Last Sunday, I was at home watching the livestream of our church service (5/31/26). Why? Extreme pain in my hip that will hopefully be fixed with hip replacement surgery on June 15th. It was a stark reminder why the Family Sunday worship service was so important, as we watched our high school seniors graduate and our other teenagers lead and serve. They played instruments, sang, shared testimony, and helped with tech, ushering…
Many of you have expressed how incredibly encouraging it was to see our young people preparing to lead the charge for the church into the future. As I sat at home having a private organ recital (my heart, back, hip…) and watching our youth, it renewed in me a commitment to invest all I can so future generations can bear much fruit for the glory of God (John 15:8; 2 Tim. 1:5; Ps. 78). What kind of investments can we make?
- Prayer. I would love to see every “mature saint” adopt at least one child, teen, or young adult to pray for daily. Make it known to them that you want to know what is happening in their life so you can pray specifically. Check in regularly to see how they are doing, get praise reports and new prayer requests. For some, it will be prayers for their salvation. For others, it will be for their growth, bold testimony, involvement in ministry, family life, etc.
- Service. Volunteer in our Children’s, Youth, or College / Young Adult ministries. We desperately need more volunteers in all of them. There are so many ways you can serve whether you are a “teacher” or not. If we are going to attract young families with children and youth to be the future of the church, we must invest in the ones we have right now. PLEASE prayerfully consider one of these ministries and contact leaders at the church to see how you can be involved.
– Children’s Ministry – Xiomara Bueno.
– Youth Ministry – Pastor Jeff Borchardt.
– Young Adults Ministry – Pastor Joe Leinen.You can reach any of them at the church office: 818-776-1500.
- Bridging Generations Capital Campaign. We are prayerfully seeking to raise $10 million (over and above our regular giving) to care for and dramatically improve our church facilities so we can reach and train more people of all ages. As stewards of what God has given to us, we want to give to future generations a property in excellent condition so it can be used to facilitate making disciples of all the nations. Our legacy of sacrifice and commitment will show them by example how to be committed to the Great Commission (Mt. 28:18-20).
We thank the Lord for gifts and pledges that already total around $3 million over the next 5 years. To reach $10 million it will require incredible sacrifice by all of us along with fervent prayer for God to provide in ways that only He can.
What kind of investment will you make so future generations can hear the gospel, come to saving faith, be discipled to maturity, and lead our church into the future?
I am asking the Lord to make it clear to each of us how we can serve Him and strengthen His church for generations to come.
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.