Generations Divide or Discipleship
Empower and Applaud the Next Generation: A Faith Worth Passing On
Every generation has its quirks.
Its own music, slang, fashion, technology, and ways of seeing the world.
And every generation eventually looks at the one coming behind it and wonders, What in the world are they thinking?
For Generation Z, that might involve everything from their relationship with technology to their approach to authority, commitment, and culture.
After all, this is the generation that brought us Skibidi Toilet!
It's easy to shake our heads, roll our eyes, and assume the next generation is headed in the wrong direction.
But what if we're missing something extraordinary?
What if the very generation we're tempted to criticize is also a generation God is preparing to use in powerful ways?
At Bridgepoint, one of our core values is to empower and applaud the next generation.
And that value is rooted in something much deeper than a desire to have a thriving children's or youth ministry.
It's rooted in what we believe about God and His purpose for every human life.
God's Purpose Doesn't Have an Age Requirement
Psalm 139:16 reminds us:
"Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."Psalm 139:16 (NKJV)
God has a purpose for every person.
Not just adults.
Not just people who have completed their education, established careers, or figured out what they want to do with their lives.
Every person matters to God, and every season of life has purpose.
God's plan for someone doesn't begin when they graduate from high school.
It doesn't begin when they earn a college degree.
And it certainly doesn't begin when they're old enough to have everything figured out.
That means the children, teenagers, and young adults in our church aren't simply the future of the church.
They're an important part of the church right now.
They have gifts to develop, people to influence, and opportunities to serve Jesus today.
Our responsibility isn't merely to keep them occupied until adulthood.
It's to help them discover who God created them to be and empower them to follow Him.
A Generation Asking Questions
Bridgepoint's proximity to Boise State University gives us a unique opportunity to connect with young adults.
And Gen Z is a fascinating generation.
They've grown up in a world unlike anything previous generations experienced.
They are digital natives.
They've never known a world without immediate access to information, social media, and an endless stream of competing opinions.
They've watched public leaders fail, institutions face scandals, and trusted voices lose credibility—often in real time.
It's not surprising that many young adults approach authority with skepticism.
For those of us who remember life before the internet, the constant exposure to information can feel overwhelming.
But for Gen Z, it's simply the world they've always known.
And while it's easy to interpret their skepticism as rebellion or indifference, there's another side to the story.
Many young adults are still searching for something worth believing in.
They're asking questions about truth.
About identity.
About purpose.
About whether there is something greater than themselves.
And increasingly, some are willing to explore those questions through faith.
Searching for God in a World of Competing Voices
Recent survey findings discussed in the sermon suggest that Gen Z may be more spiritually curious than many people assume.
In a Harris Poll cited during the message, 33% of Gen Z respondents identified as religious, compared with smaller percentages among the other generations surveyed.
That's an encouraging reminder that skepticism toward institutions doesn't necessarily mean rejection of God.
But there's an important distinction between spiritual curiosity and spiritual maturity.
Young adults may be willing to explore Christianity while also exploring a variety of other spiritual practices and beliefs.
They may attend church, read Scripture, and ask sincere questions about Jesus while still trying to determine what is true.
In other words:
They can be open to spiritual things while still needing discernment.
And isn't that something most of us can relate to?
When we were younger, we didn't have everything figured out either.
We needed people who were patient with our questions.
People who helped us distinguish truth from confusion.
People who modeled what it looked like to follow Jesus faithfully.
Today's young adults need those same things.
And that creates an incredible opportunity for the church.
Rather than dismissing their questions or criticizing their uncertainty, we can walk alongside them as they discover what it means to follow Christ.
Partnering to Reach the Next Generation
One way Bridgepoint is responding to this opportunity is through our developing partnership with Cru, a Christian ministry that helps college students encounter Jesus, grow in their faith, and become equipped to share that faith with others.
During the service, we welcomed Jesse Schlender from Cru to talk about the ministry's work with college students.
The conversation explored the spiritual questions students are asking, the challenges they're facing, and the importance of helping young adults move beyond curiosity into genuine discipleship.
It also highlighted why partnerships between local churches and campus ministries matter.
College students are in a season of tremendous transition.
They're making decisions about relationships, careers, identity, values, and the direction of their lives.
Many are living away from home for the first time.
And they're surrounded by voices competing for their attention and allegiance.
What an incredible opportunity to help them establish a foundation of faith that will shape the rest of their lives.
Cru and Bridgepoint may have different approaches and ministry settings, but we share a common mission:
Help people follow Jesus.
And that mission isn't limited to one organization, one age group, or one ministry team.
It's a responsibility shared by the entire church.
Biblical Discipleship Is Multigenerational
Throughout Scripture, we see that faith was never intended to remain within a single generation.
Psalm 145:4 says:
"One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts."Psalm 145:4 (NKJV)
God's people are called to pass on the truth of His faithfulness.
One generation tells the next what God has done.
They share Scripture.
They tell stories of answered prayers.
They remember God's provision.
They model what it looks like to trust Him through difficult seasons.
And they help the next generation develop a faith of their own.
The Kingdom of God was never meant to be divided by age.
It was designed to grow through relationships between generations.
The wisdom and experience of older believers can help guide younger believers.
And the passion, energy, and perspective of younger believers can strengthen and encourage the entire church.
When generations value one another, something beautiful happens.
Faith becomes more than information we teach.
It becomes a way of life we demonstrate.
Discipleship Begins at Home
Deuteronomy 6 makes it clear that passing on faith begins within the family.
Parents are instructed to teach God's commands to their children as part of everyday life.
Not just during formal religious gatherings.
Not just on special occasions.
But throughout the ordinary rhythms of the day.
When you're at home.
When you're traveling.
When you lie down.
When you get up.
The message is clear:
If you're raising children, you're already in a position to help disciple the next generation.
That doesn't mean you need a theology degree or all the answers.
It means making faith part of your family's everyday life.
Pray together.
Talk about Scripture.
Share what God is teaching you.
Let your children see how you respond when life gets difficult.
Show them what repentance, forgiveness, generosity, and trust in God look like.
Because some of the most powerful lessons about following Jesus aren't taught in a classroom.
They're learned by watching someone live out their faith.
The Church Is a Family Across Generations
But discipleship doesn't stop with parents.
In Titus 2, Paul describes how older believers should invest in younger believers within the church.
He challenges mature Christians to live with integrity and faithfulness so they can help guide those coming behind them.
Older women are called to teach and encourage younger women.
Older believers are called to help younger men develop self-control, wisdom, and maturity.
The specific challenges of life may look different today than they did in the first century, but the principle remains.
Every generation has something to offer the next.
Young women today face enormous pressure surrounding identity, relationships, body image, careers, and expectations.
They're surrounded by messages telling them who they should be, what they should value, and where they should find their worth.
Imagine the difference a spiritually mature woman could make by speaking truth, encouragement, and hope into a young woman's life.
By reminding her that her identity is found in Christ.
By walking alongside her through difficult decisions.
By celebrating her growth and helping her recognize her God-given potential.
The same is true for young men.
Paul writes:
"Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded."Titus 2:6 (NKJV)
To exhort someone is to encourage and challenge them toward something greater.
Young men need examples of integrity, self-control, courage, humility, and faithful leadership.
They need mature men willing to invest time in them.
Men who will walk beside them, challenge them when necessary, and demonstrate what it means to follow Jesus.
Maturity grows through relationships with people who are willing to model it.
Imagine a church where this kind of discipleship happens naturally.
Where older generations don't simply tolerate younger generations but intentionally invest in them.
Where younger generations don't dismiss older believers but eagerly learn from their wisdom.
Where people of every age recognize that they need one another.
That's the kind of church we want to be.
Young Adults Have Always Been Part of God's Mission
Sometimes we talk about young people as though their primary responsibility is to prepare for the day when God will finally use them.
But Scripture tells a different story.
Many of Jesus' disciples were likely young men when He called them to follow Him.
Timothy was a young leader whom Paul trusted with significant ministry responsibilities.
Titus was entrusted with helping establish and strengthen churches.
Throughout the New Testament, we see young believers being equipped, encouraged, and empowered to participate in God's mission.
They weren't simply waiting on the sidelines.
They were actively serving.
And someone had taken the time to invest in them.
Maturing young adults help move the mission of God forward.
The same can be true today.
The student sitting in a college classroom may become a missionary, pastor, teacher, business leader, or parent whose faith influences countless others.
The teenager serving in youth ministry may already be making an eternal difference in someone's life.
The young adult asking difficult questions today may become the person who helps others discover Jesus tomorrow.
We cannot underestimate what God can accomplish through the next generation.
But we have a responsibility to help them get there.
Three Ways to Help the Next Generation Follow Jesus
You don't have to work in youth ministry or serve on a college campus to make a difference.
Every one of us has opportunities to encourage and invest in younger people.
Here are three practical ways to begin.
1. Choose Curiosity Over Suspicion
Let's admit it.
Sometimes the next generation says or does something that makes us think, I don't understand how they could possibly think that way!
But before assuming they're wrong or foolish, what if we stopped and asked questions?
What if we gave them the dignity of explaining their perspective?
We might still disagree.
We might still have important truths to share.
But we've opened the door to a relationship.
And relationships create opportunities for influence.
Curiosity doesn't require compromise. It creates connection.
Instead of immediately correcting, try listening.
Instead of assuming, ask questions.
Instead of dismissing their concerns, seek to understand them.
Sometimes the first step toward helping someone follow Jesus is simply showing them that they matter enough to be heard.
2. Choose Celebration Over Criticism
Young people are growing up in an environment filled with comparison, criticism, and constant pressure.
Social media can amplify fear, anxiety, insecurity, and the feeling that they'll never measure up.
They don't need another voice constantly reminding them of everything they're doing wrong.
They need mature believers who can recognize and celebrate what's good.
Notice when they make a wise decision.
Encourage them when they take a step of faith.
Celebrate their willingness to serve.
Recognize their growth.
Speak hope into their lives.
That doesn't mean ignoring mistakes or avoiding difficult conversations.
It means making sure our encouragement is louder than our criticism.
We have an opportunity to call out the potential God has placed within them.
Sometimes a few words of genuine encouragement can make a difference that lasts for years.
3. Choose Involvement Over Observation
It's easy to agree that the next generation matters.
It's another thing to actually invest in them.
But discipleship requires involvement.
It requires time.
Relationships.
Consistency.
And sometimes sacrifice.
At Bridgepoint, there are opportunities to serve through BP Kids and BP Youth.
Outside the church, there are countless other ways to make a difference.
Be a coach who models integrity.
Invest in a younger family member.
Mentor a student.
Encourage a young coworker.
Become a trusted adult who listens, cares, and points people toward Jesus.
You don't need a formal title to make an impact.
You simply need to be willing to show up.
The next generation doesn't just need people who believe in their potential. They need people willing to help develop it.
A Faith Worth Passing On
Every generation faces challenges.
Every generation makes mistakes.
And every generation needs people who will help them discover and follow Jesus.
The question isn't whether Gen Z has problems.
Of course they do.
So did every generation before them.
The more important question is whether we're willing to see the opportunities God has placed in front of us.
Will we respond to their questions with patience?
Will we celebrate their growth?
Will we invest our time and energy in helping them become mature followers of Christ?
Will we recognize that God's plan for their lives is already unfolding?
At Bridgepoint, we believe the answer should be yes.
Because empowering and applauding the next generation isn't just a nice church value.
It's a biblical responsibility and an incredible privilege.
So here's the challenge:
Who in the next generation could benefit from your encouragement, wisdom, or investment?
Maybe it's a child in your home.
A teenager in your neighborhood.
A college student at Boise State.
A young coworker.
Or someone you see every Sunday at church.
You don't have to change an entire generation.
Start by investing in one person.
Listen to them.
Encourage them.
Walk alongside them.
Help them follow Jesus.
Because the faith we live today is the faith we have the opportunity to pass on tomorrow.
And when one generation faithfully invests in the next, the impact can extend far beyond anything we could imagine.
Let's be a church that doesn't just hope for the next generation. Let's be a church that empowers them, applauds them, and helps them follow Jesus.
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