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Acts Mod Posts: 223 **5/23/16 8:25 am**

If you want your church to grow, you MUST … Think Younger!

On May 16, I posted a note on this page calling the readers of this forum to Think Younger. If you read the post in its original form, you will see that it is not downgrading anyone, but attempting lift up the next generation of leaders.

People have misread my intentions and have concluded that I am against my own generation. Some folks on another forum have challenged my integrity and maligned my motives. They do not know my heart. What they are saying is simply not true. Stevens Creek Church has been intentional about raising up the value of older Church of God leaders.

For years, I dreamed of the day when I could hire a retired Church of God minister on staff. I had this dream when our congregation was less than 500. In 2009, that dream became a reality when we hired Steve Sturgell, who had retired from River Hills Church and moved to Augusta to be with his grandchildren.

More recently, James and Genie Byrd retired from Mount Paran North and moved to Augusta. I hired Pastor Byrd at my company, SecureGive. You say, “What? James Byrd working at a software company?” Yes … he is on staff, with a desk, and serves as an intercessor. So, if your church uses SecureGive for online and kiosk giving, then James Byrd is praying over your church and its stewardship. Oh, one more thing… James refused a salary, but instead, asked if it could be given to missions. He is a special person.

As a congregation, Stevens Creek Church gives retired ministers and widows Christmas bonuses each year. We started this at least ten years ago. We started with 10 retired ministers from the state of South Carolina, giving about $100 each. Each year we have slowly increased it to around 20 – 25 ministers receiving $500.00 each at Christmas. I tell you these numbers you that you can use this idea as a potential model for your church. We believe in the older generation.

So, this idea that I am not for men of my generation is crazy, so it’s time to stop deflecting the conversation.

Last week when I wrote the original post, I never dreamed that it could strike a nerve. I was shocked. Twelve hours after I posted it, a pastor of a church that I considered a “mega church” when I was growing up in Abbeville, sent me a FB message and asked for help. Twelve hours later, that pastor and his associate was at Stevens Creek meeting with our Lead Team. His challenge … this once vibrant church now has 85 people in attendance and only person in the youth group and that person happens to be his son. He desperately wants us to help him think younger.

If you want your church to grow … you must think younger.

Two years ago, the pastor of the formerly-named Fleming Church of God called me and asked for help. Their numbers were sinking. Stevens Creek reached out to a congregation that was once our district church. They were down to a handful of young people and a couple of babies in the nursery. We started coaching them along and Pastor Steve Norsworthy made some bold changes. They are now around 250 people (nearly 400 on Easter) and recently had 41 in the nursery.

You can determine the health of your congregation by the size of your nursery.

Are you reaching the next generation? You must think younger. Consider ways to have conversations with twenty-somethings. These folks are making major decisions that will impact their lives. They need Jesus to lead them and guide them in the process. You and I are commissioned to start a conversation with them with hopes that these twenty-somethings will come to the Lord.

What kind of small groups do you have in your youth ministry? Teenagers want relationships more than they want big services. The Bible says “iron sharpens iron.” Start conversations with teenagers and begin a discipleship process. I could go on, but this note is getting long.

Here’s my point. The two churches that I have mentioned are snapshots of our movement. Our churches are declining. The ones that are growing are the ones that Think Younger. As the local church goes, so goes the denomination.

I am begging you to Think Younger … please don’t push me away. This is a clarion call, some may say, a prophetic call, to raise up a new generation of faith so that “Like a Mighty Army” the Church of God will march on. #ThinkYounger

martybaker@stevenscreekchurch.com
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-- Living the Dream