Transcript
NextGen Matters: So every few months I go to my doctor's office to have my blood work drawn to see where are my numbers. Numbers, yeah, I'm talking HDL, LDL, my triglycerides, and course, the A1C.
NextGen Matters: Because of my age, I need to be intentional about my health. So just as we need to take care of ourselves physically, the same is true spiritually.
NextGen Matters: And in the context of this episode, I'm referring to the spiritual health of your ministry. Let's say you had someone come into your ministry to provide an outside perspective by looking into the internals of your ministry.
NextGen Matters: What would they see? Which then begs the question, how do you know if your ministry is spiritually healthy? Well, hello, friend. Rich Brown here, and welcome again to the Next Gen Matters podcast, a show for ministry leaders seeking to move beyond overwhelm and move into leading with clarity, confidence, and consistency.
NextGen Matters: Well, today we are diving into the heartbeat of every thriving ministry. I'm not talking about programs, and I'm not talking about numbers, but about spiritual vitality that fuels everything we do.
NextGen Matters: Now, here's the truth. Spiritual health, it's not mysterious. It's not magical. It's not mystical. It's it's not random. It just doesn't happen. Spiritual health grows in ministries that intentionally are cultivating five essential markers.
NextGen Matters: And I've identified these markers as, and here they are, Worship the word, witness, welcome, and work. These aren't just concepts.
NextGen Matters: They're actually indicators of spiritual fitness. It's like they're signs of life. They're the values that form a spiritually vibrant culture. And when they're strong, you can become an effective ministry.
NextGen Matters: It's what I like to say, and I say it a lot. We need less groups and more ministries. So in this episode, we are going to unpack each of these five markers, not merely as a checklist, but as a living, let me say, ecosystem, one that will shape your ministry from the inside out.
NextGen Matters: Let me give you a little background. It was early 1990s. I just moved from the Midwest to the Northwest there in the Seattle area. And I really began thinking and processing both internally and out loud.
NextGen Matters: Lord, how do we really know what is a spiritually healthy ministry? Seeking the word, seeking him. I came up with these five areas that we're going to be unpacking today.
NextGen Matters: Now, full disclosure, This was a few years before I read a 1990s book called The Purpose Driven Church, which Pastor Rick lays out five purposes of the church.
NextGen Matters: So just to let you all know, i had these way before that book. So I didn't rip anybody off. I'm just saying it's biblical truth, right? Come on. So as I lay these five out for you, I want you to be thinking about You know, maybe you could come up with five that are the same concepts, but maybe different words. That's your choice. You want to use mine? That's your choice too. Doesn't matter to me. All I'm saying is I want us to be thinking about five solid indicators that would tell us, yes, we are glorifying God through a balanced and healthy ministry.
NextGen Matters: So here we go. As i am sure it's true in your heart like it's true in mine, we want to see each one of our students growing in Christ.
NextGen Matters: You know, the Bible teaches us that Christian growth can only take place in the context of community. Therefore, to develop healthy students, we must have healthy student ministries.
NextGen Matters: I've been saying that a lot lately, haven't I? Because it's true. Now, the following description is a picture of a healthy next-gen ministry. These five signs of maturity or spiritual health are also true for the entire church, not just your own ministry.
NextGen Matters: And because we are part of the church, we're not separate from the church. In other words, these five areas I'm laying out When I was a student pastor, I wanted our entire church to pursue these. And I talked to my lead pastor about it. And and we we were working through that. We really wanted to see our entire church family and church body hold to these five. Now, they may not have used the same W's that I use, but the principles would be the same.
NextGen Matters: Because I believe each ministry must work toward activating each of these five markers as they grow together into a strong, healthy, and vibrant body.
NextGen Matters: But before we move on, i have to say, i have a warning. Here it is. While a ministry should provide opportunities and create environments for these five areas to come to life,
NextGen Matters: You can't program or manufacture these five areas into the lives of your students. No, that maturity that goes into their life can only be a direct outgrowth or fruit of the Holy Spirit's control.
NextGen Matters: So as a ministry, we need to help create a culture of spiritual vibrancy as the Holy Spirit brings these five areas to life in each student. We partner with the Holy Spirit. I can't change a life, that's his job, right? But what I can do is create a culture of spiritual vibrancy. So again, here they are, the five essentials to a next-gen ministry,
NextGen Matters: Worship the word, welcome, witness, and work. Now, as I walk through each of these five, I want to challenge you to rate where you think you are currently at.
NextGen Matters: On a scale of one being low and five being high, honestly assess where you think your ministry is doing in each one of these. Now that's your diagnostic text test from Doc Brown. okay Now I also want you to be thinking just not you as a ministry in that context, but then each of these five, how do you think your students personally are doing with these five?
NextGen Matters: Don't make sense as we go on. So let me start. The first one is worship. The scripture I base this one on is John's Gospel, chapter 4, verse 23. This, of course, is Jesus' conversation with a woman at the well.
NextGen Matters: As they're talking, he begins to share with her that the Father seeks true worshipers. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman the Father desires true worshipers, and he wants us to worship him in spirit and in truth.
NextGen Matters: Well, just as true as it was for her, Same for us today. I desire, don't you? i desire to see students begin to enjoy the presence of the Lord. I'm not talking just about singing loud like it's a concert.
NextGen Matters: I'm talking about worshiping from their heart. You know, I love it in our own ministry where I volunteer on a Wednesday night. And I love it when I go out and speak on weekends or different places and I see it in the lives of other students.
NextGen Matters: Students today love to worship. They do. There's something about worship that really is connecting with them. I desire to see worship, again, be more than just singing loud, but truly be passionate and from their heart.
NextGen Matters: Now, when I'm thinking of worship, I'm also not just relegating that to, let's say, song. Honestly, I'm also thinking of prayer. You know, as we communicate to the Father through our song, through singing, we also communicate to the Father through Jesus, through our words, and that's prayer.
NextGen Matters: So when I say worship, I'm also encapsulating prayer along with that. So here's what I'm thinking. What are we doing? What are we doing to create a culture of genuine worship? Well, we want students to see and express themselves with a heartbeat of saying this, Lord, we need you.
NextGen Matters: Lord, we want you. We are hungry for you. So here's these two questions. First one, does my student ministry, my children's ministry, my, let's say adult ministry, young adult ministry, does my next gen ministry create an environment for passionate worship?
NextGen Matters: On a one to five, what would you think? What he what would you write down? one low being One low and high being the five, the five being the high. Then the second question is, do my students themselves have a passionate heart to worship God?
NextGen Matters: Do my students themselves? Now, here's the thing. Here's what I mean, okay? So you can create, I don't mean legalistically or just or just programmatically, but you can truly create a worshipful environment And you look around and the students have their arms folded or they're just sitting down or they're just not wanting to sing.
NextGen Matters: And that's what I'm trying to say. You can create the environment, but they have to own it. And that only comes from a surrender to the spirit of God. So we want to see both happen, don't we? We want to see both where we create the culture and they have a heart for it.
NextGen Matters: So how do you think your students are doing? That's the first indicator is worship. The second is the word. I'm thinking of Colossians 3 and verse 16, where the apostle Paul writes to the Colossian church and he says that they are to be dwelling in the word. He said to be abiding or dwelling in the word richly. He says, let the word of Christ dwell richly in you. and And then he follows up by saying, and let us be speaking to another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. So you see worship and the word really do connect well, don't they?
NextGen Matters: Now, in all that we do within our meetings, our gatherings, whether it's your midweek on Wednesdays or a Sunday morning or both, our meetings should and must be centered around the integration of the Word of God into the life of our students.
NextGen Matters: Now, obviously, I think about like your teaching opportunities. right i want make sure don't you I want to make sure that that the Word of God is central and and is center to what we do during our gathering times, that that has the preeminence.
NextGen Matters: The Bible is what we talk about. I've been many times and many many places where I see there's a lot of worship, but little word. And that's that's honestly, that's sad. you know We're teaching our students to have a love and passion for worship, but then we have like a little, like a TED Talk, you know throw a verse or two on it.
NextGen Matters: and no No, no, no, no, no. Let's feed them the word. Let's center the ministry around the word. And what I also mean by that is let's make the word visible.
NextGen Matters: I'm a fan of the screen. I will use the screen, but I have a copy of the written word of God in front of me. I want that printed word of God to be in front of me. I want those students, even even this week as I'm speaking up to a church in Fredericksburg, Virginia, to a group of middle schoolers, they will see on the stage that Rich Brown will have the Bible open because I want them to see the scripture has preeminence.
NextGen Matters: So is my ministry focused and centered on the word? Now got a little bit more to share about this and here it goes. I'm just not talking even about your teaching time, but also even think about your small group time.
NextGen Matters: Is it just chit chat? Is it just all the feels? Or is it also... Are small group leaders bringing students back to what the word says, right? Just now, how do you feel about that? But what does the word say? Do you have times for your students to be sharing what they're learning in their own quiet times? Do you have an open time of sharing, be it in the small group or even in a larger context where students can share what they're learning in the word?
NextGen Matters: Also, what about your discipleship times? Again, is it just hangout times or is it truly a time to be investing into the word of God with our students, to be good stewards of their time? If we call discipleship, let's truly be making disciples.
NextGen Matters: Because I want our students to see the bedrock of their faith must be the Word of God. I desperately want to see students to become, where they think Bible, where they act Bible, where they live Bible, our standard for truth must always be the never-changing, always-relevant Word of God.
NextGen Matters: So, two diagnostic questions, two evaluative questions, and here they are. Does my ministry create an environment for depth in the word?
NextGen Matters: For depth in the word. One to five. And then do my students have a knowledge, a passion, and a connection to the word?
NextGen Matters: In other words, your students are reading the word of God outside of your youth or your children's or your young adults' time. They're reading it on their own. And they have a grasp of the word of God.
NextGen Matters: Come on, let's go. Three is welcome. Our third indicator of spiritual health is welcome. I'm thinking of Matthew chapter 18. And verse five, here's the context. Jesus is doing public ministry.
NextGen Matters: Parents are coming, bringing their little children to Jesus for a rabbinical blessing. And the 12 automatically firewall around Jesus, cut them off, basically saying with arms folded, hey, you got an appointment?
NextGen Matters: and Jesus is like my words today, right He's like, guys, let it go. Lighten up, right? Let these parents come in. Let them bring their children to me. Now, the context is rabbinical blessing, but the principle is beautiful.
NextGen Matters: Jesus is saying he wants all people to come to him. Bring it on. Let them come. here's the question. When someone new comes into our ministry, are they welcomed? Just like Jesus desired to welcome the little children.
NextGen Matters: Are these new people who come into our midst, are they welcomed? just like Jesus would welcome them. I'm also thinking of what Paul says in Romans 15 and in verse seven, Paul teaches to the Roman church that we are to accept others into our body as Christ has accepted us.
NextGen Matters: Other translations used use the word receive. We are to receive others as Christ receives us, which three chapters earlier, he already sets that up by chapter 12, verse 13, saying we are to practice hospitality. And hospitality in the Greek structure means to extend the hand to the stranger, literally to pull somebody in.
NextGen Matters: So our gatherings must be a place where everyone who comes in feels welcome. And where each one, that when they do come in, they know they belong. It crushes me when I see a teenager sitting by herself or himself.
NextGen Matters: It does. It crushes me when I watch someone new. And I can see when they're new. you know And they're just kind of like they trying to figure it out, looking all around. does It does.
NextGen Matters: my my My heart just goes out to that teenager And I see it. I see it in our own ministry. I see other places where I speak. It's like, no, come on, everyone, let's go. We're a team. Let's pull people in. Hey, hey, here's the deal.
NextGen Matters: The last two Wednesday nights, I was blessed to be the one to bring the word of these last two Wednesday nights. And what I shared with our own ministry is what I call my signature talk when I go speak in other places. And that is creating a culture of the gospel,
NextGen Matters: Not just are we creating a culture of the gospel to go out and share, which I talk about, but also when they come in. Because if we can we can do a great job of being out there ministering, but when they come into our midst, if we just have arms folded instead of having our arms wide open,
NextGen Matters: They're not going to stay. We've got to have a heart that says, y'all come. We want you here. we We want you to be be be feeling like you are you are special, that God loves you, and we love you. Something I would say back in my day, I would tell our leadership team this every Wednesday night before we would go out to do ministry.
NextGen Matters: I would say, other than the home, may this be The place in town where there would be no greater place love would be shown than in this place tonight. Does that make sense?
NextGen Matters: I wanted our leadership team to know, other than their own home, this is the place they will have the most love of anywhere else they could go in this community. We will love them like that.
NextGen Matters: couple of questions. Here we are. Does my ministry create a welcoming environment? Does my ministry create a welcoming environment?
NextGen Matters: You know, are is your ministry pulling students in building them up, or is the ministry tearing them down? So does my ministry create a welcoming environment? And then students, do my students make all who enter feel welcome? Okay.
NextGen Matters: Number four is the word witness. Acts 1-8, classic verse, the famous last words of our Lord Jesus, where he tells us to go into all the world and make disciples.
NextGen Matters: And as the right before he ascends back to be with the Father and sits at the right hand of glory, he tells us in Acts 1-8, that you shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit and then you are witness.
NextGen Matters: Go be his witnesses. Now, I'm going to say something and I want you to really wrestle with it, process with it. So here it is.
NextGen Matters: New Testament witnessing was not restricted to an event. It was a lifestyle. Now, Jesus in Acts one eight did not say go out and witness.
NextGen Matters: He said you are witnesses. In other words, our lives share Christ with others. Now, of course this lifestyle does include us sharing our faith verbally,
NextGen Matters: For without that, Romans chapter 10 says no one could be saved. We must preach truth. What I'm talking about is not an either or. I'm stressing the need to walk the talk and talk the walk. In other words, I represent, I witness verbally and visibly.
NextGen Matters: I'm showing it and I'm telling it. All right? That's what I'm talking about, okay? Our students should have the heartbeat of Jesus for the lost, so that when we do have our youth gatherings, our students are sensitive to those around them who need Christ.
NextGen Matters: How great would it be to have students that model exactly what the Thessaloniki Church modeled there that Paul addresses in 1 Thessalonians in chapter 1. I want to read these few verses to you. It's chapter 1 of 1 Thessalonians, verses 7, 8, and 9.
NextGen Matters: And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia.
NextGen Matters: Your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore, we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us.
NextGen Matters: They tell us how you turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God. Paul is saying, I don't have to keep reminding you to be sharing the gospel. You're already doing it, and you're impacting the areas around your community and around, i mean, the regions of Macedonia and Achaia.
NextGen Matters: that That preaches, y'all. That's amazing. I love that phrase. I love mean that phrase i love those verses. So let's not just stop with modeling the faith, but let's also give them the chance to verbalize their faith in the context of our ministry structures today.
NextGen Matters: through letting them share their personal testimonies. Have them lead small group discussions. Get this one, let them give the gospel presentation at your outreach event.
NextGen Matters: I loved doing that. It was an incredible time for me as the student pastor to do leadership training, taking juniors and seniors, older guys that I was really pouring into. Matt was one of them I'm definitely thinking of right now. And actually working through how to share the gospel in a clear way that would connect with people and then to see him do it at our biggest outreach event of the year. And he crushed it.
NextGen Matters: Two months later, i was in his baccalaureate service. Now guys, this isn't the Bible Belt. This is Seattle, Washington people. Okay. And his public high school baccalaureate service where about half his graduating class volunteered to come Matt stood up and he for 10 minutes shared honestly a clear presentation of the gospel that I have heard some of these professional speakers give.
NextGen Matters: I was so grateful for his heart for Jesus and his heart for the gospel. That was over 20 years ago. And that dude is still a pastor. Isn't awesome?
NextGen Matters: So let's give our students chances. Now, that one actually leans into the next one, but I got a couple of questions for you first. So, does your ministry create opportunities for students to hear the gospel?
NextGen Matters: Does your ministry create opportunities for unsafe students to come hear the gospel? And then, do your students have a faith where their lives and their words are a bold witness?
NextGen Matters: And that leads us to our fifth one, going from witness to work. Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 12, you probably know the verse, actually verses 12 to 15, where apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are here to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, right?
NextGen Matters: So our students need to take on the attitude of Jesus Christ in this area of servanthood. For, as Matthew 20 and verse 28 says, the Lord Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve.
NextGen Matters: And of course, he continues, and to give his life is a ransom for many. Jesus Christ's entire earthly life could be summed up in one descriptive word, servant.
NextGen Matters: He never saw himself too important to talk to children, to touch a leper, or to wash his betrayers feet His entire view of greatness was based on how one serves others.
NextGen Matters: So while the world promotes self-advancement, Christ promotes self-abasement. While the world tells you to be true to yourself, Jesus tells you be to be true unto Him.
NextGen Matters: While the world defines success as how many people serve us, Jesus says real success is how many people we serve. So we realize the need to equip the saints for ministry.
NextGen Matters: But my concern here is not only merely having opportunities to serve, although we need to do that, you know, be the hands of Jesus.
NextGen Matters: But I'm also concerned that our students own, let's say, the heart of Jesus. Here's what i mean. It's not too hard to get students to be involved up on the stage, you know, like the band, maybe doing some skits or drama, doing the announcements. A lot of students love the light love the the spotlight, okay?
NextGen Matters: So that's not too hard to get students to do that. But how about picking up after the event, you know, when trash needs to get taken out or cherries need to get put away.
NextGen Matters: What if you began to see your students doing that without even being asked? You would think the kingdom has come. You know, progress is being made. So yes, let us make sure that we are creating opportunities for service.
NextGen Matters: We also want to make sure they have a heart of the servant. All right. So here's these two questions. Does my ministry create serving opportunities for students to work?
NextGen Matters: And then, do my students have a desire to serve and a heart for serving others?
NextGen Matters: And yet we must never forget our ultimate goal is for these five areas to become part of the students' lives as well. They are to become life disciplines. So just dream with me for a minute, okay? If each one of our students in their own personal life became so spiritually strong in each of these five areas,
NextGen Matters: What do you think your midweek ministry night would look like? What do you think your Sunday morning would do? It'd be crazy. They'd be so, let me say, on fire. Now, speaking of fire, i love fire.
NextGen Matters: Contain, but I love fire. I'm the dude who, in the warmer months, I'm in my outdoor fire pit. Or in the warmer months, I'm in my den with my fireplace a-blazin' because I love something about a fire. It's like it's a guy thing, I guess, right?
NextGen Matters: So let's take that word picture, let's take that metaphor, and let's play it out.
NextGen Matters: Imagine for a moment if every student would be like the sense of a a burning log, and when they come together, It's like a bonfire. And that's what I'm talking about. If we could see students who have that internal, eye if they could internally desire and seek to live out those five areas, as we as a group, as a ministry have created the culture of that, that is a winning that is a winning combination, y'all.
NextGen Matters: Now, to begin to bring this to a close, When you go to the doctor, typically the tests don't lie. They reveal what's really happening beneath the surface.
NextGen Matters: The strengths, the weaknesses, and the areas that do need attention. So in the same way, these five markers that I've walked you through, worship, the word, welcome, witness, and work, are the spiritual diagnostics of your ministry.
NextGen Matters: They reveal what's healthy, what's growing, or what needs some intentional care. Now, as a wrap up, here's the proof if you are seeing spiritual health.
NextGen Matters: First of all, a spiritually fit ministry is one where worship is more than music. It's a hunger for the presence of God. Number two, a spiritually fit ministry is one where the word is not an accessory, you know, jewelry, bling.
NextGen Matters: It is the anchor of who we are. Number three, a spiritually fit ministry is one where welcome isn't just a greeting.
NextGen Matters: It's a culture of belonging. A spiritually fit ministry is one where witness isn't just an event. It's a lifestyle.
NextGen Matters: It's who we are. We are his ambassadors and we represent well. And the last one, a spiritually fit ministry is one where work, it's not a burden.
NextGen Matters: It's joyful, it's Christ-like. it's It's doing the works of Jesus in the name of Jesus to glorify Jesus. Remember, these five signs didn't come from so implementing programming or or pressure or personality-driven.
NextGen Matters: They come as the Holy Spirit is forming Christ into your students' hearts and shaping the culture of the ministry you lead from the inside out.
NextGen Matters: Remember, we create the ministry culture. He creates the life change. I'm to say one more time. We can create the ministry culture.
NextGen Matters: He creates the life change. So imagine with me. A ministry fervently worshiping Christ. A ministry deeply rooted in the word of Christ. A ministry openly welcoming as Christ.
NextGen Matters: A ministry boldly witnessing of Christ and a ministry faithfully working for Christ. That is not just a dream. That is what spiritual fitness can look like. And that's the kind of ministry that just doesn't gather students.
NextGen Matters: It deepens disciples and it broadens the gospel movement. This is your diagnostic. This is your invitation. And this is the kind of spiritual health that can reshape your entire community.
NextGen Matters: So as every episode comes to a close, I say, what's the C2A, the call to action? I have three. As you process over these five,
NextGen Matters: I want you to do a personal examination. In other words, ask yourself, how are we doing? If you're the leader of the ministry, ask yourself, what am I doing to create this culture of these five?
NextGen Matters: Second, Leaders examination. Again, if you're the key leader of that ministry, then share this with your volunteer team. If you're a volunteer leader, listen to this. You also right now do that, that the examination and then share it with your key leader or leaders.
NextGen Matters: So starts with you, share it with the other leaders. And then third, I would encourage you to to to pull in some of your key students, the ones, don't want to say your rock stars, but but the ones that you know i have a real heart for God.
NextGen Matters: That could be the quietest teenager in the group. That could be the quietest young adult in your young adult ministry, et cetera. Doesn't have to be the loud one, but the faithful ones, the ones that you know have a solid walk with God, I would want them. I'd pull them in. I would i did do that. Come on. I would do that. That's why I'm saying it.
NextGen Matters: Pull them in. Share these with them and say, honestly, how do you think we're doing? Get key students to give that examination of your own ministry. and I'd love to hear your own thoughts.
NextGen Matters: So there we go. Thanks for joining me today in the Next Gen Matters podcast. So if today has been a blessing to you, I want to hear from you. Email me, richandnextgenmatters.com, because like I keep saying, I'd love to hear from you or put a comment in the in the comment box below.
NextGen Matters: And also, I'm highly encouraging you share this with a friend. And if you've not yet subscribed to the podcast, please do so. And I would love if I would be honored if you would give a review.
NextGen Matters: And if you haven't yet subscribed to our NGM Thursday to email, please do so. Starting a new four part series this week on on being sustainable in ministry. So the link to get that email is below in the show notes. Thanks again for joining me for the Next Gen Matters podcast. Until next time.
NextGen Matters: Your leadership matters because your ministry matters because the gospel matters.
