Jonathan Pitts recently talked with national leader Grant Skeldon on the Decisions podcast about Grant’s passion to connect Gen Xers, Millenials, and the generations before them. His wisdom and insight will inspire you when it comes to pursuing multi-generational influence.
Division. It’s everywhere you look (including the Church).
Different denominations, locations, industries, opinions, and most of all, fear of leaving our comfort zones have left us more focused on competition and comparison than uniting together on a singular mission.
But as Christian leaders in today’s cultural climate, we don’t have the luxury of being divided.
That’s why prioritizing a focus on bridging the generational divide is crucial when it comes to Kingdom impact.
So how do we get there?
See it before you see it
Here’s the vision: 70-year-old, retired businessmen and women alongside 22-year-old social media influencers changing the world with the gospel. Talk about a glimpse of heaven!
Imagine what could happen in our country if this became a focus and a reality.
Pray the prayer of Jesus
Uniting a generation… it sounds so big, right?
In some ways, unity is a response to crisis in our country. A school shooting takes place and the Christian leaders and pastors come together. But an even better reason to come together is because Jesus prayed this for us in John 17.
He asked His Father to “make us one” with each other. This was His prayer, and it’s how He steered the disciples to pray. So should we.
Jesus said five times in this passage, “make us one.” And for many of us, that looks like equipping and preparing a generation.
Influence the influencers
God does not call all leaders to actually be the leader. Think of the game-changers called by God in the Old Testament… many of them were not the most powerful people in the room.
Joseph was not the king, but he was influential to the king. There is Esther, Nehemiah, and so many other stories of people who influenced a leader.
Perhaps for some of us, God is no longer calling us to be the “number one,” but instead, to influence the one coming behind us. The key is to stay focused on God’s mission, not ours. And is there any greater mission than uniting and equipping the next generation?
Today, there are many young leaders who want to plant churches. There are also a lot of dying or plateauing churches that are looking for someone younger to take the mantle. For some, it’s time to pass the baton and start cheering.
The saying is true: We’re better together!
Let’s make it our aim.
To hear Grant’s powerful story and get more insight into connecting ministry leaders from all generations, listen to the Decisions podcast episode, Multi-Generational Influence with Grant Skeldon.