Cultivate Love: The Next Generation

Click/tap here for the Sermon Reflection Guide As we conclude our series on cultivating love, we focus on what has been and will continue to be the guiding principle for cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives: We cannot make growth happen, but we can create an environment where growth is more (or less) likely to happen.  It is the Holy Spirit that produces the fruit; Our role involves creating the kind of environment where fruit can grow both in us and around us. So, how do we do that, specifically for our children and youth? By studying Jesus’ childhood and upbringing (Luke 2:40-52), we discover that it requires a family that practices the faith together, a community of trustworthy family and friends, and a church the whole family loves. We understand the importance of our own spiritual growth, but God is also calling us to be a part of the growth of the next generation, whether it be within our biological family or our spiritual family. If we look back and reflect on our own faith journey, we can see a pattern of generational discipleship. Somebody told somebody who told somebody who told us about the love of God. Now, it is our time to tell the next generation!