I really enjoy my smartphone. There are so many ways this device can be helpful throughout the day. From the basics of texting and phone calls to an app for about any need, you might have. The most recent app discovery I have made is one that turns your phone into a scale. (I don’t know the point where you go from weighing something to crushing your phone, I’m sure that is all explained in the app.)

The thing with all these smartphone apps is that they are powered by the battery of the phone. I hate it when my phone runs out of battery before I run out of the day. I am constantly checking to see how many apps I have open. I try to close them as soon as I am finished with them because I don’t want the app to drain too much power from the battery. Each evening I am dutiful to plug in my phone so it is ready for the next day.

As I was swiping apps closed this week I found myself a little jealous of my smartphone. With a swipe of the finger, my phone forgets what it was thinking about. Unlike me, it doesn’t spend time worrying about what it might forget. With the swipe of a finger, it is done with that app, and on to the next thing. Many times at night, as I am unwinding from the day, I wish I could swipe away all the projects floating around in my head. My night of sleep might go easier if I could neatly put away the things I was working on until the next day.

In the Book of Matthew, Christ tells us this:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not
much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Perhaps the most convicting line in this scripture is at the end…”tomorrow will worry about itself”. Tonight, as I lay my head down on my pillow, I will try to put that scripture into practice.

About the Author: Brian is husband to Dottie and father of two children (Emma 21; Nick 19). Brian has served as Executive Pastor at Real Life Church in Springfield, Il for 16 years. He has maintained a private counseling practice for over 20 years and has worked as a school psychologist for over 25 years. Outside of his work life, you might find him tinkering with old motors, spending time with his family, or fishing lakes and ponds.

I was asked to share something encouraging or instructive with the church for a blog, so I thought I would draw from my wealth of experience to help me. Unfortunately, I have only been serving as a head pastor for three months.

Even though I have been serving in ministry for years, in many different capacities, it did not take long for me to realize being a pastor of a church was different from anything I have experienced in the past. There is a level of responsibility, expectation, and challenge that is truly unique concerning serving as a pastor. It is a task that can truly be overwhelming and stressful at times as many experienced pastors will tell you.

I would be lying if I said I have not had second thoughts at least once during the past few months. If I were alone in this endeavor, I would certainly have failed or given up by now. Thankfully I am not alone I have God leading me, and a family that supports me every step of the way.

On top of that I have been blessed with several pastors that have mentored me and discipled me for many years and continue to do so to this day. I also have church elders and deacons that are there to guide me and most importantly let me learn and grow from my mistakes.

I am a firm believer in Proverbs 12:15 that a wise man takes advice. I may be inexperienced, but I am aware of my inexperience. I am so blessed that pastors, youth leaders, and my many church families have taken time to pour into me and invest in me over the years.

In the words of Paul, they have “charged me to walk in a manor worthy of God who calls you into his kingdom.” It is only through their encouragement that I can fulfill the calling God has placed on my life. I hope that as I move forward in my ministry that I can invest and pour into others and truly charge them as I have been charged.

In Romans 1 Paul speaks about how there is mutual encouragement between himself and the ones he is ministering to. These relationships work both ways, when discipleship takes place, everyone grows and is encouraged.

To all the pastors and church leaders reading I encourage you to invest and lift up the young future leaders in your church. Discipleship is vital to the future of the church. Today make an effort to pour yourself into someone, it could change their lives forever, mine certainly was. Pray for God to place these people in your lives, look for opportunities to be a mentor. These investments could shape the kingdom God is building through his church. 

About the Author: David Hill is the pastor of West Side General Baptist Church in St. Ann, Missouri. He currently lives in Granite City, Illinois with his wife Amanda and their three children.

My wife and I are entering a new stage of life together.  When we were first married, it seemed like a wedding was scheduled every month and we were constantly having to decide what to buy for the latest wedding shower.  And now just two years later it seems we are attending fewer wedding showers and more baby showers…. Now we don’t take this as a sign to have children now, but I am filled with immense joy every time I go on Facebook and see the latest pregnancy announcements from my friends and family. 

I love attending the gender reveals, the birthday parties, and seeing the pictures of them growing up.  I guess I have a soft spot for little ones.  But I must admit, one thing that always crosses my mind as I see another beautiful life brought into the world is the question, “What kind of world will these little ones grow up in?”

I’m a part of the older half of the Gen-Z generation (usually understood as being born between 1996 and 2012).  I didn’t grow up my entire life with smart technology, but I was there to see it start.  I wasn’t there to see the start of the LGBTQ movement, but I saw it flourish and grow in a way that no one saw coming.  Anxiety, depression, and suicide were talked about, but never to the degree that it is experienced today.  The world has seen some good things as I have grown up into adulthood, but many more problems as well.

(Quick Fact.  Most Millennials are now between the ages of 30 and 40.

And Gen Z is between the ages of 12 and 25)

72%, 21%, 70%, 42%, 100%.  What do these numbers represent?  Let me explain.  The Christian Post reports that 28% of Gen-Z attend church at least once a month.  That leaves 72% not attending.  A Gallop Poll reported that 21% of Gen-Z identify in some manner with an LGBTQ group.  According to the Walton Family Foundation, 70% state that depression and anxiety have had major, negative impacts on their lives.  And in a survey completed in 2021 by Gen-Z teens and adults, 42% (almost half!) seriously considered committing suicide.  

While these statistics do not apply to the new generation that is currently being born and being brought up in our elementary schools, they remind us of the battles they will face as they grow up to become teenagers and adults.   I would also argue that these problems will not fix themselves but have the greater possibility of becoming worse if they are not addressed in our homes and our churches. 

Soon these babies will be brought up and familiarized with a world that is foreign to us.  We don’t know how to address many of these problems because we never had to deal with them!  All of these problems were at some point uncommon to us, and now it seems that we face them every day.  And we still haven’t covered the biggest issue facing our youth, the 100%.  

What is the 100%?  It is this fact, 100% of children born post-2012 will grow up their entire lives with smart technology and access to the internet.  While that means tons of access to great information, it also means there’s an opening for predators, manipulators, false teachers, and pornography to invade the minds and hearts of our children.  And there is only so much we can do to stop it or avoid it. 

There has been a great spiritual battle that has come along with the blessings that the internet has provided us.  And it will continue on for many more generations.  But I am not telling you this so that you may be discouraged and downtrodden.  I tell you this to let you know that there is hope.

In my opinion, the reason we as the church have at times struggled to be successful in a culture dealing with depression, suicide, and LGBTQ questions is because many of us aren’t familiar with it.  Many of us didn’t go to a school with gay/bi-sexual/trans-gender kids or attend funerals for our classmate who committed suicide.  Many of us grew up never thinking about depression or anxiety. 

But now, these topics are often brought into the minds of these children.  While yes, it means that many will fall victim to them as they have in my generation, it also means that the gap in understanding is being closed.  

I believe God is raising up a generation from the trenches.  They will share many of the same struggles my generation has, but along with that they will have the answers to the questions that we are just beginning to ask!  They will understand the struggles of this generation and their own in a way that many church leaders don’t right now.  So no, I don’t believe that these new generations are bringing death to our churches, I believe God is going to use them to heal our churches. 

 But we still have a lot to work on.  For how can we as leaders raise up a new generation of pastors/elders/teachers/deacons if our churches have none?  That is why we have to realize that our young people are not just the church of tomorrow.  They are the church of today.  Take what young people you have and help them discover the gifts that God has given them.  Train them up to be missionaries to their schools and colleges. 

Do not ignore the teens, children, and babies by shoving them in a classroom away from the adults.  Use this time unsparingly to equip them for their specific needs and challenges so that they may change the world for the better.  And when we obediently do this, God will continue to heal our churches from generation to generation, unceasingly until Christ returns to bring complete healing to our world.  

About the Author: Jonah Carpenter is the Lead Pastor of New Life Church in Evansville, Indiana alongside his wife Emma. He is also is a writer on the Let’s Talk about God Blog and the host of the Fight for Your City Podcast.