NextGen Vision at Calvary

Written By Calvary Church

We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion. CLICK HERE to find a discussion group. Enjoy!

Sermon Title: THE CHURCH IN REVIVAL

Main Scripture: Psalm 78:1-8

If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read the provided scripture to catch everyone up!

Summary:

This service was our Youth and Fine Arts Sunday. We had the joy of having our youth and fine arts ministries lead us in worship unto God and Pastor Ryan shared the vision God has placed on his heart for the Next Generation of disciples. Pastor Ryan took us through a variety of scriptures to show us the important and sacred responsibility of raising God-fearing, God-loving children who will be fearless disciples of Christ. In the notes below, Pastor Ryan gave us three areas we can work on and focus on this year to help lead the Next Generation. Below are also practical ways Calvary is already working out this vision God has given us in His Word and for this time.

Notes: 

Psalm 78:1-8 NLT

  • The sacred responsibility to raise the next generation in fear and love for the Lord is throughout scripture. Let’s take Psalm 78 as an example.

What we can do to raise the next generation for Jesus: 

Personal and Present

  • Deut. 6:1-9NIV These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

    • 6:2 “Fear” can be expressed as (positive) obedience caused by reverence for Yahweh and/or (negative) obedience caused by the threat of divine punishment (Weinfeld, Deuteronomy 1–11, 325). Knox, J. W. (2016). Fear of the Lord. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.

    • 6:6 NIV: “Are to be on your hearts.” When loving and serving God is on your heart you’ll impress God and His ways onto your children’s hearts. This applies to mentors too.

    • 6:7 NIV: “Impress” them upon your children. Leave an impression. Make God’s ways so part of your life that our kids can’t help but think about them when they think about you.

    • 6:7-9 Teaching and guiding their children was best accomplished through the day-to-day hours of life. The tie and writing of the commands were later taken literally but were meant more symbolically of always being before and around them. 

  • Psalm 71:5-9; Psalm 71:15-18 NLT

  • We must have our own personal experience. If our faith and journey with God aren’t real and important to us then you won’t convince your own children or those you mentor that God is real. It must be personal because then it comes from a living example, not a textbook. 

  • We have to be present. This point is usually overlooked. We present ourselves before God (relationship with God) but then we must be present with our kids and those we mentor. 

  • Our faith and journey with God must be heartfelt, tangible, and observable.  Where there is a void, something is always going to fill in and take its place. We must be present in the lives of our youth, even more so when there is no father or mother figure. 

Preserve and Protect

  • Psalm 78:6-8 “So the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children.7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. 8 Then they will not be like their ancestors—stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.”

  • We preserve by passing down faith in God to the next generation. It’s vital! 

  • Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.NIV

  • Matthew 18:1-7 NLT “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me. 6 But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.”

  • We’re called to preserve and protect a generation that will know, love, and serve God, faithfully.

  • We’re called to protect the next generation from sin and evil that is working in and through the influence of our society. 

Provide and Prepare

  • James 1:26-27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

  • Proverbs 22:6 ESV Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

  • 2 Timothy 2:1-2-Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

  • We must proactively provide a spiritual family, to physically care for those who don’t have support. 

  • We must proactively teach, pass down and prepare our NextGen to know God, know how to live faithfully for God, and lovingly and truthfully respond to a world that does not serve God and even mocks Him. 

How Calvary prepares our NextGen now…

  • Littles nursery

  • Kids Church

  • Kids Club, Wednesday nights. 

  • Family Fun Nights

  • Boy ministry, Rangers, Wednesday nights.

  • Youth One Nights and Youth Small Groups

  • Fine Arts

  • Upcoming ministries: 

    • Fatherless boys (Girls chapter in future) ministry called Defenders (Isaiah 1:17)

    • Pre-Teen Ministry for 5th and 6th graders who are in between kids and youth age

    • Partnering with Adoption organizations

    • Next Gen Week-Parenting and leadership conferences to equip us

How we all can be involved…

  • Pray, give and serve on the teams in these ministries. 

  • Serve by being supporting mentors to parents, especially single parents. Adopting single parents to pray, listen, guide and provide for them. (Idea: Certified and background cleared care so parents can have respite or date nights).

  • Be available to help lead the NextGen

How am I going to prepare us as a church? 

  • I am prayerfully and prudently preparing for a series that I hope to begin after summer activities. This series will focus on preparing us to have a Biblical Worldview so we have an adequate framework, vision and direction for where to lead the NextGen.

Discussion:

  • Overall, what stuck out to you from this sermon?

  • Which scripture verse inspired and stuck out to you.

  • What’s the value of having a personal relationship with God and being present when raising the NextGen?

  • How can we preserve and protect our NextGen?

  • How can we intentionally prepare and provide for our NextGen?

  • Are there any action steps you feel you need to take in your own home and in the church?

The most important decision you will ever make!

Are you ready to experience salvation and be transformed? We encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, amen!

We would love to know if you made the decision to accept this wonderful gift from God. Let us know here.

Pray Together

We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!

Calvary Church
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