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Dear Beloved Members, Pastors, and Supporters,
I am burdened by a common problem that exists in too many churches. Its not conflict or scandal, but absence. It is the burden of looking ahead and realizing there may be no clear next generation ready to take the baton of faith.
Scripture reminds us that God’s work has always moved forward through intentional generational faithfulness. “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4). The faith was never meant to stop with us. It was designed to be received, lived, and then passed on.
In many congregations, the gap is growing. Faithful saints who have served for decades look around and wonder: Who will teach the next class? Who will lead the next ministry? Who will stand in this pulpit, serve on the mission field, or shepherd God’s people when we are gone? The concern is not about preserving buildings or programs, but about preserving the faith.
This did not happen overnight. Cultural pressures, competing priorities, and a lack of intentional discipleship have slowly eroded the handoff. Too often, we assumed the next generation would “catch” the faith without being clearly taught, modeled, and invited to carry responsibility. However, faith is not inherited by proximity, it must be passed on.
“There arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10) That verse is not merely historical, it is prophetic when one generation neglects intentional investment in those coming behind them.
This burden should not lead us to despair, but to action. God is still saving, still calling, still equipping. The next generation will not rise by accident; they must be reached, discipled, encouraged, trusted, and released. We must create space for them to ask questions, to fail forward, to grow, and to serve alongside seasoned believers who model faithfulness.
Passing the baton requires more than words, it requires relationships. It means inviting younger believers into our lives, our ministries, and our stories of God’s faithfulness. It means believing that the same God who sustained us will sustain them. The future of the church does not depend on innovation alone, but on obedient transmission. May we be found faithful, not only in how we run our race, but in how we prepare those who will run after us. They are not just the church of tomorrow, they are also the church of today.
3 John 2!
Richard Taylor
Director, Corpus Christi Baptist Association
Rtaylor@ccbaptistassociation.org
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