As the Church, as Families, and as Individuals…
Romans 15:4
For whatever was written in earlier times was
written for our instruction, so that through
perseverance and the encouragement of the
Scriptures we might have hope.
Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stimulate one another
to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own
assembling together, as is the habit of some, but
encouraging one another; and all the more as you
see the day drawing near.
The 17 Minutes that DIVIDE us….
Same building
Same message
Same media
Same announcements
Etc…
I. “Just the Facts…” (2013 Center Survey)
Question 13: If you began attending ESC sometime
within the past five years, have any of the following
played a significant role in attracting you? (Check all that apply)
TOP 3
Relevant Biblical teaching…..64.3%
The Worship Style….. 62.6%
Children’s Programs….54.8%
I. “Just the Facts…” (2013 Center Survey)
Question 5: Rate the effectiveness in the
following areas (High/Average/Low)
• Providing multigenerational worship
– High (61.3%); Average (33.7%); Low (5%)
I. “Just the Facts…”
Conclusion: Inadvertently we have developed
into two separate congregations, with limited
interaction between generations. Therefore, we
are minimizing the positive strengths that a three
generational body of believers can afford to all
generations, both in mutual encouragement and
in outreach to our community.
II. The Value of the Generations (Family/Church)
A. Transmission of Truth
NT example – Timothy (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14,15)
OT example – Psalm 145:4a
“One generation shall praise your works to another…”
The Value of the Generations (Family/Church)
B. Mentoring – Life Experiences…
•
•
•
•
Jethro (Father in Law)/Moses – Exodus 18:13-23
Paul/Timothy – 1 Timothy 1:2
Older to Younger Women – Titus 2:3-5
Personal Example – Grandfather/Grandson…
The Value of the Generations (Family/Church)
Walton M. Detweiler
- “A good man leaves an
inheritance to his children’s
children….” Proverbs 13:22a
- “The memory of the righteous
is blessed….” Proverbs 10:7a
The Value of the Generations (Family/Church)
C. Unity Principle
1. Pleasant Environment – Psalm 133:1
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for
brothers to dwell together in unity.”
2. Witness to Christian Truth – John 17:20-23
The Value of the Generations (Family/Church)
“We cannot expect the world
to believe that the Father sent
the Son, that Jesus’ claims are
true, unless the world sees
some reality of the oneness of
true Christians.” (Francis A.
Schaeffer on John 13:35; 17:21)
The Value of the Generations (Family/Church)
D. Energizing, encouraging
ministry of the young…
OT example – Job 42:16
NT example – 2 John 1:4
“To have CHILDREN in the group is highly
appreciated by the residents.”
– ESC Nursing Home Ministry
III. Something Greater….
A. Musical tastes/preferences – cannot divide us!
That is why we are going to Identical Services
B. Who is the next generation?
Principle – older sacrificing for younger…
That is why our music in the large group
gathering will be ‘contemporary’
Something Greater….
C. Will you be (continue to be) the “spiritual
grandparents”, the “spiritual parents” for those who
enter the doors of ESC?
Psalm 92:12-15
Something Greater….
Donald W. Detweiler
Something Greater….
Judges 2:10
“All that generation also were gathered to their
fathers; and there arose another generation after
them who did not know the LORD, nor the work
which He had done for Israel.”
The 17 Minutes that DIVIDE us….
I. “Just the Facts…”
II. Value of Generations
III. Something Greater
“In the church at Antioch the Christians included
Jews and Gentiles and reached all the way from
Herod’s foster brother to the slaves; and the
naturally proud Greek Christian Gentiles of
Macedonia showed a practical concern for the
material needs of the Christian Jews in Jerusalem.
The observable and practical love among true
Christians that the world has a right to be able to
observe in our day certainly should cut without
reservation across such lines as language,
nationalities, national frontiers, younger and
older, (emphasis mine) colors of skin, levels of
education and economics, accent, line of birth,
the class system in any particular locality, dress,
short or long hair among whites and African and
non-African hairdos among blacks, the wearing of
shoes and the non-wearing of shoes, cultural
differentiations and the more traditional and less
traditional forms of worship.
The Value of the Generations (Family/Church)
Francis A. Schaeffer on John 13:35; 17:21
Excerpts taken from the mark of the Christian, IVP, 1970.
“We cannot expect the world to believe that the Father sent
the Son, that Jesus’ claims are true, unless the world sees
some reality of the oneness of true Christians.”