WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:06.559 Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole. 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:11.119 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:14.400 Embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:17.920 Today, be encouraged with a word from my guest speaker. 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:21.280 Welcome to the Born for War podcast. 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:28.480 My name is Joey Follett. 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:31.359 I'm the youth pastor on staff here at the road. 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:34.719 Happy to be here, excited to be here with all of you this morning. 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:43.200 And Lexi's video is a perfect intro for this morning's topic because we're going to talk about the next generation. 00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:52.719 Generation Z, as they're known, the youth and young people today, and talk about the hope that we should have for this generation, that I have for this generation. 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:55.200 And so that's what I'm here to do this morning. 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:59.679 Talk to you about these young people, advocate for this next generation. 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:01.679 I'm passionate about them. 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:07.439 And I'm excited to share some important truths and encouragement with all of you this morning. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:25.920 And while it is true that youth and young people are leaving the faith, are walking away from the church, it's also true that youth and young people today are hungry for truth, are hungry for the gospel, and so many of them are fired up for Jesus Christ. 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:41.200 So we're going to dive into that today to discuss the current state of Generation Z and what we, the church, can do to support them, empower them, encourage them, and come beside them, which I feel is our job. 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:44.560 So the primary passage we'll be in this morning is Hebrews 5. 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:46.480 So you can turn in your Bibles. 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:51.519 If you've brought one this morning to Hebrews chapter 5, we'll start towards the end of that chapter. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:55.120 If you don't have one, there should be one in the seat back in front of you. 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:58.239 While you are turning there, would you pray with me? 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:01.760 God, thank you for this morning. 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:02.959 Thank you for your word. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:10.479 Lord, as we open your word together this morning, I ask that your presence would be felt here. 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:14.719 Would you lead us and guide us through the reading of your word and the truth that's in it? 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:18.479 Would you reveal your truth to us this morning? 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:20.560 In Jesus' name. 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:21.520 Amen. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:24.800 Well, like I said, I'm passionate about youth. 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:29.759 I always have been for the past 12 years since uh high school. 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:34.719 I've been working with uh youth and teenagers in a variety of different settings. 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:44.319 Um I've been an eighth grade history teacher, I uh been a wrestling coach, I've been a volunteer youth leader, and now um I get to be the youth pastor here at the road. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:52.800 So as you can imagine, I've got a lot of stories about teens, funny stories about teens, and um I just want to share a quick one. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:03:05.199 Uh my first year teaching, I was uh an eighth-grade history teacher, it was my first year teaching, it was in my early 20s, and uh the students are coming back from lunch one day, and I was talking to the math teacher on my team. 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:09.599 Her classroom is next to mine, and I was probably asking a question because I didn't know what I was doing. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:26.240 I was a first year teacher, and and so we're talking, and this eighth-grade boy comes up, who we both had in class, and he's holding um a pickle, like a pretty good-sized pickle, that I guess was left over from lunch, and he was asking if either of us had a Ziploc baggie for his pickle. 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:30.800 I don't know what when he was planning on eating it or what he was saving it for. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:36.719 But the funny part was he said, I need a baggie for my pickle because it was in my pocket and it leaked on my pants. 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:43.759 And he and after lunch, he had just put this pickle in his pocket and there was a nice wet spot above his knee. 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:51.919 Um, and that's a weird story to tell on a Sunday morning, but it it was impactful to me because A, it was funny, and I still find it funny. 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:57.120 And B, it solidified in me that I'm supposed to work with teenagers. 00:03:57.280 --> 00:03:59.759 As weird as that sounds, I I just I love it. 00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:08.159 And I find I have more fun hanging out with teenagers than adults, no offense to all you lovely people, but it's just that's how God created me, and it's what I'm supposed to do. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:14.240 And I know that confidently, and part of the reason I know that is because of the pickle story, as weird as that sounds. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:24.079 So, but I am passionate about uh this generation of young people, and I want to make this clear I'm not here this morning to complain about Generation Z. 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:26.879 That's not my heart, and that's not at all what I want to do. 00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:37.439 And I think too often we spend time, and every generation is guilty of this, but we spend time pointing down at and complaining about the generation behind us. 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:40.399 And and that's not what I want to do this morning at all. 00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:48.399 And so when I say Generation Z, I'm referring to those born between the years 1997 and 2012. 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:51.920 So that would be anyone today who's between the ages of 12 and 27. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:56.879 Roughly these generational barriers are they people like to argue about them. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:00.399 But that's the the biggest consensus I found was those years. 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:01.680 So 12 and 27. 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:04.319 I know what you're thinking, Joey, you look like you're 12. 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:05.519 You're in this generation. 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:13.279 I'm not 12 or 27, I'm a little bit older, I'm a millennial, but I can relate a lot to this generation and and I have a huge um heart for them. 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:16.639 And I also want to say that this uh today's message is for everyone. 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:22.079 And while there's 69 million Gen Zers in the United States today, this message is for everyone. 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:29.279 So if you are in Gen Z, if you're one of those 69 million and you're in the room or watching online, I want to encourage you and empower you this morning. 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:38.000 If you're a parent of a teenager or you have a teenager or young person in your life, I want to help you support that loved one and give you some encouragement as well. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:45.199 And if you don't currently have a teenager or young person in your life, then I want to inspire you to change that this morning. 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:46.800 Because here's the truth. 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:52.800 If the church isn't actively investing in youth and young adults, then we're in trouble. 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:57.120 If the church is not actively investing in youth and young adults, then we're in trouble. 00:05:57.279 --> 00:05:59.759 Because the world and the enemy is. 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:06.800 And the world and the enemy and Satan is after this generation in a really real real way. 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:13.839 And as someone who spends almost every day with this generation, it is obvious that they are under attack. 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:14.879 Under attack. 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:23.199 So it should be a top priority of believers everywhere to pray for this generation, to support this generation, to invest in them, to pour into them. 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:29.600 And we're going to talk this morning about how we, the church, can do that, how we can support Generation Z. 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:32.959 But first, let's look at who we're talking about. 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:39.920 So, just like any generation before it, this generation faces a unique set of circumstances and challenges. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:41.120 And that's always the case. 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:49.839 I think that's why we make these generational guidelines and barriers, because the world's constantly changing, technology's changing, society's changing, politics. 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:50.720 It all changes. 00:06:50.879 --> 00:07:00.639 So our experiences growing up are different than the current generation growing up, which is difficult because we're trying to help raise the generation and we don't know what they're dealing with because we deal with something different, right? 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:06.079 Um, but they're facing new sets of challenges in a new situation and circumstance. 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:09.439 And they're known as the social generation. 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:10.959 For a few reasons. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:14.639 The primary one is they've easy access to the internet. 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:25.199 About 98% of Gen Z has a smartphone in their pocket, 98%, which means they have easy access to unlimited information. 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:28.000 I would say this is a good and a bad thing, right? 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:30.959 Easily learn things, easily look things up, right? 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:34.879 Don't have to go to the library anymore to find things out. 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:35.439 You can. 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:38.240 I don't know that many of them do, but uh they can. 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:41.120 Um but they can easily look things up with a phone, right? 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:47.519 And because of this, I would say this generation is curious and hungry to learn, curious and hungry for truth. 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:50.480 But it also there's a downside to that, too, right? 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:59.199 Having a computer in your pocket means you have easy access to explicit content and pornography, and they're being bombarded by those things all of the time. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:05.360 Uh youth today are more likely to watch YouTube than television, which again is accessible on their phones. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:07.680 They have easy access to social media. 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:13.600 About 54% of Gen Z spend four hours or more daily on social media. 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:17.199 And I would say that's probably a conservative figure. 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:20.560 But quick moment of reflection, just think about yourself for a minute. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:21.519 Are we any better? 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:21.920 Okay? 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:24.720 Well, again, I'm not pointing down at Gen Z or anything like that. 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:35.279 And so throughout this whole message, let's also reflect and say, are we setting a good example for Gen Z when it comes to technology and social media and phones, stuff like that, right? 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:47.519 Um and a side note, this fall, um still lining up a date, but we're gonna bring in a group to do a digital safety workshop for um parents and teenagers, and they'll go on simultaneously. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:55.440 And so I'm excited about that to really help parents and teens know how to navigate social media and screens and everything that's going on there. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:09:03.360 But we need to be effectively teaching and modeling boundaries for our young people when it comes to technology. 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:09.200 Um, and so we should be modeling the behavior that we want to see when it comes to phones and technology. 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:13.919 But teenagers today, young people today, are also dealing with comparison and identity. 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:17.279 And again, this is not anything new, right? 00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:30.559 Teenagers have always struggled with comparison and figuring out who they are in high school and college, and you see everybody and you're comparing themselves to them and what they're wearing and what they're saying and what they're listening to, and teens are still doing that. 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:39.679 The difference though, instead of just comparing themselves to who they're seeing in person, they're also comparing themselves to what is seen online. 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:46.960 And the problem with that, the dangers of that, is that oftentimes what's online is is not real, right? 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:48.960 Or is altered or is semi-real. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:54.879 Or the the picture they're looking at that someone posted is the 500th picture that person took and they altered it, right? 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:56.159 And and teens know this. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:58.879 They know that what they're seeing isn't necessarily true. 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:00.639 So you don't have to tell them, believe me, they know. 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:14.480 But it doesn't affect, it doesn't change the effect that that has on them as far as comparison goes and what they're thinking when they see that picture of that person and how they look, it still affects them to see those images online. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:28.240 But, and again, I think when we talk about, I'm gonna say this a lot, I believe youth today are hungry for the truth, and I think part of that is because they are consuming a lot of fake things on the internet, and so they are more aware of that and they're hungry for the truth. 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:32.799 And what's exciting about that church is we have the truth, right? 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:34.000 We have the truth. 00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:36.320 And so, um, yes, we'll talk more about that. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:37.440 But that's exciting. 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:44.639 So they're also known as a social generation because they have easy access to each other in ways that previous generations didn't, right? 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:54.000 I remember uh hearing my mom talk about sharing a landline phone with her four sisters and dragging the cord into the room and closing it that privacy so she can talk to her friends, right? 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:55.840 Teens today don't have to do that, right? 00:10:55.919 --> 00:11:00.559 They can easily text and call and video call their friends whenever they want. 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:03.919 So they have a easy access to each other, they're social. 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:11.360 But even though this is the social generation, it's also the lonely generation. 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:15.519 And many teens today and young adults today feel alone. 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:20.480 And isolation is a huge problem amongst young people today. 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:33.120 They feel lost, they're trying to find their identity, find their place, they're looking to find their identity and things like what they're good at, who they hang out with, even their struggles, their gender, who they feel attracted to. 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:40.000 Identity is important to youth and young adults, and a lot of them need help and guidance in that area. 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:45.200 And this loneliness has led to a lot of struggles with mental health. 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:51.519 And Generation Z is more aware and struggling more with mental health than generations prior. 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:58.480 And we know that at least one out of every five uh young persons today deals with a diagnosable mental health disorder. 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:01.120 Some studies have it higher, one out of three. 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:07.440 And I've even seen a figure that says 50% of teens today would say that they struggle with mental health. 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:10.320 50% would label themselves in that way. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:17.279 And of all the mental health issues that are out there, the number one one that I talk to students with about is uh anxiety. 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:20.080 It comes up all the time talking to students about anxious. 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:22.559 Our young people today are anxious. 00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:28.720 And I love walking students through some of the powerful scriptures that we have regarding anxiety. 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:32.080 And what I like to tell them is anxiety is not a new thing, right? 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:36.559 Maybe it's maybe it's more prevalent than generations before or ever, I don't know. 00:12:36.720 --> 00:12:38.000 But but it's not new. 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:42.159 Like Paul talks about anxiety, Jesus talked about anxiety, Peter talked about anxiety. 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.279 So I love sharing those scriptures with young people. 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:47.200 And I'll talk more about that towards the end. 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:54.720 But but if that's you this morning and you're struggling, and I'd love to show you those scriptures and pray with you at the end of service, our team would love to pray with you as well. 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:58.879 And teens today are also very socially aware. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:00.960 They're socially, culturally aware. 00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:02.480 They want to make a positive difference. 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:06.799 They're also realistic and cautious more than previous generations. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:13.519 Um, as a whole, yes, there's still teenagers, yes, there's reckless behavior, yes, there's irrational decisions, right? 00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:14.399 We've all been there. 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:18.799 But I would say as a whole, this generation seems to be more cautious. 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:25.440 They're waiting longer to like get their driver's license, they're less likely to recklessly party, things like that. 00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:33.919 Um, we're seeing that as a whole, and I think there can be a couple explanations for that, but one of them I think is the unlimited access to information that we talked about, right? 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:45.519 And maybe that tends to lead to a tendency to overthink things because they have been bombarded with so much information that they're not sure how to process it and what to do and what to think. 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:47.120 But they're cautious, they're realistic. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:50.720 One of their top concerns of this generation is the cost of living. 00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:56.159 They're also concerned about AI, artificial intelligence, replacing future jobs. 00:13:56.399 --> 00:14:05.200 And let's also consider the data that's out there showing young people leaving the faith when they get to high school and college age and even before. 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:15.919 And there's been a lot of studies on this, um, but a few from organizations like Barna, Pine Tops, 10x10, and Pew have shown that young people are leaving the church at an alarming rate. 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:26.639 And we're seeing Gen Z more likely, unlike generations before, to not identify with God or the church or the Christian faith and instead latch on to different world religions, right? 00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:28.720 Or just say that they're spiritual. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:47.360 And again, I love that we started with Lexi's testimony video because I think her story is true of a lot of young people when they get to high school, when they get to college, they start exploring and they're attracted to these other things that promise, like she said, love and light and hope, but really are empty and void of those things. 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:51.840 And again, her story is so powerful and it shows that Jesus is the answer to those things. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.799 And um, praise the Lord that she that she found that. 00:14:54.960 --> 00:15:02.159 But another study I want to bring up from Barna showed that Americans as a whole are not opposed to Jesus. 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:03.279 It's like 70%. 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:09.759 And and their bigger issues are with Christians and the church, but they're open to Jesus. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:14.799 And I think the reason that's true for Gen Z is this issue of like what's fake. 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:25.679 And for a lot of young people today, when they look at Christianity, when they look at the church, when they look at Christians, what they see appears to them to be fake and not authentic. 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:32.240 And ultimately, though, this data point's a good thing because it shows us that they're open to Jesus. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:34.080 And that's half the battle right there. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:35.679 They're open to Jesus. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:46.480 So if we, the church, can effectively present Jesus in a real and authentic way, as we've experienced him, if we can do that, then there we go. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:47.360 We're back on track. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:54.639 So but statistically, we can see there is a problem with young people choosing to walk away from the faith. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:55.600 So, what can be done? 00:15:55.759 --> 00:16:01.600 What can the church do to support this generation of youth and young adults? 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:04.480 Well, I don't have all the answers, but I'm gonna give you a few. 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:08.080 So we're gonna do four things this morning to answer that question. 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:18.639 This is not an all-encompassing list, but I think these are four practical things that we the church can do to support Gen Z and what Gen Z can do to support each other. 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:22.799 So, Hebrews 5, we're gonna start in Hebrews 5, verse 12. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:28.639 If you'll follow along with me as we read this morning's passage. 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:37.600 For uh for though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God. 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:40.399 And you have come to need milk and not solid food. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:45.919 For everyone who partakes only in milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:54.799 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 00:16:54.960 --> 00:17:10.160 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:13.680 And this we will do if God permits. 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:24.799 So we don't know who the author of Hebrews is, but we know that the author of Hebrews was writing to a group of believers and demonstrating some frustration with where they were at with their faith. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:29.599 And this section of scripture you could title as a warning against apostasy. 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:32.799 Apostasy is when people leave the faith. 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:35.200 People backslide, they leave the faith, they're stagnant. 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:39.599 Exactly what we're talking about this morning with a trend we're noticing in America. 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:46.720 And so the first thing we can do to support Gen Z this morning is be a source of solid food. 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:48.480 Be a source of solid food. 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:52.640 And this one actually uh works on a few different levels. 00:17:52.799 --> 00:18:05.519 Uh, you can take this one literally, because teenagers like to eat and they love to be fed, and just practically, like if you're trying to engage with this generation, like feed them, um, it goes a long way. 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:08.079 A huge part of my job as a youth pastor is snacks. 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:14.960 And so um you can take this one literally, but that's not what the author of Hebrews is talking about. 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:22.160 The author seems to be frustrated with the believers he's writing to because they're not progressing in their faith, right? 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:25.279 He's saying by now you should be teachers. 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:28.400 You should be out teaching people about Jesus, but you're not. 00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:30.319 You're not even ready for solid food. 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:32.799 You're still drinking milk like a baby, right? 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:35.680 He's frustrated with where they are at. 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:42.240 And it's a great reminder for us that the Christian faith in walk with Jesus should be one that's progressing. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:47.680 Christian faith in walk with Jesus should be progressing, should be moving forward, should be growing, should be developing. 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:49.039 We shouldn't be staying still. 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:58.319 From the day we get saved, there should be progress every day since that day of growing closer to Jesus, learning more about Jesus in his word. 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:08.799 And that's how we develop our faith in our walk with Jesus, in the word daily, consuming the word, spending time with Jesus daily, growing, increasing our faith. 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:10.640 And notice I'm saying we, right? 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:14.319 And this message, again, is not just for the young people in the room, it's for all of us. 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:24.559 And if we can effectively do these things, if we can be consuming solid food, if we're growing and we're teaching and modeling those things, then they then the next generation will follow. 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:28.880 So we should be a source of solid food for youth today. 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:32.720 Are we helping them grow in their faith? 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:35.119 Are we challenging them spiritually? 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:37.519 Are we helping them progress? 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:39.920 Um, I'm also a wrestling coach. 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:45.359 I've been doing that for almost 10 years now, and and this is what we do when we're coaching young people to wrestle. 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:48.079 We don't stay where we started on the first day. 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:50.720 The first week we'll do fundamentals, teach the basics. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:55.759 But if we stopped there, then we would not be effectively teaching those students how to wrestle. 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:59.680 And we're sending them out a wrestling matter, they have no idea what to do because they're stuck with the basics. 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.759 And so from that day forward, we progress. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:05.440 We show moves, we're always building on the day before, the day before. 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:11.599 And something I've started doing at practice is I'll ask the wrestlers, did you get better at wrestling today? 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:13.359 And you just focus on each practice. 00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:15.519 So, did you get better at wrestling today? 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:15.839 Right? 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:21.279 And I'll ask my son Miles that we've started, uh he started wrestling a little bit and wants to get stronger and bigger. 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:23.200 So it's also, did you get stronger today? 00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:25.359 Did you get better at wrestling today? 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:32.640 And I think we can ask ourselves a similar question when it comes to our faith, similar questions, or ask young people, right? 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:36.319 Things like, did you get closer to Jesus today? 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:39.680 Did you increase your faith today? 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:42.960 Did you learn something about your heavenly father today? 00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:45.599 Did you learn something from God's word today? 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:46.079 Right? 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:53.359 If we're challenging ourselves daily and thinking of it that way, like every day I should be progressing in my faith. 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:55.519 Every day I should be getting closer to the Father. 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:58.720 Every day I should be learning and growing as a believer. 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:02.160 That's what the writer of Hebrews is talking about. 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:02.960 Are we growing? 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:03.759 Are we progressing? 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:07.759 And if we are, then we can help the next generation do the same, right? 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:15.759 So, along with being a source of solid food, are we also available to hear them, to listen to youth and young people today? 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:19.359 And that doesn't mean you have to fully understand what they're going through. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:22.319 Because I think in a lot of ways, we can't, right? 00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:28.160 These generational divides cause us to just not fully understand what it's like to be a teenager today. 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:29.039 And that's okay. 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:30.640 We don't have to fully understand. 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:32.559 And sometimes I caution against that. 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:37.599 You know, instead of always inserting personal stories and trying to say, I know exactly what we're going through. 00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:49.200 Just listen and be there for them and pray for them and be available to the youth and young people today, to find out what it's like to be a teenager today, to put ourselves in their shoes and learn. 00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:50.240 Be available. 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:54.640 And if you need help with that, ask the Lord for an extra dose of compassion and empathy. 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:59.119 So you can be there and reason and listen and help them grow. 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:00.559 So are we Available? 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:02.880 And are we also being a source of truth? 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:08.079 The enemy is feeding this generation lie after lie after lie. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:10.960 Are there any lies from enemy that we're believing? 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:11.440 Right? 00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:18.079 We can't be an effective source of truth for Generation Z if we're also following the enemy's lies. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:21.920 Are we believing the truths that we want our students to believe? 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:25.920 Be a source of God-given truth to Generation Z. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:30.079 So that's number one, be a source of solid food, be available, be a source of truth. 00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:33.839 Number two, young people need community. 00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:35.519 Young people need community. 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:37.519 The enemy wants us to be isolated. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:43.920 I talked about how lonely this generation is, even though they have access to all their friends in their phone, in their pocket, right? 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:52.559 But I think because of that, it actually causes them to be more isolated because instead of going out and hanging out with people in a group, they can say, Oh, I talked to my friends today on my phone, right? 00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:53.680 But it's not the same thing. 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:58.079 Personal connection is important, community is important, and our young people need it. 00:22:58.240 --> 00:22:59.359 This generation's lonely. 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:00.480 That's how Satan wants it. 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:03.119 He does his best work when we're alone. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:05.839 But God did not intend for us to do things alone. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:09.279 He intended us to be in community, to be the body of Christ. 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:16.559 When I was in college, I got to be a part of a Bible study that really, really changed my life and was really impactful for me. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:18.960 And I got, it was kind of a weird connection. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:20.079 We weren't really affiliated with the church. 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:24.079 It was the guys I used to know from church, but we were all college-age, going to college or working. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:33.119 And at that time I was going to college, a secular college, and I was in a class called The History of Early Christianity, which sounds great. 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:34.240 It wasn't. 00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:42.160 Her job was she viewed it as her job and goal of that class was to just like debunk the gospels. 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:47.519 And so she uh every day we would open the Bible and so she could poke, try to poke holes in it. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:24:01.440 Um and what was cool about that time period is as I was walking through that and and having my faith challenged and tested a little bit, I was also in this group of peers where we were feeding each other solid food and teaching each other and growing. 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:05.920 And I had that Bible study every Monday night, and I had that class every Tuesday morning. 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:17.920 And so every Monday night I'm with my friends, pouring into God's Word, like reading God's Word, growing together, so that I could walk into that class Tuesday morning and not have my faith shaken. 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:30.640 And I remember the first day of that class, the professor opened the book of Matthew, the genealogy that's in chapter one and other genealogies as well, and was trying to poke holes in these genealogies. 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:42.720 And soon after that, I found this verse, 1 Timothy 1 4, which says, Nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification, which is faith. 00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:46.240 When I read that, my like jaw hit the floor and I couldn't believe it. 00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:50.559 I was like, the Apostle Paul just called out my history professor. 00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:52.559 Like 2,000 years later. 00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:53.839 I was blown away. 00:24:54.000 --> 00:25:12.559 And I only came to that and knew that because I was in fellowship, in community with my friends, and we're we're going over the word together, sharing verses like this, and they would pray for me on Monday nights before that class on Tuesday mornings, and I don't know where I would have been or what would have happened to me in college if I didn't have that community keeping me so grounded. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:15.839 And what was cool about that also is that we were teaching each other. 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:18.319 And we had opportunities to teach each other. 00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:23.519 And the writer of Hebrews said, you know, he's lamenting that these believers are not teaching each other. 00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:26.799 Because I think there's importance and value to teaching each other. 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:30.319 The best way we can learn is by teaching something, right? 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:32.960 If you have to teach it, you're gonna learn it really well as you're teaching. 00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:35.759 So we need to be teaching, and young people can do that too. 00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:39.359 And Jesus said in the Great Commission, go and make disciples. 00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:42.000 The word disciple means pupil. 00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:47.440 So if we're gonna go and make disciples, that doesn't mean just gather up followers, it means teach them. 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:48.559 Because they're pupils. 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:52.079 You're making disciples, which means you have to be a teacher. 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.680 And young people can do that too. 00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:55.519 Start a Bible study with your friends. 00:25:55.599 --> 00:26:01.680 That's the most comfortable environment to start teaching and growing and going through the word together. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:07.279 But young people need solid community where we're pouring into each other and filling each other up. 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:14.319 And if you're a young person in the room today, I want to personally invite you to some groups of community we have built into the fabric of our church, right? 00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:17.039 If you're a middle schooler, I'll invite you to flagship. 00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:21.599 We meet on Sunday mornings during third service, next service, so starting at 11:15 in the chapel. 00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:23.200 We have community built in that. 00:26:23.279 --> 00:26:24.480 We break into small groups. 00:26:24.640 --> 00:26:28.559 Same thing with tribe on Wednesday nights for our high schoolers, ninth through twelfth graders. 00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:39.759 We meet at 6:30 in the chapel on Wednesdays, and same thing, we divide into small groups, and then if you're a young adult, college age, invite you to revive with Pastor Emmanuel on Tuesday nights at 6.30, same thing. 00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:42.000 That's a source of community. 00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:47.359 If you're not a young person, but all that sounds awesome and you want to be a part of it, then talk to me about being a servant leader, right? 00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:48.640 Or talk to Pastor Emmanuel. 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:50.160 Young people need community. 00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:54.480 And I've personally seen the positive effects of community for teenagers. 00:26:54.559 --> 00:27:04.559 And we do small groups at youth group on Wednesday nights, like I said, and I always tell my leaders don't let a small group time end without praying for your students. 00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:09.519 And what I would love to see is instead of you just praying for them, we get to the point where they're praying for each other. 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:13.200 And so we've seen a lot of growth with that, and we've seen them doing that. 00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:17.920 And what's cool is that it doesn't just happen during the small group time on Wednesday night. 00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:20.960 Now we see kids during worship praying for each other. 00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:22.720 You've even seen it here on Sunday sometimes. 00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:23.839 They're praying for each other. 00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:25.839 It happens before tribe, after tribe. 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:33.440 They're spending time praying for each other because they genuinely care about each other, and that's how we get young people to come back to church. 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:33.759 Right? 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:40.640 If they feel connected, if they feel like they're in a community, if they feel like they're being filled up, if they're praying for each other, if they're serving too. 00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:42.319 They're not just taking their giving. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:48.559 And that's how we can get these young people in community and get them to be excited about it. 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:50.319 So that's number two, young people need community. 00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:54.559 Number three, remind young people of who they are. 00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:56.480 Remind Generation Z of who they are. 00:27:56.559 --> 00:28:01.119 And this should start before they get to the ages of 12 to 27, right? 00:28:01.279 --> 00:28:06.640 Uh we should be telling our kids, or I have young kids, we should be telling them that you are a child of God. 00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:07.759 That's your identity. 00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:08.640 You are a child of God. 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:11.279 We need to be solidifying that in young people. 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:16.240 And the Bible is full of stories of young people doing amazing things, right? 00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:18.960 Um, my boys love to hear Bible stories. 00:28:19.039 --> 00:28:27.200 And so every night as they're going to bed, I'm I'm telling Bible stories, and they love stories like David and Goliath and Daniel in the lion's den and Joseph and his brothers and all that. 00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:38.160 And what's unique about all those, or not, I mean what's common about all those stories and many more is those are teenagers, young adults, young people doing extraordinary things. 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:38.960 Why? 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:40.799 Because they knew who they were. 00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:42.880 And that's the common theme in all those stories. 00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:44.079 They knew who they were. 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:55.359 They knew that they were children of God, and that it was, they couldn't, you know, David didn't defeat Goliath because he was strong, because he was mighty, it's because God was in him, and God was mighty, right? 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:56.880 And he knew who he was as a child of God. 00:28:56.960 --> 00:29:00.880 And he said, we can defeat Goliath because we have God on our side, right? 00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:01.839 So they knew who they were. 00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:09.200 So, real quickly, I I want to, if you would flip back in your Bible with me to Daniel chapter 1, and uh keep a finger in Hebrews, we'll go back to it. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:12.400 But if you want to go to Daniel 1, um, quick context here here. 00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:17.759 Babylon had just captured uh Jerusalem and brought a lot of Israelites back to Babylon in exile. 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:30.400 Daniel was one of these Israelites, and he was chosen amongst other men as well to uh be in the king's palace and to train to be of service to the king in this like three-year training program. 00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:40.480 And the goal of that was to really indoctrinate Daniel and these other men into the Babylonian culture and the Babylonian way of life. 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:46.799 And there was some honor associated with it, it was a big deal, like they got to eat from the king's table, which most Babylonians did not. 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:51.440 So that would have been a huge honor, a great honor to eat from the king's table. 00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:56.880 And this is a powerful, this would have been a cultural shock for Daniel and his friends, right? 00:29:57.039 --> 00:30:10.960 Because they're used to living in Jerusalem and being around people who fear the Lord and follow his laws, and now they're in this completely different culture where a pagan culture, where they're not following God, they're following false gods, and he's totally in a different environment. 00:30:11.200 --> 00:30:16.160 And as soon as these men entered King Nebuchadnezzar's palace, things started changing. 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:19.039 The first thing to change was their names. 00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:30.160 Daniel's name meant God is my judge, God Yahweh, the true God, God is my judge, and they changed his name to Beltejar, which means Bel's prince, which is a pagan god. 00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:32.720 And the same happened for all of these men. 00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:34.240 And then the food changed, right? 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:43.039 They're asked to eat from the king's table, which again would have been considered a great honor, but it was contrary to the way God had commanded the Israelites to eat. 00:30:43.279 --> 00:30:44.559 And then education, right? 00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:49.440 He's part of this three-year training program to be indoctrinated into the Babylonian culture. 00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:53.839 So I first want to point out what Daniel didn't do, because I find this really interesting, right? 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:57.680 He did not make a fuss about the name change. 00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:03.599 And maybe he did, we don't have any record or indication of him complaining about the name change. 00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:07.920 Now, if someone changed my name to Beltajar, I would have a problem with that. 00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:10.559 Um we know that he did do something, right? 00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:14.160 He took big action in this chapter, but we but he didn't do anything about the name change. 00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:14.880 So what did he do? 00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:24.240 If you look at verse 8 here in chapter 1, it says, But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. 00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:29.200 Therefore he requested of the chief of the enochs that he might not defile himself. 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:31.599 And so he kind of set up this contest. 00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:33.039 He said, I can't eat that way. 00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:37.119 That's in disobedience to what the Lord has asked us as Israelites to do. 00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:37.920 I can't eat that way. 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:41.359 So he requested that he would eat a vegetarian diet. 00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:49.200 It was granted to him, and the Lord blessed him, and he was in better shape as the other men who weren't eating that way, and so that request was granted for three years. 00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:56.400 And from there, he just continues to act with courageous, bold faith as a young person in this foreign land. 00:31:56.480 --> 00:31:58.880 And the Lord opened up doors for him because of that. 00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:05.920 And the king, King Nebuchadnezzar, one of the most powerful people in the world at the time, a man who followed pagan gods. 00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:12.160 If you get a couple chapters deep into Daniel, he praises the name of the Lord, King Nebuchadnezzar. 00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:21.920 Because Daniel was bold and courageous and stood up and had extreme faith as a young person, and most people say you can't make a difference, he made a difference, right? 00:32:22.880 --> 00:32:31.279 And I love this example of him because he did all that because his identity was grounded in God, in who he was as a child of God, in his creator. 00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:34.480 And to go back to the name thing, Daniel knew who he was. 00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:38.559 The name that people called him didn't matter because he knew who he was. 00:32:38.720 --> 00:32:43.519 And the same is true for each one of us and every young person in Gen Z. 00:32:43.839 --> 00:32:47.200