Quest 5 - The This Gen Circle
As most of you reading this know, I work with our This Gen Ministries, I consider it an honor, a privilege, and the most fun job anyone could ever have. There are certainly highs and there are definitely lows, but at the end of the day. I couldn’t imagine not working with This Generation in some capacity.
If you are reading this and I have zero clue what I mean about This Gen. What it means is kids, students, and young adults.
I love working with them. They are passionate, they are growing, they are curious, they are talented, and they matter.
Which is why I loved the reading this week! We don’t get a huge view into the window of Jesus' time as a This Gen’r, but what we do see is powerful.
Luke 2:46-47, “After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
This small fiasco of Joseph and Mary misplacing their child. Which… Come on, who amongst us hasn’t made an oopsie like this… Parenting is hard, let’s give them a break. This fiasco led to us having a great understanding of what This Gen Ministry looks like, not just in the church, but in our lives.
Looking at verse 46, we see that Jesus was sitting among the teachers. I took a second and tried to picture this moment. The word ‘among’ seems to be the key here. Jesus wasn’t sitting in a crowd. Jesus wasn’t sitting in an auditorium. Jesus wasn’t sitting at a desk. Where was Jesus sitting? He was among the teachers. In my interpretation that means he was sitting in some sort of circle with them. Which ultimately means that those teachers of the law invited him into the circle, ironic due to the fact that he was murdered by teachers of the law later in life, but I digress.
I loved this moment because This Gen needs to be invited into the circle. Nobody does well in isolation and because the world looks at kids, students, and young adults as the “next generation” that naturally creates a spirit and feeling of isolation. It’s essentially saying, “Hey you… go over into that corner until we deem that you are worthy.” That’s why I am so thankful that we as a church believe that This Gen Matters and our goals show that. We are constantly trying to get This Gen into a community where they can have a coach in their lives because that’s how they find out what matters.
So if you are an adult, invite them into the circle because they need to understand that they are a part of the community. If you are this Gen join a circle and remove yourself from isolation.
Let’s not stop there, take it one step further… look at what Jesus did/was allowed to do. “Listening and asking questions.” The circle should be a place where people can ask questions. If you are someone who is older, let them be curious. Think about what you needed to know when you were their age and what could have happened if you were just allowed to ask a question about that thing you were wrestling with? Being able to work through what’s going on in your mind and heart is key for anyone at any level of faith, if you don’t take those moments to work through it, you will inevitably feel stuck.
Jesus was allowed by the teachers to do that, but also that also allowed Jesus to set the example for people young in their faith. Listen. Ask Questions. Be present. That’s how you gain wisdom and that’s how you grow. When you are invited into the circle, embrace it and use it. There are people around you that have wisdom that only comes from living life. Learn from them so that you don’t have to make the same mistakes as them.
There is one more part of the This Gen Circle that would be easy to skip over. So far we have really hit on the teachers and the impact on This Gen. What we haven't talked about was the impact of This Gen on the teachers.
Luke 2:47, “ 47 And all those who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.”
Obviously Jesus was a child at this point. BUT JESUS WAS STILL JESUS. So if I had to guess, he was dropping bombs because while he may have not have revealed it, he knew way more than those teachers. I guarantee that they walked away that day with a better understanding of scripture, of God, and of their relationship with God.
As someone who has led in This Gen ministry for 7 years, I can say that from first hand experience, every time I lead students I learn from them. When you invite kids, students, or young adults into your circle, you have the opportunity to learn from them. They have a fresh perspective, they are on fire, and they have the whole world ahead of them. Wouldn’t we be better off with a fresh perspective? Wouldn’t we be better off being on fire for the Gospel? Wouldn’t we be better off believing the whole world is in front of us? I would say so. So lean into those things and learn from them!!
The This Gen Circle matters. It shows This Gen their value, it allows them to ask questions and grow, and it allows adults to learn from This Gen. It’s easy to get mad at Joseph and Mary for losing Jesus, it doesn’t matter that he was 12…. they should have had one of those leash backpacks, he’s precious cargo. But, in seriousness, this small moment gives us an insight on the power of the circle with This Generation.
Invite them in. Ask questions. Learn. Grow. Quest is a perfect opportunity to do that, use it as a springboard for the circle.