Here’s something that absolutely blows my mind. Today I am two years older than my dad was in that video. That was the first service of Grace Church back in 1991 and I was 8 years old at the time.
Back then, everybody at Grace, my mom and dad included, were these towering, mature adults. But now I see that video and think, “Wait. They’re my age.”
It makes it even more remarkable to think back on what God had in store for this eager group of believers starting a church in a warehouse on the edge of the cornfields.
I mean, take a look at this aerial image from the early 90’s. [image: 1991] You can see the warehouse there on the left, and our current location on the right. Now compare that to how this same area looks in 2021. [image: 2021]
God placed Grace in the right place at the right time to be there for thousands and thousands of people to have their lives transformed by Jesus.
Over the last 30 years
-More than 3000 people have been baptized at Grace
-800,000 people have been served through our Care Center
-We’ve sent out hundreds of short term trips
-We’ve played a part in planting 11 different churches
-Thousands have been helped through tragedy, grief, and loss
-Thousands have been discipled to follow Jesus
-And thousands more have been launched into the mission of God
I say all that not to pat ourselves on the back, but to simply stand in awe of what God has done here over the last three decades.
And my awe only grows when I look at videos and pictures from back in the 90’s and remember that the people who made Grace “Grace” when it started were not towering giants of the faith.
No, they were just
A new generation of leaders
Uncharted territory
A vision of God doing something new
A new generation of leaders entering uncharted territory with a vision of God doing something new.
Like we said last week, these leaders said, “Put me in, coach.” And God took care of the rest.
Well, now, 30 years after those wild early days of Grace, we find ourselves at something of a new beginning.
For one thing, the congregation of Grace has changed a lot. Out of curiosity, how many in this room were there in the warehouse days?
Many of the incredible ‘pillars’ of Grace Church - people like Ron Bowman, Howard and Gyneth Luginbill, and Chuck Gross, have passed away.
And now a new generation of leaders - both volunteers and staff - have stepped up to the plate.
And by the way, when I say that, I don’t just mean physically young leaders. There are leaders at Grace - of all ages - who are shaping this church today, but who haven’t been around forever. It’s a new generation of leadership.
On top of that, it’s a new world. It’s not 1991 anymore.
• 9/11 changed our entire perspective on the world.
• The internet and smartphones have radically altered our lifestyles.
• All kinds of simmering cultural and political divides have torn our nation apart.
• Covid has completely disrupted “normal” (including church attendance… right now just about half of our attenders are still online)
• And we are seeing massive deconstruction across the Evangelical Church and many, many people leaving the faith as the credibility gap grows.
• All while the most unchurched generation in American history is entering adulthood.
It really is uncharted territory.
It’s enough to make some in the church want to throw in the towel. But in this time of deconstruction and confusion and turmoil, we stand here on fire with a vision of God doing something new.
Reconstruction, renewal, revival… A world healed in the name of Jesus and a community transformed by Christ to do the healing.
You know what this means? We’re…
A new generation of leaders
Uncharted territory
A vision of God doing something new
We may look a lot different than we did in 1991 (fewer shoulder pads), but our calling as a church to carry on the mission of God is still the same.
Which is why we’re turning to Scripture this month for encouragements, reminders, and even cautions, as we look ahead at the next 30 years of Grace.
PAUL AND TIMOTHY
We’re looking at the Apostle Paul’s letters to his protege, Timothy.
As you’ll know if you were around this summer when we walked through the book of Acts, Paul was a massively influential missionary. He planted churches all across the Roman Empire and then spent a lot of time trying to help these churches survive.
But as Paul came towards the end of his life and ministry career, he put a new generation of leaders in these different churches to help carry his gospel mission forward.
Like Timothy, who he asked to lead the church in Ephesus.
Now this was a big deal. Ephesus was a huge and important city with a lot of spiritual forces and income inequality. And there was a lot changing at the time in the church - like false teachers and persecution. Timothy had to navigate a lot of unknowns.
That would be a challenge for any leader (Paul himself), but on top of everything, Timothy was young. We don’t know how young, but he would have most likely been younger than 40. He definitely did not have the gravitas and experience of Paul.
That said, Timothy was a gifted communicator, and the elders of the church in Ephesus had commissioned him to lead.
And so after spending years traveling with Paul, Timothy was the one to carry on the vision of the gospel taking root in the rapidly changing city.
Does that sound familiar at all?
A new generation of leaders
Uncharted territory
A vision of God doing something new
I think it does. So let’s a look at what Paul had to say to Timothy as he’s trying to navigate this new role.
TRAIN YOURSELF
Please turn with me to 1 Timothy 4:6,
In this section of the letter Paul has just finished talking about some of the things false teachers were spreading in the church, and what Timothy should teach to combat them, and then he says this.
1 Timothy 4:6-10
If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed. Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.
I think the key phrase in this passage is “train yourself.” Paul wants Timothy to understand that if he is going to carry on the mission, if he’s going to stand up to false teachers, if he’s going to lead the church, he needs to train for it.
The word for train in Greek is
Train - gymnazō
Where we get our word “gymnasium.” He’s using athletics to illustrate his point. “Timothy, While everyone else is arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales, you need to be preparing for the competition.”
To paraphrase it in modern terms, it’s like he’s saying, “Look. Your competitors are out there fussing with their fantasy football leagues and arguing over which brand of shoes is best. You need to be in the gym getting strong. That’s how you’re going to win.
If you’re going to lead the church into this uncharted territory, you’ve got to train. You’ve got to stay sharp. You’ve got to get fit. That’s how you win the race.
Which is kind of easy for Paul to say, isn’t it? I mean, he’s the Apostle Paul. He’s famous. By this point he’s been a missionary planting churches and struggling against false teachings for decades. Before that he spent 20 years in intensive religious training to become a pharisee.
Paul’s walking around like a spiritual Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson and now he’s expecting Timothy, this small-town kid, to rise to the challenge? It’s kind of a lot.
“Train yourself.” Sure. But what if I can barely lift the bar?
Well, I think Paul knows exactly where Timothy’s insecurities would take him. Which is why what he says next is so important. Take a look.
1 Timothy 4:11-16
Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.
Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.
So there it is. 10 imperatives – 10 commands – in a row. And all of them building off verse 12, “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young.”
Now that’s a verse I’ve heard a million times before, but this last week I got stuck on one little detail. How do you not let someone else think less of you?
I mean, you can’t change someone else’s opinion. If someone was looking down on Timothy, it’s not like he could just be like, “nuh uh… you’re not allowed. Paul said.”
And besides. Isn’t looking down on younger people something that just happens? With every generation…
Those darn free-loving, hippie Boomers…
Those darn slacker, grunge-wearing Gen Xers…
Those darn millennials ruining the workplace and napkins…
Those darn Gen Z kids eating Tide pods and dancing on TikTok…
This is just how things work, right? Especially in the Church…
When my dad first started Grace, there were all kinds of people who doubted his abilities or talked trash about him and the other young leaders at Grace, and made sure he knew it.
He once had an older congregant sit him down and say, “Look. You don’t have the education or experience to be a pastor. You can do this for another six months, but then I expect you to step down.”
And, while nobody has been quite that direct with me, I know of several families who have left our church in part, they said, because I was too young for this job. “They should have gone for a more mature, experienced leader.”
But this isn’t just an individual thing. This happens with Grace as a whole. As I said before, even though there are some still here from the warehouse days, our congregation is largely made up of a new generation of leaders.
(Again, young and old… but they’re new faces)
And even though we’re moving into uncharted territory, we’re still carrying the massive weight of what has been accomplished before.
Like Timothy following Paul, we have our own burden of wondering whether we will ever measure up. Will the next 30 years of Grace be as spectacular and successful and life-changing as the first 30?
And there are plenty of people out there who want to make sure we know they don’t think it will. I feel it. We feel it.
Again, looking down on the next generation seems to be the way things are, especially in the Church.
But Paul’s command to Timothy is clear: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you’re younger.”
Ok, let’s get back to our question. How? How do you not let someone look down on you?
Well, I think the answer comes in what Paul says next. Verse 12.
“Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”
In other words, “Timothy, ignore the haters. It doesn’t matter how old you are. You have what you need to live a life that looks like Christ. That’s what I trained you in. And that’s what matters. Hit the gym. Train yourself.” And
Be an example of genuine faith. Regardless of your age. You have what you need to do that.
He goes on in verse 13. “Focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.”
In other words, “Timothy, you have the words of life, handed down to you from your spiritual ancestors. Read those words. Stand on those words. You have what you need. Your critics are going to debate godless ideas. You…
Stand on the Word of God.
He goes on. Verse 14.
“Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received”
In other words, “Timothy, your own abilities are irrelevant. God’s Holy Spirit is within you, empowering you - gifting you - to lead.” So
Live into your gifts. You have what you need.
Finally, at the end of that verse he says, you were given that gift, “when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.”
In other words, “Timothy, you were called to this role. The elders of the Ephesian Church commissioned you to lead. You have the authority you need to take this church into the future.
Remember your calling. You have what you need.
So here I think we have an answer to what Paul is getting at when he says, “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young.”
It’s not about limiting other people’s negative opinions. It’s not about silencing criticism. It’s about living in such a way that those negative opinions seem ridiculous. Robbing them of power. Imagine if Timothy was training hard to:
Be an example of genuine faith.
Stand on the Word of God.
Live into your gifts.
Remember your calling.
If all of that was true of Timothy, then all that criticism of his youth would just be hollow gossip.
Paul knew that Timothy had the raw ingredients. He was equipped for this.
His message, in a nutshell, is this: Timothy, You have what you need to carry on.
Nobody can look down on you if you’re stepping into your God-given identity.
We don’t know this for sure, but I imagine those first 5-10 years on the job in Ephesus this idea was an anchor for Timothy. A constant encouragement from the one who came before.
You have what you need to carry on.
YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED
Like I said before, Grace is starting a new chapter. We’re looking ahead at the next 30 years. A new generation of leaders (young and old) are facing uncharted territory with a vision of God doing something new in our midst.
We are kind of like young Timothy taking over the church in Ephesus. There are plenty of reasons to doubt us. To look down on us for our “youth.”
But just like those scrappy early days in the warehouse, just like Timothy in Ephesus, I want us to remember that we have what we need to carry on.
If we want Grace to be thriving in 2051, then right now our job – as individuals and as a church – is not to focus on the criticisms, to listen to the haters, or to let our own self-doubts define us. Our job is to train ourselves in godliness, as Paul said.
Be an example of genuine faith.
To be an example to all believers of genuine faith.
When people look at Grace, I want them to see the self-giving love of Jesus. True humility. A passion for healing the world. You can’t argue with that when it’s real… I want them to see us
Stand on the Word of God.
Standing on the Word of God. Diving deep into Scripture, asking the hard questions in a time of deconstruction and building a foundation of truth for a skeptical generation.
Doubt us all you want, but we are on the humble pursuit of truth and we’re not going to stop.
Live into your gifts.
Grace, I want us to live into our gifts. Remember, it’s not up to us or our own abilities. Thank God for that! It’s His Spirit’s power working through us. He gifts us. He equips us. Let’s live into that. And finally, let’s
Remember your calling.
Remember our calling. Grace is not here because Hamilton County needs another church. We’re here because God has called us to be here. Our job is not to be clever, or attractive, or successful…
Our job is to be faithful to our call – to make disciples of Jesus and launch them into the mission of God. To heal this broken world in Jesus’ name. It’s been that way for the last 30 years and it’s going to stay that way for the next 30.
Grace Church, we have what we need to carry on. So let’s get to work. We’ve got some training to do.