Investing in the Next Generation: A Call to Engage

Devotional

Day 1: The Foundation of Generational Faithfulness Begins in the Heart

Before we can influence the next generation, we must first tend to our own hearts and cultivate a genuine love for God. The transformation that takes place within us is the starting point for passing on faith; what is not transformed in us will inevitably be transferred to those we lead. The next generation is watching closely, not just for instruction, but for authentic delight and passion for Jesus lived out daily. When our love for God is real and vibrant, it becomes contagious, inspiring those around us to pursue Him as well. [27:46]

Deuteronomy 6:4-6 (ESV)
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.”

Reflection: In what specific ways can you show your genuine love for God in your daily routines so that those closest to you see your faith is real and not just words?

Day 2: Teaching Diligently and Consistently in the Home

Discipleship is not just about formal instruction but about saturating our homes with the Word of God through both intentional and spontaneous moments. The home is the primary place for discipleship, and more is caught than taught—children and young people learn most from what they observe in our daily lives. We are called to impress God’s truths on the next generation with intentionality, using every opportunity—whether sitting, walking, lying down, or rising—to point them to Jesus. If we are not impressing these truths, the culture surely will. [34:58]

Deuteronomy 6:7-9 (ESV)
“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Reflection: What is one new way you can intentionally weave God’s Word into your family’s daily rhythms this week, both in planned and spontaneous moments?

Day 3: God Equips Us for the Task of Discipling the Next Generation

Though the responsibility to disciple and invest in the next generation can feel overwhelming, God promises to provide everything we need for life and godliness. The tension and inadequacy we feel are not signs of failure but reminders to depend on God’s sustaining power. He is not surprised by the demands of our lives; He has given us our families as a gift and will faithfully equip us to make the investments that matter most. [41:57]

2 Peter 1:3 (ESV)
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.”

Reflection: Where do you feel most inadequate in discipling or investing in others, and how can you invite God’s power and provision into that specific area today?

Day 4: Remembering and Telling the Story of God’s Faithfulness

It is easy to forget the Lord in both our successes and our failures, but we are called to regularly remember and recount God’s faithfulness in our homes. Every blessing and every challenge is an opportunity to point the next generation to God’s hand at work. We must be intentional to share stories of how God has provided, sustained, and shown Himself faithful, so that those who come after us know the Lord and His mighty works. [43:58]

Deuteronomy 6:10-12 (ESV)
“And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

Reflection: What is one story of God’s faithfulness in your life that you can share with your family or someone younger this week?

Day 5: We Are Called to Engage, Not Withdraw or Assimilate

In times of cultural confusion or tragedy, we are tempted to either blend in with the world or withdraw from it, but God calls us to a third way: to engage and invest in the next generation. Real change requires more than words or social media posts; it demands risk, sacrifice, and intentional investment in people. Each of us—regardless of our stage of life—has a role to play in shaping and discipling those who come after us, ensuring that a generation does not arise who does not know the Lord. [21:43]

Judges 2:10 (ESV)
“And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.”

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to move beyond words and actively invest in the life of someone from the next generation?

Sermon Summary

In times of grief, confusion, and cultural upheaval, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure of how to respond. Some may be tempted to simply blend in with the world, while others may withdraw and privatize their faith. But God calls us to a third way: to engage, to invest, and to influence, especially by pouring into the next generation. The most strategic and lasting change we can make in a broken world is to invest in those who will come after us—our children, our students, and the young people in our communities.

Deuteronomy 6, known as the Shema, gives a clear blueprint for this investment. It begins not with outward action, but with the condition of our own hearts. Before we can pass on faith, we must be transformed ourselves. Our love for God must be genuine, visible, and contagious. The next generation is watching—not just for instruction, but for authentic passion and delight in Jesus. What isn’t transformed in us will inevitably be transferred to those we influence.

Teaching the next generation is not a one-time event or a task reserved for parents alone. It’s a call to the whole community of faith. The home is the primary place for discipleship, but the church and mentors play a vital role as well. More is caught than taught; our children and students absorb what we model far more than what we merely say. We are called to impress the truths of God into their lives with intentionality and consistency, both systematically and spontaneously, in the everyday rhythms of life.

Yet, we must also remember to tell the story of God’s faithfulness. In seasons of blessing and in moments of failure, we are to point our families to the goodness and sufficiency of God. None of us will do this perfectly. Our job is not to be flawless parents or mentors, but to be lead repenters and to point to the perfect Father. The ache we feel for our children and the next generation is not a sign of failure, but of love—and an invitation to depend on God’s grace and power, trusting that He has given us everything we need for life and godliness.

Key Takeaways

1. True influence begins with the transformation of our own hearts. Before we can hope to shape the next generation, we must allow God to shape us. The authenticity of our faith—our love, delight, and obedience—sets the foundation for generational faithfulness. What remains untransformed in us will inevitably be passed on, for better or worse. [26:06]
2. The call to invest in the next generation is not limited to parents; it is a responsibility for the entire faith community. Every believer has a role to play in discipling, mentoring, and modeling faith for those who come after us. Our greatest contribution to God’s kingdom may not be something we do, but someone we raise or disciple. [23:08]
3. Discipleship is most effective when it is both intentional and integrated into daily life. Systematic teaching is important, but so is seizing spontaneous moments to point to Jesus. The truths of God must be impressed upon our children and students through consistent, lived example and regular conversation, not just formal instruction. [38:42]
4. In a culture of scarcity and busyness, it’s easy to feel inadequate or overwhelmed by the task of raising up the next generation. Yet, God promises that His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. Our dependence on Him, especially in our weakness, is what enables us to be faithful in this calling. [41:57]
5. Our failures as parents, mentors, or leaders are not the end of the story. We are called to point the next generation to God’s faithfulness, not our own perfection. By being honest about our shortcomings and quick to repent, we direct attention to the perfect Father, whose love and grace far surpass our own. [47:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Responding to Tragedy and Cultural Tension
[03:45] - The Temptations: Assimilation and Withdrawal
[06:20] - The Call to Engage and Influence
[09:18] - The Illusion of Progress vs. Real Work
[12:00] - Investing in the Next Generation
[14:00] - God’s Strategy: The Family
[16:00] - The Warning of Judges 2:10
[18:00] - Deuteronomy 6: The Shema
[21:00] - Tending to Our Own Hearts
[24:00] - Transformation Before Instruction
[27:46] - Modeling Authentic Faith
[29:58] - The Power of Mentorship and Example
[32:52] - The Home as the Primary Place of Discipleship
[34:58] - More is Caught Than Taught
[38:42] - Intentional and Spontaneous Discipleship
[41:04] - Facing the Scarcity of Time
[41:57] - God’s Provision for Our Calling
[43:58] - Remembering and Telling God’s Faithfulness
[46:16] - Pointing to the Perfect Father
[49:24] - Next Steps and Invitation to Invest
[51:17] - Closing Prayer and Worship

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (ESV) — > 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
> 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
> 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
> 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
> 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
> 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Observation Questions

According to Deuteronomy 6, what is the first step before teaching the next generation about God?
What are some of the specific ways Moses tells the people to keep God’s commands in front of themselves and their families?
In the sermon, what are the two common temptations people face in response to cultural upheaval, and what is the “third way” God calls us to? [[20:29]]
What does the phrase “more is caught than taught” mean in the context of passing on faith? [[34:58]]

Interpretation Questions

Why does the passage (and the sermon) emphasize the condition of our own hearts before we try to influence others, especially the next generation? [[26:06]]
The sermon says, “What isn’t transformed in us will inevitably be transferred to those we influence.” What does this mean for parents, mentors, and leaders? [[26:06]]
Why is it important for the whole faith community—not just parents—to be involved in discipling the next generation? [[23:08]]
How does telling stories of God’s faithfulness, both in blessing and in failure, shape the faith of the next generation? [[43:58]]

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to tend to our own hearts first. What is one area in your spiritual life that you feel needs transformation before you can pass on faith to others? How can you take a step toward that this week? [[26:06]]
Think about your daily routines at home. What is one practical way you could more intentionally “impress” God’s truth on your children, students, or those you influence—either systematically or spontaneously? [[38:42]]
The pastor shared that “more is caught than taught.” What is something about your faith that you hope the next generation “catches” from you? Is there anything you’re modeling that you hope they don’t pick up? [[34:58]]
When you feel overwhelmed or inadequate in investing in the next generation, how can you remind yourself of God’s promise that “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness”? [[41:57]]
The sermon says our job is not to be flawless, but to be “lead repenters” and point to the perfect Father. Can you share a time when you had to admit a failure to someone younger? How did that experience go, and what did you learn from it? [[47:16]]
Who in your life—besides your own children—could you intentionally invest in as a mentor or encourager? What is one step you could take this month to build that relationship? [[23:08]]
The pastor mentioned the ache we feel for the next generation is a sign of love, not failure. How can you turn that ache into prayer or action this week? [[47:59]]

Sermon Clips

Hear me this morning, this is not just a call for parents. It's a call to all of us to play a crucial role in raising the next generation. The greatest contribution, to still a quote, your greatest contribution to the kingdom of God may not be something you do, but in someone you raise, but in someone you disciple, and someone you invest in. [00:23:04] (24 seconds) #RaiseAndInvest

The starting point for passing on our faith is not the condition of the world around us, but the condition of our heart within us, right? Moses is showing us that the foundation of generational faithfulness is not instruction first, but transformation first. [00:26:57] (19 seconds) #TransformationFoundation

What isn't transformed in our lives, and I say this so many times on Wednesday night with our men, because I'm like, men, when we gather on Wednesday nights, we're seeking to be transformed because what's not transformed will be transferred. What's not transformed in our own life will leak into our families, into our marriages, into our homes, into our communities, into our workplace, in all of society. [00:27:16] (25 seconds) #TransformedNotTransferred

It's not enough to just educate. It's not just about education. It's about exaltation. They want to see, is your faith real? John Piper says, it's not just about education in following Jesus. It's about exaltation in following Jesus. It's not just about dry, indifferent, unemotional teaching about God. He says that's inconsistent. It says one thing about God, but lives as if he's not great. [00:28:12] (31 seconds) #FaithExaltation

Parents, can I challenge us this morning? Do your kids see you? Do they know that you wrestle and seek to walk in faithful obedience to Jesus? Do they see you come and confess areas where you're walking inconsistently with God's word and God's commands? Do they see you be the lead repenter? I'm not calling you this morning to be a perfect father, but I am calling you to be the lead apologizer, the lead repenter, the lead confessor and point to the perfect father. [00:31:49] (35 seconds) #LeadRepenter

If you're not impressing upon them, the culture will. And they're etching it in stone. The culture is very intentional about shaping. And if your kids are not going to be impressed in your home with the truths of God's word, then social media will impress upon them. And their friends will impress upon them. And culture will impress upon them. [00:38:17] (20 seconds) #FaithInEveryMoment

My job and responsibility is not to be a perfect father, but point my kids to God's faithfulness that he is the perfect father. That I come to them and I say, Jett, Lila Kate, Jackson, I'm going to fail you. I have failed you. I've been impatient. I've been challenging. I've lacked grace. But there is a God who is so patient, who is so kind, who is so generous, who is so fatherly, and he's a whole lot better than me. [00:46:52] (39 seconds) #LoveAcheOpportunity

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