Saturday, September 1, I went to a worship service at Elevation Church in the Ballentyne area of Charlotte, NC. It was an experience like no other in which I came away with two words. The first being freedom and the second being association. Continuing this series, I'm adding on hope.
Isaiah 40:31 - "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (NIV)
This experience gave me renewed hope in the fate of our churches, in the youth that is being reared up. Of course, we see those in our own church homes but with so many youth of today being what many are calling the "lost" generation, seeing the teenagers and Millennials at Elevation Church praise God as if it was their last breath renewed my sense that these children weren't really lost. This next generation doesn't want traditional church services. They want an experience that teaches them not only the Word of God but how to live holy and righteous in today's world. They live in a world where racists are vocal and demonstrative. They live in a world where they are vocal and have been taught that they have the right to be. They live in a world where the standards of God aren't the focal point of the family.
Yet, this same generation has hope in a God that they cannot see. John 20:29 - "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing." This was Jesus' message to Thomas upon his return after the Resurrection. Hope. I rest my hope in God. I may have never laid my eyes on Him, but I believe in Him. I trust in Him that this next generation will lead their children on the path that Jesus has laid out for all of us.