A Word to the Generations Following

For the first time ever, there are seven named generations that are alive in America. Seven distinctive generations alive in America.

In 2020, we are experiencing the most unique time in American history. Seven generations and God has something to say to all of them. Hello and welcome into this Monday edition of Destined for Victory with Pastor Paul Sheppard.

Well, it's human nature for every generation to blame the one before to label them responsible for some of our social and political issues, even our personal issues. But today, Pastor Paul has a word of encouragement, especially for the three youngest generations. But he also has something to share to all of you who are 40 and over because you very likely have younger people in your sphere of influence.

As always, you can listen to or download the podcast version on demand at pastorpaul.net, at Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Now, here's Pastor Paul with today's Destined for Victory message, a word to the generations following. For the first time ever, there are seven named generations that are alive in America. Seven distinctive generations alive in America that has never happened in the history of our nation. So right now, in 2020, we are experiencing the most unique time in American history. Seven named, seven distinctive generations.

Let me walk you through them real quick. The first and oldest generation are called by social researchers and social scientists, the greatest generation, the greatest generation. Most of them are no longer with us, but there are some still belonging to the greatest generation. These are people who were born in 1927 or younger, 1927 or earlier, I should say. The oldest person in that generation is, of course, the oldest American citizen. And as of today, that person is a woman named Hester Ford. She just two weeks ago, couple of weeks ago, she just celebrated her 115th birthday.

115 years old, she is the oldest citizen in our country, the oldest member of the greatest generation. And again, those are the people who remain among us who were born in 1927 or earlier. Second generation is called the silent generation. My mama's part of that generation. Those are the people who were born between 1928 and 1945. 1928 and 1945, those folks are referred to by social researchers and social scientists as the silent generation.

The third generation is the one I'm part of, some of you are part of as well. We are referred to as the baby boom generation. We're just called the baby boomers or the boomers, typically. We are the people who were born between 1946 and 1964. And so we are the baby boom generation. If you don't know, we were called the baby boom generation because we're the ones who were born after the soldiers came back from World War II.

And they came back eager to have fellowship with their spouses and so they came back and enjoyed themselves and I'm trying to speak in tongues, you all got to go with me. And so they came back and really enjoyed the reuniting and so that resulted in a significant baby boom. And a whole lot of folk were born in those second half of the 40s and in the 50s, I'm a 50s baby, and even those in the early 60s up to 64 are all part of the generation known as baby boomers. The fourth generation in America today is Gen X, as I mentioned earlier, Generation X.

Those are the people born between 1965 and 1980. And so Gen X is a substantial generation. At first it looked like it was going to be a small generation, but they picked up and they became quite a substantial generation as well. The fifth generation in America today is Generation Y, otherwise known as Millennials. Generation Y or Millennials are people who were born in 1981 through 1996. If you were born in 81 through 96, you are, according to social researchers, you are a Millennial or Gen Y. And those young folks are called Millennials, they're nicknamed Millennials because they were the last full generation, completed generation before the onset or the dawn of the 21st century. Thus, they're referred to as the Millennials. They're the last generation that was born in total before there was the turn of the century. And so those are the folks born from 81 to 96.

Generation number six is Generation Z. Generation Z. These are the young people born from 1997 to the year 2015.

97 through the year 2015. They are quite a substantial, quite a lively, quite an engaged generation. If you've been watching much of what has happened in the streets and in protesting and in all of that, so much of that has been led by the Z generation. These young folk don't sit around.

When they see something that they believe is worth getting behind, they have a real tendency to be quite proactive. Generation Z. And then there is the last generation that is still developing. So there are six full generations that I just named and the seventh generation is still developing.

It's not closed yet because it didn't start officially, according to the social researchers, until 2016. But they're referred to as Generation Alpha. Alpha.

You know, when you get to Z, nothing to do but go back to A. And so they are Generation Alpha. And these are the kids born from 2016 to today and in the days to come. My first grandchild is here and he is part of the Alpha generation. And I look forward to seeing that generation fully develop in the years to come. Now, while this message is primarily going to be aimed at generations Y, Z and Alpha, those are the three I'm shooting for in this message. I want to especially talk to Y, Z and Alpha. I want the older folks to stick with me and to listen and stay attentive.

Why? Because we all have Y, Zs and Alphas in our sphere of influence. If you don't have them, you will have them as your relatives have babies and they make these new Alphas and all. You're going to have plenty of opportunity to impact Generation Y, the Millennials, Generation Z and Generation Alpha.

So please don't leave me by myself. Help me by listening to this, taking notes and make sure that you help get the word out to these young folks. Here's why I'm bringing this message. Because God loves young people. Bottom line is the church needs to understand while God has always blessed those of us who have walked with him, who are now baby boomers, Gen X baby boomers, silent generation and even the remaining greatest generation folk. Many of us have known God and walked with God for a while, but don't get it twisted.

We don't have a special place in God's heart that young people do not have. We'll be right back with more of today's Destined for Victory message from Pastor Paul Shepherd, Senior Pastor at Destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California. Listen to the broadcast on demand at pastorpaul.net. That's pastorpaul.net where you'll find a host of great resources in our online store. And stay with us after today's message when Pastor Paul joins me in the studio.

But first, here's the rest of today's message. A word to the generations following. Once again, Pastor Paul Shepherd. The fact of the matter is God loves all generations. He always has loved all generations.

The Bible says that he is the God of all generations. And I'm preaching this because I want young people, especially on this day when our church is celebrating Youth and Young Adults Day. And we are seeing our student ministries director promoted to Youth and Young Adults pastor. I want us to know in no uncertain terms that God is into young people. So we want to be into young people just like God is.

We want to support them and we want to make sure that we give them every opportunity to succeed and to do all that God wants them to do. With all of that said, I want to remind you of the importance of a single statement Paul makes in 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 12. 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 12. And here is what the Apostle Paul says. Let no one despise your youth but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Let me say it again. Let no one despise your youth but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. I want to just make a couple of very simple points for you young people and I want this to settle into your hearts. I pray that this message will be one that you hear and remind yourself of for years to come. In fact, one of these days when I'm no longer on the scene, I hope this message will be seen by various video forms or audio forms. I want it to be heard because I want young people to know God is into youth and therefore we owe you very sound, very practical, very clear preaching and we owe you our full support. Now, I just want to make a couple of points.

Here's the first one. Haters going to hate but give them no legitimate reasons to disregard you. That's the first point I want to make from this passage.

Haters going to hate. He said, let no man despise your youth. Now, when he says don't let it happen, he knows full well. He's talking to his spiritual son Timothy. He knows full well there are some folk who are going to despise his youth. So why would you tell a young preacher like Timothy, don't let anybody despise your youth. What he is saying is haters going to hate but don't give them a reason to hate.

That's the point. Haters going to hate. He is not saying everybody's going to love you Timothy. Paul knows better than that. He's his spiritual father and not everybody loved Paul. Paul was stoned. Paul was left for dead.

Paul had all kind of things that he and the other apostles had to go through. But he said, Timothy, despite the fact that some folk aren't going to like you, they're going to resent you or your message or what you're attempting to do. He said don't let them despise your youth by making sure you give them no reason to dismiss you, give them no reason to disregard you, give them no reason to ignore you. And I want to say that to 21st century young people. I want to say that to you Generation Y members, you Generation Z members and you Alphas. I want you all to let no one despise your youth because while the haters are going to hate, God wants to bless you to live such a life that they don't have any legitimate reason to be able to speak negatively about you. Now be real clear, the haters are going to hate. But you got to learn that Taylor Swift years ago, which is of course where I got that term from.

Years ago, Taylor Swift, I know she wasn't trying to preach, but she sure had a message that I could easily insert into this message. She said haters going hate, hate, hate, hate, hate. And then she went on to say shake it off, shake it off. That's what y'all got to learn to do, Y. That's what you got to learn to do, Z. That's what you got to learn to do, Alphas.

Y'all shake it off. When people come for you, don't let them put you down and impact you. Don't let their negativity get in you and disrupt your flow. Haters, that's what they do. They hate. They will hate you for different reasons. Some folk will hate you because they are envious of you. Some folk will hate you because you have what they wish they had. And so they will hate on you. Some people, you know, when they're envious, they don't feel like they can get up to where you are, so they try to pull you down.

It's the crab mentality. I'm not going to let you get up higher than me, so I'm going to reach up and pull you down. And young folk, I want to let you know, some people are going to try to pull you down. They're going to try to do it now while you're at your current age.

They're going to try to do it in the years to come. When y'all finally move up into middle age, there'll still be some folk trying to crab, trying to pull you down. And when you get up in the senior years, there'll be some folk still trying to pull you down.

When I first preached about generations back in 96, as I mentioned early on, I was 39 when I preached that message, and Gen X was the youngest young people, full generation at that time. Now when I'm preaching, I'm in my 60s, and there are more experiences I've had even since 96, and I couldn't say it then, but I can say it now, in my 60s, folks still coming for me. But you just got to learn to ignore them, because in many cases, the fact that people are coming to you is an indication that you're doing something well. You're doing something right. You're doing something that gets their attention, and so haters going to hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, but don't worry about them. Just shake it off.

Whatever you do, don't let them see your sweat. Don't let them get in your head, because God is up to something in the lives of young people. I am believing for a fresh revival in America. What I'm praying for is a fresh revival in America. I want it to hit especially young America.

That's what I'm asking the Lord to do, and I'm going to pray more and more fervently about that month after month. I want to see God hit America with a sure enough revival. I don't want it to miss us old people, because God knows we need the power of God, but I want it to especially impact young America.

I want to see God do an exciting thing. See, I remember being a child who was born in the 50s. I remember the Jesus movement of the 60s. I remember when God was moving mightily among young people in the latter 60s.

It was called the Jesus movement. At the same time that our nation was dealing with the Vietnam War, at the same time our nation was dealing with all kinds of stuff, God hit young folk. They were getting saved in droves.

It was especially housed out here out west, but it impacted young people all around the country, but especially both in Southern California and in Northern California. You had the Jesus movement. Right at the same time hippies were doing their thing and having free love celebrations and all that stuff. During the same time, God started saving young people. They were getting saved. The hippies, some of the hippies were getting saved. Coming into traditional churches that weren't really prepared for them, didn't necessarily want them because they weren't looking the way church folk. They thought church folk ought to look, but these young folk were getting saved. Wherever a church would be open to them, they were opening up and finding Jesus in a powerful way. The reason why you have such a strong movement known as Calvary Chapel of America is because Chuck Smith and others like him took these young people in and began to disciple them and teach them the word of God. As a result of that ministry and his faithfulness, Chuck has gone on to be with the Lord, but as a result of his faithfulness, you have Greg Laurie and you have so many others.

I'm not going to start naming names. So many others are changing their world because of the powerful move of God among young people. Well, I want to believe for that again and I want to urge the saints. Let's pray for revival. Let's ask God to move again.

Lord, you did it before. Do it again because America needs you and American youth needs you. And so I want you to join me in helping to bring that to pass as a result of our prayers. So the first point, young people, is haters going to hate. Don't let them get you off your game.

Shake it off because God has a plan for your life. Thanks so much for being here for today's message. A word to the generations following. But as promised, Pastor Paul joins me now from his studio in California. We've been all so concerned. I know your heart, Pastor, has been heavy as you've watched the church divide over political and racial, social issues. But as followers of Jesus Christ, how should we respond in front of a watching world? Well, Wayne, I'm eager to see the church seize this moment and maximize it for the kingdom of God. When I say that, what I mean is I think we've got to get back to what Jesus called us to do and to be.

He said that we are the light of the world. And that tells me that when the church sees darkness rather than decrying it, we need to make sure we're turning on the light. And I think we're spending a little too much time decrying the evils and the things in the culture that we don't like. I get it. We don't like living in a sinful environment. We don't like ungodly decision making and all of that sort of thing.

I get it. But we're not called to decry the darkness. We're called to turn on the light. So I think we've really got to get down to the business of saying, Lord, help me to let my light shine.

During the pandemic, I preached a series and I led it with the thought of get your shine on. That's just a colloquial way to say it. Yeah, I remember that. Yes. Yes, sir. And I think we've got to get our shine on because that's what we're called to do.

So, yeah, it is like Charles Dickens' classic book. This is the best of times. It's the worst of times. But we can seize this moment and make sure that the light of Jesus Christ and the light of the gospel is proclaimed throughout the world. That reminds me of something you said in a recent letter. It's easy to look out at the world and curse the darkness.

We've got to get better at turning on the light. Thanks so much, Pastor, for those words of encouragement. Of course, one of the ways we turn on the light is to follow the purpose God has given all of us, to go and make disciples. This month, as you request it with your generous donation, we'll send you Pastor Paul's booklet, Your Purpose is Calling. Again, that's Your Purpose is Calling, our gift to you this month by request for your generous gift destined for victory. Simply call 855-339-5500 or visit pastorpaul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destined for Victory, Post Office Box 1767, Fremont, California 94538.

We'd love to hear from you. Again, the address, Destined for Victory, Post Office Box 1767, Fremont, California 94538. Let me say to older generations, for the years you have remaining to influence young people, do yourself a favor and don't ask them to do what you are unwilling to do yourself. That's next time in Pastor Paul Shepherd's message, a word to the generations following. Until then, remember, he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory.