How do you plan to equip and release future generations with the gospel of Christ? Rarely is this question addressed because we remove ourselves from the responsibility for at least four reasons captured in the following statements: “I’m not worthy;” “I’ll create conflict;” “I don’t have time;” or “I don’t know enough.”

First, we feel insignificant, deeming ourselves unworthy to communicate anything about God. Second, we pray to God with discontentment that our efforts will create conflict and further discontentment. Third, we choose to control our time, the lives of others, or the intended outcomes, resulting in our lives being out of control. Fourth, we are often insecure, fearing we do not know enough about God or the Bible to even think about first steps toward equipping and releasing one person from the next generation with the gospel message of Christ.

As a result of these four barriers, we do not choose, think, pray, or want the advancement of the kingdom of God in younger people; thus, breaking apart our relationship with God from our relationships with others. Still, the question lingers, “How will we equip and release future generations with the gospel message of Christ?”

God’s answer to this question comes through the Apostle Paul and lies in the cross, a symbol of the vertical intersecting with the horizontal. In his last will and testament, Paul communicated God’s timeless evangelical message to his disciple Timothy, the pastor of the church at Ephesus: we are called to be in Christ to instruct. “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:1-2).

First, we must vertically surrender our lives to Christ as Savior, Lord, and Teacher. Second, we need to horizontally instruct others with His wisdom. Write down the name of the person from the next generation God has prompted you to instruct. Pray for them to be open to your investment.

Episode 31: In Christ To Instruct from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.