Sermon Summary: NEXT, Part 7: Multigenerational

I have to hand it to my pastor growing up. He was a patient man. 

One day, after school, I went up to the church with some friends. We plugged my electric guitar into the sound system and began wailing out some tunes — some good ones, too. 

Here’s the thing. I had no idea the pastor was even in the building. After rattling the stained glass, so to speak, he emerged from his office, gave us a nice wave, and then went out on some visits. He never said an annoyed word about it. Instead, his patience made an enduring impression. Church was a place where young people could feel at home. 

For 143 years, this church has stood—not because of bricks and mortar but because those before us obeyed the Lord’s command to make disciples among all generations, even when it required great patience, ensuring the faith did not end with them. Now, it is our turn. If we do not invest in those who will come after us, we risk losing what we have been given. The Church is always and only one generation away from forgetting the Lord.

God’s Multigenerational Design

From the earliest pages of Scripture to the final vision of God’s redeemed people, we see His design for a multigenerational faith and church. Consider this words of Moses:

"These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

Our faith was never meant to be a personal, privatized journey—it is meant to be shared, passed down, and lived out together. The Psalms declare this repeatedly:

"One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts." (Psalm 145:4)

"We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord." (Psalm 78:4)

A while back, we imagined our faith as a relay race. If a runner sprints with all his might but fumbles the baton at the handoff, the race is lost. The same is true for the Church. If we neglect the next generation, we risk a crisis like Judges 2:10, where a new generation arose who did not know the Lord. Our new vision reflects a prayerful and proactive desire to avoid this fate.

The Blessings of a Multigenerational Church

The world often separates people by age—different schools, different interests, different social media platforms. But God’s design is one of interdependence. Older generations can provide wisdom, stability, and deep roots in the faith (Titus 2:2-5, Proverbs 16:31). Younger generations often bring passion, energy, and fresh perspectives (1 Timothy 4:12, Ecclesiastes 12:1).

Consider the words of the Apostle Paul to Timothy:

"Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity." (1 Timothy 5:1-2)

Here, Paul presupposes the continual interaction of (and mutual benefit brought by) various generations within the church.

One of the great joys of the Church is seeing these relationships lived out: an elderly woman mentoring a young mother during a midweek Growth Group, older men welcoming younger men into a brotherhood at the annual Men's Retreat, a seasoned believer guiding a new Christian over coffee at a local restaurant, teenagers visiting shut-ins as part of the student ministry. This is how the family of God thrives.

The Barriers to a Multigenerational Church

These blessings require intentionality and effort. Our culture is designed for generational separation:

• Schools group by age; workplaces rarely mix generations.
• Media and marketing target demographics separately.
• Technology often isolates rather than unites.

A humorous but true example: have you ever tried explaining TikTok dances to your grandfather or convincing your teenager to check email or write their signature? When did we stop teaching cursive?! Yet, despite all these differences, the Church is meant to be different. We are a people united not by age but by Christ.

By fostering mentorship, discipleship, and shared worship, we model something countercultural: a family where every generation belongs, where the young do not disregard the old and the old do not dismiss the young.

The Bridges Between the Generations

If we are committed to being multigenerational, why emphasize the next generation? Simple - because they are the present and future of the Church. God's Word reveals this as a non-negotiable priority. Consider the words of the prophet Joel:

"Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children to another generation." (Joel 1:3)

Faith is not inherited by osmosis. It must be taught, modeled, and embraced anew in each generation. Our responsibility is not simply to keep the doors open but to ensure that, 50 years from now, this church is still proclaiming the gospel.

How do we do this? Here are three solid ways. There are more, but these will hopefully stimulate us all to thought and prayer.

1. Prioritize family discipleship. Church programs supplement, but they do not replace, a home where faith is taught.
2. Raise up young leaders. Identify, mentor, and empower them for real ministry.
3. Make space for them. Not just physically, but in leadership, in decision-making, in vision-casting.

A church that does not invest in the next generation is a church preparing to close its doors.

Building on the Past, Not Bound by It

This commitment to the next generation does not mean discarding the past. Change can be unsettling. Many of us have cherished experiences of how God has moved in our lives through certain traditions, songs, or ways of doing ministry. But honoring the past does not mean preserving everything unchanged—it means ensuring the mission continues.

We are not called to innovate for the sake of novelty, nor to cling to tradition for nostalgia’s sake. We are called to steward the gospel faithfully.

As Psalm 71:18 says:

"So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim Your might to another generation, Your power to all those to come."

This is our sacred task. May we be found faithful.

Some Encouragements: What Can You Do?

Here are some encouragements as we close, ideas to make this all real:

1. Find someone younger and invest in them. Take a younger believer to lunch. Ask them about their faith. Share what God has taught you.
2. Find someone older and learn from them. Ask about their journey with Christ. Absorb their wisdom.
3. Serve where generations intersect. Children’s ministry, student ministry, intergenerational small groups—these are places where faith is passed on.
4. Pray for the next generation. Lift up your children, grandchildren, and young members of the church by name.
5. Support change that honors the mission. Recognize that adjustments made for the sake of reaching the next generation are part of faithful stewardship.

Let’s be a church that outlives us. Let’s pass the baton well.

Prayer

Lord, You have been faithful to this church for generations. Give us the wisdom to steward this moment well. May we honor those who have gone before us while embracing those who come after us. May we be a church for all generations, united in Christ, until You call us home. Amen.