I see a generation rising up to take their place...

Taken from Catablog. Very encouraging. Read on:

I love leaders. And especially next generation leaders. Specifically those leaders who are currently in their 20′s and 30′s. And I’m incredibly hopeful regarding this next wave of leaders. Incredibly excited and hopeful and expectant. Expectant that they are going to take the reins and move things forward like no other generation before them.

Here’s a few reasons why I’ve got great confidence in the next generation of leaders:

1. Passion for God. Everyone seems to think we’ve lost a generation of Christ followers in our country, but after seeing the 23,000 college students gathered at Passion a few weeks ago, and the 20,000 + who gather at Urbana every other year, and the 20,000 who were just in Kansas City for the IHOP One Thing gathering- this instills confidence that the next generation of leaders love Jesus and are passionate about serving Him and making Him known for their generation. Read Gabe Lyons’ latest book The Next Christians for further explanation and clarity.

2. Willing to work together. 20 and 30 somethings are more willing to collaborate than any other generation before. They trust each other. Really. And see collaboration as the starting point, not some grandiose vision of teamwork that is far off in the distance. Collaboration is now the norm.

3. Don’t care who gets the credit.. For the next generation- it’s Way less about who, and way more about what.

4. Generosity and sharing are the new currencies of our culture. In business, relationships, networks, platforms, technology, distribution, content delivery, etc- Open source is the new standard. This new wave of leaders has tools/resources such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, Instagram, and tons more social media tools that make influencing much more readily available.

5. Understand the holistic responsibility of influence- willing to connect all of life together- faith, compassion, charity, work, career, church, family, friends. It’s all connected. There is way less compartmentalizing of life among the next generation of leaders.

6. Authenticity wins. Trust is incredibly important. Leaders won’t have followers going forward unless they trust them and see that they are authentic and real. Authenticity is not only important to the next generation, it’s a requirement.

7. Not willing to wait. Young leaders are ambitious and passionate about making a difference now. Not willing to wait their turn. They want to influence now. Evidence of this is the explosion of church planters in the last 4-5 years.

8. See social justice as the norm. Leaders who care about the poor and lean into causes and see the social gospel as a key ingredient to following Christ are no longer seen as the exception. Young Leaders see taking care of the poor and sharing the Gospel as BOTH crucial to the advancement of the Church and of God’s Kingdom. 20 somethings I believe are and will continue to become more balanced in their pursuit of both. They don’t have to be one or the other.

9. Seeking wisdom and mentors. Overall, I sense that 20 and 30 somethings are highly willing to be mentored, and are hungry for wisdom from older leaders around them. Those of us Gen X’ers tend to think we have it all figured out. Millenials and Gen Y are assumed to have it all figured out because they have so many tools and technology at their fingertips. But from what I’ve experienced, they still are seeking wisdom, just as much as any other generation before them.

Are you excited or scared about the next wave of leaders?

Tumblr

Hello to my followers of this blog!

I went ahead and decided to make a Tumblr to post up short thoughts, pictures, videos, audio clips, etc. I will still use this Blogspot to write longer articles on certain issues that burn in my heart at the time.

To follow me on Tumblr click here.

Hearts Awakening

Never before that God is raising up such a strong sense of urgency in this hour to live consecrated lives unto Him and seek His face. A massive outpouring of His Spirit and revival that many have prayed for has already begun and I pray that none of us would miss it! Seek Him and know His ways. Otherwise we would be offended and not recognize this upcoming and great move of God over this land.

Those living lukewarm lifestyles, clouded by comprise and unbelief will be left behind unable to discern what is of God and what is of God. Don't dwell on past glories and accomplishments! Look forward and keep the fire burning on the altars of your hearts by tending to the oil of intimacy with the Lord!!!

Those with hearts set before the Lord will see a birthing of promises of God in their personal lives as well as seeing the promises of God fulfilled corporately as a Church. Whatever you have sown into, you will see a season of great reaping. Many of you will be launched and transitioned into ministries, causes, and movements that have been burning in your hearts. You will see the favor of God unleashed in your life that will provoke many people into trusting the Lord.

“You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart.” -Jeremiah 29:13

“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.” -Psalm 24:3-6

Transition. Surrender.

This is going to be my first "real" blog of 2011.

I was looking up the meaning behind the number "eleven" and it's interesting to note that eleven means a time of transition. Interesting stuff...

I was listening to a prophetic word given to me back in April of last year by a group of people and they prophesied that I'm in a time of transition. In my mind I thought, "Still..?! I thought my transition was over when I left my old church and decided to commit to serving at LoveHOP. New ministry. 'New' theology. New people I can run in ministry with. It was a huge transition for me leave a church I got saved in and have been going to for 9 1/2 years. But still a transiton...? What more of a transition can I go through?"

Then throughout 2010, God has been putting it in my heart to finally get areas of my life in order- education, work, ministry, family, finances, relationships, etc.

I'm at crossroads in my life where I need to set priorities in order. Should I pursue work full-time? Should I quit my job and jump into full-time ministry? What about finishing school? I feel 2011 will be a year that will finally start giving clarity in direction of my life.

Just recently a friend of mine of whom I haven't spoken to in several weeks called me up and declared that 2011 will be a year that God will shift things into my favor. I found it encouraging but soon after, events started to happen that seemed to be quite the opposite. It left me feeling a but discouraged and hopeless and wondering if the word she really gave me was from God. But then a revelation came to me...

I'm thinking about the biggest transition in the history of the world. A transition that brought reconciliation between a holy God and sinful man. The night before this transition happened, Jesus struggled. Yeah, Jesus was and is 100% God but He was also 100% man. And as a man, the night before His transition- the crucufixion, He struggled in prayer. He spent hours in the Garden of Gethsemane in prayer, knowing the way of the Cross involved pain unexplainable. But He knew this transition would exalt Him to glory and He saw the joy that was set before Him. He ultimately said the greatest expression of surrender- "Not My will, but Your will be done."

I'm learning that there's a process before the favor. Before I can see the promises of God be a reality in my own life. I'm learning that there's surrender involved. A surrender of ambitions, dreams, desires, agendas, and wills.

If I want God to align my life and see His favor poured out and see His promises come to pass in this time of transition, I must choose the way of the Cross. Surrender.

There is freedom in a fully surrendered life. God's love makes it worth it all.

'Cause my heart is hungry for the chance to sit at Your feet and feel Your presence in the deepest part of me.