belief – John Markum

7 Things I Believe about the Next Generation

Posted on May 25, 2011 by johnmarkum

The following is a re-post from the blog of Pastor Perry Noble, the founder and lead pastor of NewSpring Church of Anderson, SC. As a pastor who is concerned about young adults and emerging generations of Christ-followers, I found this post very encouraging. I hope you do as well. Blessings…

I lead a discipleship group of about 10-12 young men and women who are in high school…I’ve done so for the past two years. Here are seven things I believe about the next generation (people who are 20 and younger)…

#1 – The next generation will see one of the greatest awakenings the world has ever seen…I really do believe the Lord is setting them up for it. (Which is why I believe the greatest investment in “missions” that the church can make today is the one to have a dynamic youth and children’s ministry!)

#2 – The way the next generation will view and do church will be different than the way we do it today. They will fully know and comprehend how to reach out to themselves…and our role as a church should be to fund it and not fight it (that line is borrowed from Andy Stanley)!

#3 – The next generation seems to be way more serious about their walk with Jesus than my generation has ever been.

#4 – I believe those of us who are “more mature” (OLDER) should seek out those who are in their teens and listen to their questions and frustrations about life and church without coming down on them. If we will listen and patiently explain things there could be way less tension between generations in the church. Might does not make right. And…the “mature” people should always be the first to step into a relationship with the next generation!

#5 – I fully believe that the next generation has no earthly idea what God wants to do in them and through them…and if we will teach them to be fully surrendered on a daily basis that our children and grandchildren will see God do things we didn’t even think were possible.

#6 – I believe the next generation is not content with borrowing the faith of their parents, they are asking questions and seeking to understand WHAT they believe and WHY they believe it…and them doing that is going to equip them to take the church to the next level (I Peter 3:15).

#7 – I believe the next generation is going to refuse to settle for the way things are…and that as their view of WHO God is begins to increase so will their expectation in regards to what He can do.

I Know Nothing

Posted on March 4, 2011 by johnmarkum

That might be a little exaggeration, but not by much! God constantly blows my mind on what He can do. Today was one of those days. I’ve come to realize that the more I learn about God, the more obvious it is that I know nothing. I’m not saying that I’m stupid or ignorant, or uneducated. I’m just saying that I do NOT have God figured out like I think that I do sometimes.

God is so much bigger than my small imagination.

He cannot be quarantined to a formula.

He cannot be measured on any scientific instrument.

He cannot be predicted by any calculations.

He’s revealed Himself to us through His Word, and through a person (Jesus) and yet our ability to know all that we can about Him is limited by our own nature. It’s like trying to describe a rainbow to a blind man, or a symphony to the deaf. We simply lack the senses to fully understand how great God is.

But occasionally there are moments where we get an inkling – a faint brush with the Infinite One – where it dons on us how much we don’t completely get about him. Like the deaf man hearing just a single note, or the blind man catching a glimpse of a sun ray. These are moments that take our breath away, fill us with amazement, and a delightful hunger for more.

Such are true encounters with God that make us say, “What was THAT?!?” and, “Let’s do it again!”

Don’t be discouraged in the pursuit of God. Live for the moments that God shows up in a big way and overwhelms our limited senses with what could be, and what should be. Once you have “tasted and seen that the Lord is good” you will long for more of His presence in your life. And don’t underestimate the significance of the small things God does. Allow everyday moments to take your breath away and realize, “That was God.” Not only will you start to see Him everywhere, you’ll also begin to see the potential of all that He wants to do.

If you thought that beam of sunlight was cool, wait until you see the rainbow!

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord. Thoughts of good and not evil. Thoughts of hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

“Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you do not understand.” Jeremiah 33:3

“Who having not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him, and are filled with unspeakable joy, full of glory.“ 1 Peter 1:8

Blessings,

John

3 Ways to Lose your Soul

Posted on March 1, 2011 by johnmarkum

New series: 3 Ways to lose your soul

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” – Matthew 16:26. Everyone has faith… Some put theirs in a list of do’s and don’ts . Some in money. Some in people. But what if the things that we’ve been living our lives for are all empty? What if the very things that we have put our faith in are the same things that will make us lose it all… even our soul? And more importantly: How do we avoid losing our soul?

Join us on Saturday nights for some real soul searching. Begins March 5th, 6 pm. To know more about The Awakening, go to: www.qcawakening.com

Blessings,

John