{"id":3694,"date":"2018-03-16T16:59:05","date_gmt":"2018-03-16T16:59:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/?p=3694"},"modified":"2018-03-16T17:43:07","modified_gmt":"2018-03-16T17:43:07","slug":"one-generation-must-tell-next-generation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/2018\/03\/16\/one-generation-must-tell-next-generation\/","title":{"rendered":"One Generation Must Tell the Next Generation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>One Generation Must Tell the Next Generation<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>By Bishop Scott Hampton<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It is with great excitement and expectation that we enter 2018 focusing on the fifth Core Value of the IPHC which is, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/iphc.org\/corevalues\/allgenerations\">We Prayerfully Value All Generations<\/a>.\u201d We define this Core Value of our movement by stating that,\u00a0\u201cWe celebrate all generations and acknowledge that each is essential in the Body of Christ. We honor those who have gone before us and empower those who are following.\u00a0 The contribution of each generation is welcomed and encouraged as we pursue our God given destiny.\u201d I believe that discipleship is born in that culture of honor for those on whose shoulders we stand and in the empowerment of the generation of those who will stand on our shoulders in the future. To produce active Christ followers in every generation requires replicating this culture of honoring and empowering time and again. This becomes part of our mission. However, for years in my journey of being involved in discipleship ministries on the local church, conference, and national levels there has always been this question that brings tension to the mission, how do we effectively disciple multiple generations in one church?<\/p>\n<p>In sections from his book, \u201cFrom Generation to Generation: Reaching, Raising Up, and Releasing Every Next Generation\u201d Bayless Conley states, \u201cGod chose Abraham to become the father of His chosen people, and the one through whose lineage the Savior would one day come\u2026. God gives only one reason for choosing Abraham, saying in Genesis 18:19, <em>\u201cI have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD\u2026\u201d (NLT).<\/em> God selected Abraham because He knew Abraham would think and act generationally\u2014that he would take the things he had learned from God and pass them on to his children and grandchildren.\u201d (Conley, 2016) What a powerful and illuminating thought! God is intentional in His selection of Abraham because he knew that Abraham would act generationally. We see this theme continuously supported throughout scripture as we read about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Generational thinking brings new life to our reading and understanding of the Word. One ultimate purpose carried from one generation to the next until the arrival of Christ our King. What if you and I took such a view of the generational importance of our assignment?<\/p>\n<p>As we learn and grow we are embracing a conviction that, when possible, the Church\u2019s role should be supportive of the family being the primary place for discipleship. One generation passing their faith to the next. We also realize that in many ministry contexts the idea of \u201cfamily\u201d is extended beyond traditional flesh and blood and the Church becomes a family for men, women, youth, and children that don\u2019t have a traditional family structure that supports their journey to become mature followers of Jesus Christ. Understanding the context of what our \u201cfamily ministry\u201d looks like as a Church is an incredibly important piece to the puzzle. We must keep in mind that the preferred delivery mechanism of this united vision will always be relationships. Those relationships can be the family model or may look more like a mentorship model for those with out the benefit of the traditional family setting. Generational ministry is always relational ministry. Regardless of the setting we are dealing with, I believe there are some things that apply universally.<\/p>\n<p>Psalm 78:5-7 reads, \u201c<em>5 For\u00a0He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That\u00a0they should make them known to their children; 6 That the generation to come might know\u00a0them, The children\u00a0who\u00a0would be born, That\u00a0they may arise and declare\u00a0them\u00a0to their children, 7 That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments<\/em>;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Verse 5 speaks of \u201ca testimony\u201d and \u201ca law\u201d that became the foundation of what the Lord desired to pass on from one generation to the next. There were not a plethora of options made available for the people to choose from. The desired goal was a singular focus on a testimony and a law that pointed to God. In our effort to unite generations in the discipleship journey of the local Church we must have a focused and united vision. I\u2019ve seen this take many forms in various Churches. From an emphasis on the Apostles Creed to a fixed set of values using words such as Reach, Connect, Grow, and Serve. It may seem too simplistic to some but for our particular faith family we have a set of Core Values and Articles of Faith that serve us very well for guideposts along the discipleship journey.<\/p>\n<p>We see in verse 7 of Psalm 78 that what was produced in the generation receiving the united vision was 1) a hope in the Lord, 2) a remembrance and understanding of His works, and 3) a commitment to obedience to His commands. These are the \u201cfruit\u201d of a united vision being passed down generationally. In my days as a Student Pastor and Lead Pastor these markers of growth were all I ever hoped for God\u2019s people. I continue to long to see these produced in generations to come as we communicate a united purpose. These signs of Christian maturity can be the indicators of our effectiveness in seeing generations in a Church connecting with each other in relationships and growing. Is there a life changing hope that people are finding on their journey? Is there an understanding of the Lord\u2019s work? Are they becoming committed to obedience? If we are answering, \u201cyes\u201d to these questions then we are seeing discipleship take place in the lives of our people.<\/p>\n<p>A shift towards a united vision and the fruit it will produce will help answer the question of how to disciple multiple generations in one Church. Picture your place of ministry full of life as the \u201cAbrahams\u201d share the testimony of God\u2019s goodness to the \u201cIsaacs\u201d that are coming behind them. Now replicate the picture with the \u201cIsaacs\u201d and the \u201cJacobs\u201d of your Church. The young and old alike celebrating the hope they have in the Lord, remembering His mighty works in their lives, and living obediently to his call. This picture of Church-wide discipleship isn\u2019t just a dream it\u2019s possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":3695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[757,1],"tags":[704,803,804,806,805],"class_list":{"0":"post-3694","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-allgenerations","8":"category-general","9":"tag-all-generations","10":"tag-bishop-scott-hampton","11":"tag-encourage-magazine","12":"tag-iphc-encourage","13":"tag-one-generation-must-tell-the-next-generation","14":"entry"},"title_es":"Una generaci\u00f3n debe decirle a la pr\u00f3xima generaci\u00f3n","content_es":"<strong>Una generaci\u00f3n debe contarle a la pr\u00f3xima generaci\u00f3n<\/strong> <strong>por el obispo Scott Hampton<\/strong> Es con gran entusiasmo y expectativa que ingresemos en 2018 centr\u00e1ndonos en el quinto valor central de la IPHC, que es: \" <a href=\"https:\/\/iphc.org\/corevalues\/allgenerations\">Valoramos con oraci\u00f3n a todas las generaciones<\/a> \". Definimos este valor central de nuestro movimiento al afirmar que, \"Celebramos a todas las generaciones y reconocemos que cada una es esencial en el Cuerpo de Cristo. Honramos a aquellos que nos han precedido y otorgamos poder a quienes los siguen. La contribuci\u00f3n de cada generaci\u00f3n es bienvenida y alentada mientras perseguimos nuestro destino dado por Dios. \"Creo que el discipulado nace en esa cultura de honor para aquellos a quienes apoyamos y en el empoderamiento de la generaci\u00f3n de aquellos que se parar\u00e1n en nuestro hombros en el futuro Producir seguidores activos de Cristo en cada generaci\u00f3n requiere replicar esta cultura de honrar y empoderar una y otra vez. Esto se convierte en parte de nuestra misi\u00f3n. Sin embargo, durante a\u00f1os en mi viaje de estar involucrado en los ministerios de discipulado en la iglesia local, la conferencia y los niveles nacionales, siempre ha habido esta pregunta que trae tensi\u00f3n a la misi\u00f3n, \u00bfc\u00f3mo discipulamos efectivamente a las m\u00faltiples generaciones en una sola iglesia? En secciones de su libro, \"De la Generaci\u00f3n a la Generaci\u00f3n: Alcanzando, Elevando y Liberando a cada Pr\u00f3xima Generaci\u00f3n\", Bayless Conley declara, \"Dios escogi\u00f3 a Abraham para ser el padre de su pueblo escogido, y aquel a trav\u00e9s de cuyo linaje el Salvador el d\u00eda viene .... Dios solo da una raz\u00f3n para elegir a Abraham, diciendo en G\u00e9nesis 18:19: <em>\"Lo he apartado para que \u00e9l dirija a sus hijos y a sus familias para que guarden el camino de Jehov\u00e1 ...\" (NTV).<\/em> Dios seleccion\u00f3 a Abraham porque sab\u00eda que Abraham pensar\u00eda y actuar\u00eda generacionalmente: que tomar\u00eda las cosas que hab\u00eda aprendido de Dios y las transmitir\u00eda a sus hijos y nietos \". (Conley, 2016) \u00a1Qu\u00e9 pensamiento tan poderoso e iluminador! Dios es intencional en su elecci\u00f3n de Abraham porque sab\u00eda que Abraham actuar\u00eda generacionalmente. Vemos este tema apoyado continuamente a lo largo de las Escrituras cuando leemos sobre el Dios de Abraham, Isaac y Jacob. El pensamiento generacional le da nueva vida a nuestra lectura y comprensi\u00f3n de la Palabra. Un prop\u00f3sito final llevado de una generaci\u00f3n a otra hasta la llegada de Cristo nuestro Rey. \u00bfQu\u00e9 pasa si usted y yo tomamos una visi\u00f3n de la importancia generacional de nuestra tarea? A medida que aprendemos y crecemos, estamos adoptando la convicci\u00f3n de que, cuando sea posible, el papel de la Iglesia debe ser de apoyo para que la familia sea el lugar principal para el discipulado. Una generaci\u00f3n pasando su fe a la siguiente. Tambi\u00e9n nos damos cuenta de que en muchos contextos ministeriales la idea de \"familia\" se extiende m\u00e1s all\u00e1 de la carne y la sangre tradicionales y la Iglesia se convierte en una familia para hombres, mujeres, j\u00f3venes y ni\u00f1os que no tienen una estructura familiar tradicional que les permita viajar a convertirse en seguidores maduros de Jesucristo. Comprender el contexto de c\u00f3mo se ve nuestro \"ministerio familiar\" como Iglesia es una pieza incre\u00edblemente importante del rompecabezas. Debemos tener en cuenta que el mecanismo de entrega preferido de esta visi\u00f3n unida siempre ser\u00e1 las relaciones. Esas relaciones pueden ser el modelo familiar o pueden parecerse m\u00e1s a un modelo de mentor\u00eda para aquellos que no tienen el beneficio del entorno familiar tradicional. El ministerio generacional siempre es un ministerio relacional. Independientemente del escenario al que nos enfrentemos, creo que hay algunas cosas que se aplican universalmente. El Salmo 78: 5-7 dice: \" <em>5 Porque estableci\u00f3 el testimonio en Jacob, y estableci\u00f3 una ley en Israel, la cual mand\u00f3 a nuestros padres, que les hicieran conocer a sus hijos; 6 Para que la generaci\u00f3n venidera los conozca, los hijos que nacer\u00e1n, para que se levanten y se lo manifiesten a sus hijos, 7 para que depositen su esperanza en Dios, y no se olviden de las obras de Dios, sino que guarden sus mandamientos<\/em> ; \"El vers\u00edculo 5 habla de\" un testimonio \"y\" una ley \"que se convirti\u00f3 en el fundamento de lo que el Se\u00f1or deseaba transmitir de una generaci\u00f3n a otra. No hubo muchas opciones disponibles para que las personas pudieran elegir. El objetivo deseado era un enfoque singular en un testimonio y una ley que se\u00f1ala a Dios. En nuestro esfuerzo por unir a las generaciones en el camino del discipulado de la Iglesia local, debemos tener una visi\u00f3n enfocada y unida. He visto que esto toma muchas formas en varias Iglesias. Desde un \u00e9nfasis en el Credo de los Ap\u00f3stoles hasta un conjunto fijo de valores usando palabras como Reach, Connect, Grow y Serve. Puede parecer demasiado simplista para algunos, pero para nuestra familia de fe en particular, tenemos un conjunto de Valores Fundamentales y Art\u00edculos de Fe que nos sirven muy bien para guiarnos a lo largo del camino del discipulado. Vemos en el vers\u00edculo 7 del Salmo 78 que lo que se produjo en la generaci\u00f3n que recibi\u00f3 la visi\u00f3n unida fue 1) una esperanza en el Se\u00f1or, 2) una remembranza y comprensi\u00f3n de Sus obras, y 3) un compromiso de obediencia a Sus mandamientos. Estos son el \"fruto\" de una visi\u00f3n unida que se transmite generacionalmente. En mis d\u00edas como Pastor Estudiantil y Pastor Principal, estos marcadores de crecimiento fueron todo lo que siempre esper\u00e9 para el pueblo de Dios. Contin\u00fao anhelando ver estos producidos en las generaciones venideras mientras comunicamos un prop\u00f3sito unido. Estos signos de madurez cristiana pueden ser los indicadores de nuestra eficacia para ver a las generaciones en una Iglesia conectando entre s\u00ed en las relaciones y creciendo. \u00bfHay alguna esperanza de cambio de vida que las personas encuentren en su viaje? \u00bfHay un entendimiento del trabajo del Se\u00f1or? \u00bfSe est\u00e1n comprometiendo con la obediencia? Si estamos respondiendo \"s\u00ed\" a estas preguntas, entonces vemos que el discipulado tiene lugar en la vida de nuestra gente. Un cambio hacia una visi\u00f3n unida y el fruto que producir\u00e1 ayudar\u00e1 a responder la pregunta de c\u00f3mo discipular a m\u00faltiples generaciones en una sola Iglesia. Imagina tu lugar de ministerio lleno de vida mientras los \"Abrahams\" comparten el testimonio de la bondad de Dios con los \"Isaacs\" que vienen detr\u00e1s de ellos. Ahora, copie la imagen con los \"Isaacs\" y los \"Jacobs\" de su Iglesia. Tanto los j\u00f3venes como los viejos celebran la esperanza que tienen en el Se\u00f1or, al recordar Sus poderosas obras en sus vidas y vivir obedientemente a su llamado. Esta imagen del discipulado en toda la Iglesia no es solo un sue\u00f1o, es posible.","author_name":"","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/03\/One-Generation-Must-Tell-the-Next-Generation-e1521219292920.png","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4T9u2-XA","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3694"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3694\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}