Follow Me as I Follow Christ: Stewarding our Youngest Saints

Most of us are wired to think of finances or donations when we hear the word stewardship. But what if I told you that there is a resource that is more important than what we can put in the bank or that can be found buried 50 paces to the east from the largest oak tree in our backyard? What if I said that our most valuable earthly resource is the human resource? People. The stewardship of people (that is to say, the nurturing, guarding, and directing of young people) must be a paramount concern for the Church. Not only that, I want to contend that intergenerational discipleship is one of the best ways to steward children, youth, and young adults.

Paul’s Call to Titus

Imagine a congregation where the wisdom of seasoned saints merged with the energy and innovation of younger ones – where everyone contributes to and benefits from a rich, supportive community. This is not merely an aspirational wish that we hope to stumble upon, but a tangible reality that we all must work to for the Kingdom of God.

Churches have always thrived when the collective strength of all generations is realized, and the diverse experiences and insights of their members is drawn upon. Remember the instructions to “older folk” in Titus 2:3-5: disciple young folk through your words and action.

You Get a Benefit, You Get a Benefit, Everyone Gets a Benefit!

For young people, this kind of ministry offers a wealth of opportunities that reflect wise a healthy community. By connecting them with more seasoned Christians, congregations invest in their spiritual and leadership development. I do say “investment” because the result is a multiplication of spiritual wisdom and maturity over time. This kind of discipleship provides young people with valuable insights into navigating life as a follower of Christ. These seasoned saints would also serve as role models (“follow me as I follow Christ” – 1 Corinthians 11:1), helping the younger saints to grow in their faith and preparing them to take on future leadership roles in the church. It is not enough to wish that young people would “get their acts together,” but we must show them. In so doing, we wisely steward the experience and gifts of our more mature faithful members.

For those who have been following Jesus longer, their involvement in intergenerational ministry also has a plethora of benefits. By sharing their time, knowledge, and experience with youth and young adults, they find personal fulfillment and contribute to the church’s long-term health. This involvement ensures that the faith is passed down, while also ensuring that how the gospel is shared can be adapted to new generations. There are also studies that would support that continued activities, such as discipling young people, contribute to improved mental and emotional health outcomes.

Down to Brass Tacks

To practice wise stewardship through intergenerational ministry, churches can implement several effective strategies:

1. Organize Events and Activities: Plan regular gatherings that involve all age groups—such as community service projects, mission trips, Bible studies, or shared meals.
2. Establishing Mentorship Programs: Curricula like Engage (available from the Diocese) help prepare churches and older members to disciple younger ones in small groups. The beauty of this curriculum is that for churches who may only have two or three young people, they are still able to effectively steward what the Lord has given them.
3. Creating Opportunities for Integrated Worship: Integrating various age groups into worship services, such as through intergenerational choirs or bands, or mixed-age small groups are some practical ways that we can create spaces to worship together. I know of a youth group that, after their youth group is done meeting, gathers around the altar for Eucharist with the adults from Wednesday night classes. The wild thing is that the youth love it!

Making a Kingdom Difference

I can tell you, factually, that this kind of ministry has Kingdom impact. A good friend of mine told me about one young lady in her Engage group. They meet regularly to do Bible study, talk about life, and offer wise counsel. The younger lady talks about things that she grapples with in school, relationships, family, etc. Through the Lord’s continued faithfulness working through my friend, she has seen the young lady growing in “wisdom and stature.” The young lady’s relationship with Christ was strengthened and she has been able to see her navigate the world through a Christian lens. It has been an incredible encouragement to my friend to see this particular young lady following Jesus as she had never done before. This didn’t happen by accident. It didn’t happen because my friend wagged her finger at the young lady and told her to do better. It happened because she was an intentional and faithful steward of the little (but precious) resource the Lord gave her.

Well Done, Thou Good and Faithful Servant

Friends, this story doesn’t have to be a one-off. It can be a picture of how we normally function as a diocesan community – all generations coming together with the expressed goal to work actively for the growth of the Kingdom. We, too, can know the joy of seeing the love of Jesus the Christ grow in young people. Being a Christian is not a spectator sport, but one in which we are called to participate through action.

In the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew, Jesus tells a parable about bags of gold given to servants by their master. The servants who stewarded the gold well and multiplied it were commended by the master, “well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I make thee ruler over many things.” The servants who stewarded well what the master had given them were given more responsibility. Notice what wise stewardship looks like here – multiplying what you have. Through intentionally training and deploying lay and ordained ministers to share the transforming love of Jesus to those around them (particularly to the youth), the resources will grow.

Think

How can we better engage and support the different generations within our church? What can I do to facilitate this? Where can we get training and resources to help us in this mission?*

* The answer to this last question, at least partially, is your diocese. Please contact Canon Christopher to talk about the Engage curriculum and other resources that could aid your congregation in reaching out beyond the walls of your church (in general, but particularly as it relates to young people).