WEDNESDAY'S WORD - GENERATION - 04/25/18- Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

"Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it."  George Orwell         Builders, Boomers, Gen X, Y & Z'ers... There is a lot of discussion inside and outside of the church around the generations and their differences. Sociologists have done extensive research like the image on the right to identify the unique general characteristics of each age group. From popular culture, to learning formats and leadership styles; we are attempting to discover not just how to get along socially, but how to thrive and preserve legacy together.  A GENERATION is all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively. It is the average period, generally considered to be about thirty years, during which children are born and grow up, become adults, and begin to have children of their own. The root word GENERATE means to cause something to arise or come about; to produce. As a worship leader, the struggle to gather a congregation generationally in worship is real. Today I saw a video clip of a church that had a separate afternoon service of just hymns featuring Builders and Boomers gleefully singing. It was melancholy for me. On one hand I was glad they were able to enjoy praising the LORD in the musical genre that connects them historically. On the other, I was sad that we are having such a difficult time bringing the generations together to praise and worship Jesus. Psalm 145:4 says, "One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts." It could be logistically easier to split up between contemporary and traditional worship services so everyone will 'get what they want.'  I'm wondering though, if we are missing what God wants. Inter-generational life and ministry is powerful. In the same way that we lose impact by being racially segregated, we deprive ourselves of rich treasures when we are generationally separated.  Proverbs 20:29 states, "The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old."  The LORD wants us to be both wise and strong. He desired that the spiritual lineage and legacy of the Children of Israel be passed down through the generations. I believe that is still true today. Psalm 78:1-7 says it more eloquently than I ever could: O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past-stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them- even the children not yet born- and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.   I hope we all will consider ways to improve and maintain generational connections in our families, places of business, and churches. We'll be better for it.

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