Dr. James Engel Gives Some Prophetic Advice On ...

Dr. James Engel gives some prophetic advice on building bridges from one generation to the next - the following insights are from the website (www.ChristianLeadershipAlliance.org):

i. Don’t oppose this new generation! Don’t oppose each other’s generation.

1. They are not the enemy they are God’s children.

a. Older saints understand that the younger generation is God’s answer to their generation’s lost state.

2. Older saint’s young saints need to be encouraged and empowered to evangelize their peers and they need your support and help.

ii. Older saints do mentor the younger saints! Young saints be open to mentoring!

1. Older saints - Help this next generation accomplish the vision God has given them to win the lost.

2. Older Saints and Younger Saints - Be there to help them and to listen to them.

3. Older Saints share you wisdom and insight with the younger.

4. Older Saints invite a younger person out for coffee or to a game. Younger saints do the same.

5. Saints talk with each other.

6. Saints build a relationship with each other.

iii. Older Saints don’t box the younger in! Don’t box each other in!

1. Let them be free in the Spirit! Don’t throw chains of bondage on each other.

2. Don’t try to make this generation work and minister like you. It’s a new era with new ideas that relate to them and their lost peers.

3. Let them think in new ways, fresh ways even in creative ways.

4. Remember this is not the same world as you grew up in. Younger saints your world will also change so be willing to allow the younger to be creative too.

iv. Do focus on teams! Be committed to the generations working together with each other.

1. According to Dr. Engel “Doing it their way means making use of teams.”

a. Team’s is God’s way! Just ask Jesus!

2. Remember older saints the younger want things to be a group effort not an individual effort.

3. Remember older saints they don’t like top down models of leadership.

a. By the way neither did Jesus.

b. They want Servant Leadership role-models

v. Don’t count the numbers!

1. It’s time for the church to stop counting the numbers because this got David in trouble and it gets a lot of leaders in trouble with God today.

2. Dr. Engels states, “Our numbers, for the most part, have not been reflective of very much at all, when you look at the numbers of alleged Christians in the world today and the general deterioration on the world scene. We note the numbers don’t add up.

a. Billy Graham said that all the people who committed their lives to Christ in his many years should have saved the entire population of the United States.

b. But our country is not reflective of those numbers!

3. Numbers do not reflect spiritual health of a church – healthy relationships do.

a. This means healthy relationships between generations.

4. We need to measure success God’s way and use His measuring stick which is spiritual maturity and growth.

vi. Do encourage spiritual transformational results!

1. We need to make an impact in our own generations - this is the Lord’s will.

2. He wants transformation in lives and transformation in churches.

3. He wants us to focus on the outcomes of people’s lives.

4. We need spiritual results not more programs.

5. We need to help people come into the Kingdom of God not into my generational kingdom.

6. The whole impact of the Kingdom of God is its impact on our lives personally.

7. It’s measure of success is our relationships with God, with each other and with the world.

8. It’s about people touching other people personally across generational lines.

9. We need Christians to effect the culture not allow the culture to affect them.

10. This is God’s heartbeat for each generation.