Elijah threw his mantle on Elisha!

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Empowering Future Generations

• Elishas Response (1 Kings 1920-21)
• His response was immediate!
• He requested to honor his parents and transition
  with integrity.

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Empowering Future Generations

• Celebrating Elishas Call
• Leaving his past life for a New Life (vs. 21).
• The Burning of Bridges to his Past (Romans 12).
• Life in serving the Lord is like a cross-country
  race, not a hundred-yard dash!

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Empowering Future Generations

• Preparation of Elisha.
• He was mentored by Elijah (2nd Kings 311)
• In order to lead, one must be willing to be led.
• In order to give directions, one must first learn
  to receive and follow directions.
• In order to be faithful, one must learn
  faithfulness.

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Empowering Future Generations
Jesus said in Mark 1043 45 But whoever
wishes to become great among you shall be your
servant, and whoever wishes to be the first shall
be the slave of all, for even the Son of Man did
not come to be served, but to serve. As gifted
ones, we are each to be good stewards of what God
has entrusted to us in our time, our talents, our
treasures, and our truth.
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Empowering Future Generations
B. Must be Proven In Relationships.

• Authentic mentoring provides new leaders!
• One generation MUST connect with the next
  generation.

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Empowering Future Generations

• Understanding Todays Elisha Generation
• gt They desire a double anointing.
• gt They are a networking generation using
  technology.
• gt Their point of reference in ministry is
  different.
• gt Their understanding of church history is
  different.
• gt They create new ideas for ministry.

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Empowering Future Generations

• Understanding Todays Elisha Generation (cont.)
• gt They dont want denominational baggage.
• gt They have new ways to reach the unchurched.
• gt They see the mission field as being
  geographically wide-open.
• gt To them a changing society demands change in
  ministry methods.
• gt They need mentors.

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Empowering Future Generations
gt Incubation time is required to prove their
ministry ideas. gt They work in ministry TEAMS
rather than as individuals. gt They are shaped
by different cultural forces than their
predecessors. gt They desire to be biblically
relevant to our culture. gt The question in the
back of their mind is Are we really welcome
here?
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Empowering Future Generations

• CALL TO ACTION
• To Pass and Receive The Baton of Leadership
  Requires
• gt Hear What God Is Saying
• gt Capture His Priorities
• gt Fulfill Your Assignment With Passion
• gt Look For His Fingerprints In Ministering
• gt Dont Touch The Ark

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Empowering Future Generations
Final Thoughts

1. Who is God calling you to reach that no one else
   is reaching?
2. What is God calling you to attempt that has not
   been done before?
3. What new thing will God call you to create that
   is hated today, but will be embraced tomorrow?
4. What heart adjustments do you need in order to
   honor God and have success in your ministry?