8 Reasons to Invest in the Next Generation:
8 Reasons to Invest in the Next Generation:
As a leader – the demands on your time are vast. Emails call for your attention, the to-do list keeps getting longer, there are people to meet with, fires to put out, problems to solve, and tensions to manage. Steven Covey made a great case that highly effective leaders not only respond to the tyranny of the urgent – they proactively find ways to prioritize the important. Although you may not see anything immediate or earthshattering this afternoon as a result – I want to call us to think long term and to invest into the next generation like never before! For if we don’t I fear we may miss the opportunity of a lifetime.
Just like in Romans 10:14 which asks: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” We also must ask: “What is at stake if I don’t invest in the next generation?” Here’s eight reasons that compel us to invest deeply:
1. Jesus Did
As a 30-year-old launching into ministry – Jesus knew that His influence could be multiplied and maximized by investing into the next generation. Look at the disciples! Most scholars think that many of the disciples would have been teenagers and young adults when they started following Jesus. Jesus modeled the mission. He shows us that there is no greater investment that leaders can make than into the life of another person. He also mandated this for believers!
The way Paul, who followed Jesus says it to his mentee is: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:2 I like the imagery found in the emphasis of passing along the baton we have received from others. Basically, if you’re old enough to read this article, you can begin investing something you’ve learned into someone who is younger than you.
2. They are hungry to make a difference
Barna Group’s most recent study on Millennials revealed that 75% are searching for purpose in life.That is a particularly powerful finding because it accounts for nearly everyone. Meaning a small percentage may have already found their purpose – and still others may not care about finding purpose, but nearly everyone is wanting to make their life matter!
In personal experience, I also find this to be true. Young people across America are giving money like never before to dig water wells, provide meals to the hungry, end human trafficking. The passion is there. You can say a lot of things about the next generation, but one of them can’t be that they aren’t rising up to meet the needs in the world around us.
3. They know people you don’t
The reality is young adults are in college classrooms, communities, workplaces, and digital spaces where you and I will never have the opportunity to go. Chances are that if you’re reading this, you have the desire to make a difference, too, and what if the greatest way to change the world was to change somebody’s world on a personal level? I love the way Andy Stanley phrases it: “Your greatest achievement in life might not be something you did, but someone you raised.”
There’s a ripple effect that each of our lives have on those around us. Positive or negative, it’s irrefutable that the impact is there. This reminds me of Jimmy Stewart’s character in my favorite movie of all time, It’s a Wonderful Life. George Bailey gets a glimpse, and so does the viewer of what Bedford Falls (and the world) would look like if he had never been born. Our lives are the same. When you invest in the next generation, they can pay it forward, and it’s the gift that just keeps on giving!
4. 96% don’t have a biblical worldview.
Dr. Allen Tennison said on the youngadultstoday podcast that “The greatest crisis in the American church is our changing relationship with scripture. It’s almost as if we are moving from a healthy marriage with the Bible where we live under the same roof, we share the same food and eat at the same table to now moving to a period of separation where we want to stay married but we just don’t want to live under the same roof.”
Barna Group’s study about the worldview of Generation Z revealed and confirmed that only 4% ages 18-25 have a biblical worldview. Whether it’s the biblical stories that offer inspiration or the scriptural absolutes that provide application there is a current generation that is both postmodern and post Christian. So many don’t care, don’t know, or don’t believe. Those of us who are leading in local churches, the mission field, or campus ministry have our work cut out for us! This a tremendous need and a challenge that I see as an amazing opportunity.
5. They are worth it.
As great as growth stock mutual funds are – they are temporary. We are born with nothing and after this life is through, we can’t take them or anything else with us. Therefore, wisdom would say that the greatest investments are those that will outlast you. People. Investing in people is worthwhile! Time is the greatest gift you can give someone. People have said of time that it’s the great equalizer – none of us can renew time. The ancient philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said it well: “Life is lived forwards but understood backwards.” Once lived, there’s no re-wind.
With the limited time you have – I want to help you see that sharing what you have learned with others, especially those younger than you is something you should consider! What they choose to do with the investment is not up to you, it’s up to them. So don’t let that hold you back from pouring into someone. They are worth it!
6. They are Lonelier Than Ever
There’s a big difference between being an introvert and being isolated by the way. Introverts love people - they just have great boundaries. We all want to be wanted and love to be loved. Something deep within us is designed for connection and community. I wonder sometimes if we as humans live vicariously through sitcom characters. Friends. Cheers. How I Met Your Mother. Seinfeld. All popular shows each lasting nearly a decade and they all center around young adults who have a group of friends who remain there for them through thick, through thin, and through the mundane.
Recently, my wife Micah and I had a conversation with Dr. Tim Elmore (generational researcher) and he pointed out that just 50 years ago on average people had 5 close friends they could call in the middle of the night or in their time of crisis. This year? That average of 5 people is now 0. Today’s young people have a vast abundance of followers, fans, and likes on TikTok and Instagram – yet it’s just not translating into meaningful relationships. Instead, what is present is higher rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and other mental and emotional health challenges.
By investing into the lives of young people, you can become one of the people they call mentor, leader, and friend. You could be the change needed in their life to go from isolated to connected.
7. You have something to offer.
In Ephesians 2, Paul states we are God’s masterpiece created to do good works that God prepared in advance for us to do. You bring something to the table. Your contributions are valuable and necessary. What if just maybe investing into the next generation was one of those good works God has set out for you to do? Your encouragement. Your consistency. Your presence. Could be the very thing that makes a lasting impact for future generations.
One of the things everyone can offer is asking questions. Listening like this shows we care. I remember growing up in church every Sunday my parent’s friends would ask 12-year-old me questions. Are you able to ask good questions? Similar, but opposite: are you prepared to answer good questions and share what you’ve learned with others? I’m always encouraging the students we work with to learn the art of conversation and coming prepared with thoughtful questions!
8. Because you can!
Discipleship isn’t a recommendation for Christ-followers, it is a requirement. Yet the great paradox of leadership is that you don’t have to – you get to. No obligation, just invitation. No arm-twisting, just opportunity. This might be my favorite reason of all to invest in the next generation… because you can!
Many of us would say as we look back on our lives this far we are grateful for those who invested in us, carved time out of their busy schedules, shared what they’ve learned that can save us years of pain and frustration. And we get to now do the same for others.
Others might feel like they never had someone open doors for them, or mentor them, or spend quality time and believe in them for that matter. I acknowledge what a challenge that is. And the only other thing I can say is that you now get to be for others the person you wish you had!
You can do it!
So my question is: who’s one person you can start with by reaching out to them today?