Pass on the faith to the next generation through children, student, young adult and family ministries

PASS ON
...is a guiding value of our church. Here is how we desire to live it out:

Recently, I went through thousands of photographs, representing the 30-year history of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. There were photos of every stage and aspect of those three decades of ministry. But what struck me most were the faces of all those people in the pictures. People of all ages. Infants and preschoolers. School age. Teens. Young adults. Married ones. Single ones. Middle-aged. And senior saints. The one thing we all have in common is our need for and our love of God. Young or old – if we don’t have Jesus Christ, there’s a cross-shaped hole in our soul, that nothing else can fill. All those faces, in all those pictures, had “the peace that passes all understanding.” You could see it in their faces! Our “Great Commission” from Jesus is to now PASS ON what you have in your heart.

Week Five Devotional

Here’s what Jesus said (and it’s our GSLC Mission Statement) in His Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…” Matthew 28:19 [NRSV] How will the next generation know, grow and show God’s love, unless everyone, young and old, will PASS ON the love that God has for us, to others? Questions for Reflection Who was someone in your life that passed on the faith to you? Is there someone you can pass on the faith to? Or is there someone who is disconnected from the church that you can encourage to give God another try? Our children are the hope of the world and the church of tomorrow. How can you “pass on the faith baton” to your child, grandchild, a neighbor or a friend’s child? (Someone once said, that the Christian faith is one generation away from extinction, if our children don’t find faith!)

Prayer

Jesus, you said, “Encourage the little children to come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them.” Matthew 19:14 [NCT] Help me to see that it is everyone’s joy and goal, to PASS ON the Good News to them and to all who will receive it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.