Raising Up The Next Generation of Leaders

We had our strategic intercessors meeting this morning and it was an awesome time of connecting and sharing what the Lord has been doing in each of our contexts. The awesome thing is that we found consistently a stirring regarding young adults and the next generation of leaders. We talked about ways that young adults on college campuses can begin to see this city as "their" city. We also talked about how many pastors and intercessors are sensing that transition that is taking place where seasoned pastors are preparing, equipping, and training up young leaders who will be the next pastors of the city over the next 20-30 years.

One important thing that will assist this process is to cast vision. We should all be casting vision in these young adults and begin to instill this idea that they can do more - they can transform their campus, their city, their world. We can help them to see what can be done by telling them stories of what God has done in the past - both in Scripture and among the Church in the city. We can inspire them. We can help them connect with the needs in the city beyond the boundaries of the campus. Young adults want adventure and if they see the journey of reaching their city, God can raise them up to be the next influencers of the city.

Another important thing will be discipleship. We need to make sure that these young adults are fully equipped and trained as followers of Christ - keeping a strong connection to Him. Pastors and seasoned leaders of the city will need to invest in these young adults. Campus ministry staff will also be training them up as well. It will be interesting to see what this will actually look like to have these young adults mentored.

Among us were some individuals whom God has already strategically placed on campus and they will be working towards connecting student leaders and staff of the different college ministries to get together once over the summer. Hopefully, the leaders can get together regularly so that they can communicate, coordinate, and mobilize so that they can function as One Body on the campus even though they are all from varying local campus ministries. God is doing much the same thing among the pastors of the city who have been regularly connecting every month.

We also talked about the mobilizing of intercessors who will be prayer walking North Long Beach on July 16th. We'll continue to connect with prayer ministries throughout the city so that we can coordinate.