Tom introduces us to the legacy he and the youthwork team are promoting amongst our young people.
Modelling a legacy
It is quite a moment when you realise that the next generation are watching you and taking on board what you are doing. We maybe don’t realise that our reactions to events and interactions with others are being observed. A recent conversation with a youth team member reminded me that children and young people often pray in the same way they hear us praying, maybe not even knowing what they are praying or the complex theology behind it, but they will mirror and take on board.
This does give a sobering and serious emphasis to our work and ministry but also produces a sense of privilege and excitement in being able to part of leaving a legacy for our children and young people. As I have also been discussing with other young leaders across churches we are connected to, there is renewed sense from the Holy Spirit to raise up the next generation and release them into the gifts and calling that God has for them.
Psalm 78
As always God does not leave us to create a legacy by ourselves and something which I have been reading recently in Psalm 78 has been a real encouragement as well as a contextual clarion call to Youth ministry at Jubilee.
Vs.2 – I will open my mouth,
Vs. 3&4 – I will utter hidden things…things we have heard
Vs 4. – We will not hide them from their descendants, we will tell the next generation
We have a command to teach the next generation (vs. 5) to leave a legacy for them to tell the next generation (vs. 6) that they will not forget (vs. 7).
Intentional prayer
At Jubilee Youth this term we are intentionally teaching the young people of times when people have encountered Jesus both in the Bible and those in the church; those praiseworthy deeds of the Lord’s power and wonders He has done (vs. 4). We are also intentionally praying for and with them to have their own encounters and stories of what the Lord has done in their lives, that they may continue to the spiritual legacy to the next generation. This is all whilst we are more than aware of the unintentional legacy we leave by our words and actions from a generation watching learning how we live our spiritual lives.
Thank you Tom
