LeaderLines: "Hillcrest Generations"

Unlike a lot of start-up churches in Austin that focus on a single generation, Hillcrest has four or even five generations in our Forever Family. It makes me think of a George Carlin comedy routine about growing up:

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids?

If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions. "How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead. "How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16!

And then the greatest day of your life . . . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . . . YOU BECOME 21. . . YES-S-S-S!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk. He TURNED, we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 . . . [it’s all over. You’ve REACHED 50].

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60. You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70!

After that it's a day-by-day thing. You HIT Wednesday! You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime.

And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"

Psalm 145:4 (Msg) says, "Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts."

No matter our age, each of us has a story to tell about our experience with God, each of us has a contribution to make to the rest of the Body of Christ.

We need to follow the example of King David. Paul refered to David in Acts 13:36 (NASB) in this way: “David, after he served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep.”

Two phrases: “he served the purpose of God” and he did it “in his own generation.” One speaks of that which is eternal, lasting, unchanging: "the purpose of God." The other speaks of that which is cultural, time-bound, and has to change: "his own generation."

No matter what generation you’re in, are you following the example of King David? Are you serving the purpose of God in your own generation? And, just as important, have you encouraged others at our church to figure out how to serve God in their own generation?
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Each Thursday I post my article from "LeaderLines," an e-newsletter designed for church leaders. If you want to subscribe to "LeaderLines," sign up here.