Participants:
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP190817A
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00:16 >> Happy Sabbath. Welcome to 00:17 Pioneer Memorial Church on this faculty dedication, returning to 00:22 the school year Sabbath, and I'd like to ask you all to stand and 00:27 join me in a word of prayer. Our Heavenly Father, 00:37 we thank You for the opportunity to take a break, to take a 00:41 Sabbath, to think on You, to worship You, to praise You, and 00:45 we thank You for hearing our praises, and we just ask that 00:48 You give us that gift today of opening our hearts and our minds 00:52 to You, that we may both be filled with Your messages and 00:56 that You may be pleased with what You hear from our hearts. 00:59 In Your name we pray, Amen. >> Amen. 01:04 >> Stay standing. 01:07 ♪♪ ♪♪ 01:24 ♪♪ ♪♪ 01:42 ♪♪ ♪♪ 01:59 ♪♪ ♪♪ 02:17 ♪♪ ♪♪ 02:34 ♪♪ Lift your praises to God. 02:47 ♪♪ ♪♪ 03:03 ♪♪ ♪♪ 03:19 ♪♪ You may be seated, and, you 03:29 know, I was just thinking about, as we start this new year, that 03:33 we're all coming from different places, we're coming from a 03:37 break, for some of us, and some of us are coming from very 03:41 joyous experiences, and others are coming from periods of 03:45 sorrow, and there's only one truth that we can really take 03:49 from all of these situations, is that we need to have our focus 03:53 in the right place. It seems to be the easiest 03:56 thing, at least in my life -- It's the easiest thing and the 03:59 hardest thing, to keep your focus in the right place, and 04:03 that is on your creator. It's so easy to give over to the 04:06 world's way and say, "I'll solve it. 04:08 Let me be the one to solve it." But today, I ask you to open 04:12 your hearts in prayer to God with this hymn that He will be 04:17 your vision. Let it be your personal prayer. 04:21 ♪♪ ♪♪ 04:40 ♪♪ ♪♪ 04:59 ♪♪ ♪♪ 05:18 ♪♪ ♪♪ 05:37 ♪♪ ♪♪ 05:56 ♪♪ ♪♪ 06:15 ♪♪ ♪♪ 06:34 ♪♪ ♪♪ 06:54 ♪♪ ♪♪ 07:13 ♪♪ ♪♪ 07:32 ♪♪ ♪♪ 07:51 ♪♪ ♪♪ 08:10 ♪♪ ♪♪ 08:29 ♪♪ 08:39 >> It is a beautiful thing, to hear you pour your hearts out to 08:44 God, and I ask you now to stand with us as we prepare our hearts 08:48 for prayer and sing about standing on the promises, on the 08:53 solid rock, on Christ, our savior. 08:57 ♪♪ ♪♪ 09:15 ♪♪ ♪♪ 09:32 ♪♪ ♪♪ 09:49 ♪♪ ♪♪ 10:07 ♪♪ ♪♪ 10:24 ♪♪ ♪♪ 10:41 ♪♪ ♪♪ 10:59 ♪♪ ♪♪ 11:16 ♪♪ ♪♪ 11:34 ♪♪ ♪♪ 11:51 ♪♪ ♪♪ 12:08 ♪♪ ♪♪ 12:26 ♪♪ ♪♪ 12:43 ♪♪ 12:54 >> Oh, good morning, boys and girls. 12:57 It's so nice to see you on this beautiful Sabbath. 13:00 This is our last Sabbath in the Howard Performing Arts Center, 13:05 and you've been so faithful. You've been so careful. 13:08 We haven't had one accident on these stairs, and we were 13:10 worried before we began on May 11th. 13:12 And it's just nice to have you back. 13:14 Next Sabbath, guess where we're gonna be? 13:15 >> PMC! >> PMC! Yep! 13:18 Next Sabbath. And, in fact, do you know why I 13:21 know that? Because something very special 13:25 happened this week. Hey, sissy. 13:28 Something very special happened this week, and I need you to see 13:32 it. We don't often have videos for 13:33 our children's story, but, today, we have a little video. 13:36 We'll put it up on the screen. Now, lookit! 13:38 Uh-oh! Time out. 13:41 Those of you that are sitting right here, I need you to pull, 13:44 come out this way just a little because you can't see the 13:46 screen. We had to do that in the first 13:48 service, too. So, yeah, you just come way out 13:50 here. Then you can turn around because 13:52 all eyes are on the screen. Pastor José, thank you. 13:55 All eyes on the screen. And let's see what happened this 14:00 week. >> Yeah! 14:02 >> Let's see what happened this week that tells me we are going 14:07 home next Sabbath, all right? Can you see the screen now? 14:10 Say yes if you can see the screen. 14:12 >> Yes! >> Yes! 14:13 >> All right, here we go. You girls up there can see the 14:16 screen? Here we go! Oh, oh, oh! 14:17 Look at that! This is fast-motion. 14:21 Oh! Do you know what that is? 14:23 Some people call that a steeple. Some people call it a cupola. 14:28 There it goes! Oh, oh, oh! Cupola! 14:32 Oh, oh! >> What is it? 14:35 >> A crane! >> It's a crane, you're right. 14:37 There's -- [ Laughter ] 14:40 You got it right, girl. It is a crane. 14:41 But let's do it again. Come on, let's play that again! 14:43 We got to see that now. Oh! Look at that big, heavy cupola. 14:49 There it goes! Oh, oh, oh! Move it, move it! 14:51 Guys, over! Over, just a little bit! 14:52 Just a little bit! Okay, now down! 14:54 Down, down, down! Careful, careful, careful, 14:57 careful... Whoa! Turn it around. 14:59 Good, good, good. Oh! Quick, quick! 15:01 As soon as it gets down, bolt it up! 15:03 Zip! Zip! Zip! Zip! Zip! Got it in! It's in! 15:08 Hallelujah. That's why I know, boys and 15:11 girls, that we're gonna be going back this next Sabbath, because 15:16 they put the crown on the church! 15:18 Do you know that Jesus has a crown for you? 15:20 And I have a crown right here. Jesus has a crown for you, 15:24 and I have two crowns, and I'm wondering if there is a little 15:28 boy that would like to try one of these crowns on? 15:32 Young man, come here. I saw your hand go up first. 15:35 And I wonder if there's a little girl that wants to try this on. 15:39 Oh! Oh, my little granddaughter put 15:42 her hand up, though. So you girls come and -- 15:44 Come together. Come on. No, you can -- come on. 15:48 Come on, Junior. No, no, you can come on up. 15:50 Come on. Oh, my, well, okay, we'll just 15:53 do this. [ Laughs ] We'll just do this 15:55 one at at time. You have to hold it on your 15:57 head, okay? Jesus has a crown for you, and 16:00 He has a crown for you, sissy, and He has a crown for you, 16:03 little Ella, and He has a crown for you, big guy, and He has a 16:07 crown for you, little girl. Jesus has a crown. 16:10 He says, "I will give you a crown of life." 16:13 Do you know who gets a crown? Anybody who's won the war. 16:16 Anybody who wins the war gets to have a crown. 16:19 [ Laughs ] That means all the boys and 16:21 girls that go to Heaven will get a crown, that means all the 16:24 mommies and daddies that go to Heaven will get a crown, big 16:26 people, little people will get a crown. 16:28 But there's one person that's gonna get the biggest crown in 16:32 the universe, and the most beautiful crown, and who do you 16:36 suppose that is? >> Jesus! 16:38 >> That would be Jesus. The Bible says that when Jesus 16:42 comes, He comes with many crowns. 16:44 Do you know why He gets the biggest crown? 16:46 Because He won the biggest battle, that's why. 16:49 He's the biggest victor. He is our winning king. 16:54 And I have a feeling -- we'll take all of the crowns off. 16:57 We'll say, "Jesus, you can have this right at Your feet." 17:00 >> I can. We're so glad that You won the 17:03 big battle for us. Hey, Izzie, nice to have you, as 17:07 well. Would somebody like to thank 17:11 Jesus for being our biggest battle winner? 17:16 All right, sissy, I saw your hand go up. 17:17 Yep, you come right up here. And how do they get over here? 17:20 Oh, Uncle Dan, we got to get that microphone. 17:24 Okay, sissy, I was point at you, so you come, too. 17:27 Today's a day of multiples, okay? 17:29 All right. So we're gonna pray -- Whoops! 17:32 We're gonna pray, and I'm gonna hold this up, and you just thank 17:36 Jesus for being our big winner. You want to start? 17:40 Okay. Sissy? >> Dear Lord, thank You for this 17:43 day. Thank You for everything You 17:45 gave us. Bless us for coming to church 17:47 and worshipping Your Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. 17:50 Amen. >> Amen. Amen! 17:57 ♪♪ ♪♪ 18:13 >> ♪ Take my life, and let it be ♪ 18:20 ♪ Consecrated, Lord, to Thee ♪ Take my hands, and let them 18:31 move ♪ ♪ At the impulse of Thy love 18:39 ♪ Take my hands, and let them move ♪ 18:49 ♪ At the impulse of Thy love ♪♪ 19:04 >> ♪ Take my feet, and let them be ♪ 19:09 ♪ Swift and beautiful for Thee ♪ Take my voice, and let me 19:20 sing ♪ ♪ Always, only, for my King 19:28 ♪ Take my voice, and let me sing ♪ 19:37 ♪ Always, only, for my King ♪♪ 19:51 >> ♪ Take my silver and my gold ♪ 19:57 ♪ Not a mite would I withhold ♪ Take my moments and my days 20:08 ♪ Let them flow in ceaseless praise ♪ 20:14 ♪ Take my moments and my days >> ♪ Let them flow 20:27 in ceaseless praise ♪ >> ♪ Let them flow 20:30 in ceaseless praise ♪ ♪♪ 20:39 >> ♪ Take my will and make it Thine ♪ 20:45 ♪ It shall be no longer mine ♪ Take my heart, it is Thine 20:55 own ♪ ♪ It shall be Thy royal throne 21:03 ♪ Take my heart, it is Thine own ♪ 21:12 >> ♪ It shall be Thy royal throne ♪ 21:16 >> ♪ It shall be Thy royal throne ♪ 21:23 ♪♪ ♪♪ 21:46 >> Thank you, Charles and Julie. Byron, Ken. 21:52 "Take my will, take my heart, and it shall be Thine." 22:01 Royal throne. The right prayer to pray today. 22:06 Let's pray. Son of David, 22:10 we call upon You now. Take our lives. 22:16 Take this new year, even before it commences. 22:22 Take it all. Teach us. 22:28 Break through, please. We pray in Your name. 22:35 Amen. The fact of the matter is, we're 22:39 in a war, and I'm telling you something, this battle is 22:42 intensifying. I read two books this summer. 22:45 I am so intimidated by those two books, that I'm gonna share them 22:50 with you, hoping you'll feel intimidated, as well. 22:55 Book number one, put it on the screen, Sarah Weise. 22:57 She is a marketer. Title of her book -- 23:00 "InstaBrain: The New Rules for Marketing to Generation Z." 23:04 Book number two, on the screen. "Meet Generation Z: 23:09 Understanding and Reaching the New Post-Christian World." 23:13 Written by James Emery White. No relation to the library 23:16 on the campus of Andrews University. 23:18 All right? Really, the word "intimidated" 23:25 is past-tense. I'm bucked up now, and you will 23:28 be, too. But what I want to do is I want 23:31 to go to these two writers who have described Generation Z, and 23:35 out of hundreds, really, of factoids, I want to gather a few 23:39 statistics. I'm gonna run them by you. 23:42 No study guide to fill them out. You're not gonna jot numbers 23:44 down. We're not even gonna put them on 23:46 the screen. You're gonna have to take what 23:48 the Spirit sticks on the wall of your mind. 23:50 Something's gonna stick. You're gonna have an impression, 23:52 I promise, by the time this is through, okay? 23:55 So let's start with Sarah Weise. She's the secular marketer. 23:58 She opens up by reminding us Generation Z is born between 24:04 1995 and 2006. In other words, their ages right 24:08 now are 13 to 24. So 13 -- that's Andrews Academy, 24:12 okay? Then we get to undergrads, 24:14 then we get to graduate and seminary. 24:17 13 to 24. Do you know this? 24:21 51% of this planet today is under the age of 25. 24:28 >> Hmm! >> Over half! 24:31 Gen Z. That's what they're calling 24:32 them. They grew up with high-speed 24:37 Internet in their homes, 98% of them have smartphones. 24:41 Go figure. You knew that, didn't you? 24:45 85% of Gen Zs find out about new products through social media. 24:49 Gen Zs practice what's called "Quick Flex." 24:51 They use to say of Gen X-ers, "multitasking." 24:54 These guys don't multitask, they "quick flex." 24:57 They can take five screens on their phone and simultaneously 25:02 monitor all five -- a reddit thread, Instagram, a YouTube 25:06 video... Five of them. 25:08 Their attention span is 8 seconds. 25:11 [ Laughter ] Goldfish have an attention span 25:15 of 9 seconds. [ Laughter continues ] 25:17 Millennials have an attention span of 12 seconds, but 25:20 millennials could only operate four screens at a time. 25:23 I'm telling you, the technology is driving the human race. 25:30 Most spend 3 hours a night on YouTube. 25:33 Their big deal is DIY. How many here know what "DIY" 25:38 stands for? You have to be a Gen Z to know. 25:41 [ Laughter ] Yeah, "Do It Yourself." 25:43 That's their choice of learning. DIY -- big deal. 25:48 The average 13- to 24-year-old today checks social media -- get 25:54 this -- 100 times a day. 100 times a day. 25:58 In the middle of your class. Lots of times in your class. 26:02 [ Laughter ] Right? 26:04 I'm gonna put Sarah Weise on the screen. 26:06 You need to let some of this sink in visually into your soul. 26:09 Sarah Weise's writing, "It is terrifying..." 26:58 "Just too much! I don't want it." 27:02 They are categorically sleep-deprived, especially among 27:04 females. Gen Z and brand loyalty. 27:09 Oh, please listen to this one very carefully. 27:11 "When they commit, it is for these reasons." 27:14 Okay, why would they commit to Andrews University? 27:16 It would be for these reasons. Number one, 27:19 superior customer experience. Number 2, brand aligns with the 27:25 consumer's personal values. "I like that school because I 27:28 have the same values." Number three, speed. 27:32 Faster checkout and delivery and registration. 27:36 I just added "and registration," but you got the point. 27:39 All right. Number 4, family or friend 27:42 recommendation. I had a dad with his Gen Z 27:44 sitting in my office this week. He said, "I wanted all four of 27:47 my kids to come here. Three of them went elsewhere, 27:49 I've finally taken the baby, and I'm bringing him here." 27:51 This boy is here because his dad is recommending, "You come to 27:56 Andrews University." And, by the way, they're very 27:59 open to their parents' recommendations when it comes to 28:01 finances. They're very open. 28:05 Physical health -- Uh-oh. The first generation to have a 28:08 shorter life expectancy than their parents due to 28:11 unprecedented childhood obesity. This generation is nearly twice 28:14 as likely -- speaking of mental health -- than millennials and 28:17 Gen X-ers to report mental health as either "Fair" or 28:20 "Poor." More likely to report having 28:22 received treatment or therapy from a mental health 28:24 professional. Today, Generation Z reports 28:27 higher levels of loneliness and social isolation that 28:30 72-year-olds in this nation. >> Oh, my... 28:33 >> More isolation and loneliness. 28:36 Wow. Gen Z learns at home, we just 28:39 discovered. Oh, no, no. 28:40 I need you -- I got to run this one by you. 28:43 The number of teens who get together with friends on a daily 28:47 basis dropped by more than 40% from 2000 to 2015. 28:50 They're not connecting anymore. Gen Z learns at home through 28:54 videos, but, at school -- Listen, teacher. 28:56 At school, they long for something different. 28:59 In-person activities -- this is the marketer speaking -- with 29:03 classmates and teachers, real connection. 29:05 6 in 10 Gen Z-ers cite in-person team-based activities as their 29:09 preferred learning method. "I can go at home and study 29:12 alone, I can DIY at home, but when I come to your class, I 29:15 want to be with somebody because I don't have people." 29:18 Mm. Second, our market's writing 29:22 monthly church attendance has dropped over 20% since 1970, 29:25 ditto for less times with friends from work. 29:27 They've gone from 2 1/2 hours a week with their friends to under 29:30 1 hour a week now with their friends. 29:32 And she writes, Sarah Weise, "Imagine a student being unhappy 29:36 at school and having no other community to turn to. 29:39 For many, that is a reality." They go home, nothing. 29:45 Generation Z, they're coming in nanoseconds to us at 29:50 Andrews University. Our president, Andrea Luxton, in 29:54 her annual State of the University address 29:57 this last week reminded us that when we're clear on the "why" 30:02 for our existence, then we better understand the "who" we 30:06 need to become to deliver the "why." 30:09 And the "why" for Andrews University's existence 30:11 is absolutely clear. It's pasted everywhere on this 30:14 campus. Put it on the screen, please. 30:17 "World Changers Made Here." We believe that world-changers 30:20 are made. In other words, we connect this 30:22 generation to Christ, and then we send this generation out into 30:25 the world for Christ. "World Changes Made Here." 30:31 But do you know who we're supposed to be turning into 30:34 world-changers? The people we just described. 30:37 These Gen Z-ers, your mission, should you choose to accept it. 30:44 Wow. Let me take the same factoids 30:48 now and watch another writer, a Christian, slant the statistics. 30:53 Watch what he does with it. James Emery White. 30:58 Radically different slant. Put it on the screen, please. 31:00 His words... 31:13 "The most influential generation in the West." 31:18 They're coming to us. The first generation, by the 31:23 way, raised in a post-Christian context. 31:25 Most of them still believe in the existence of God -- 78% of 31:28 them. But listen to this -- 31:29 Less than half of them attend weekly religious services of any 31:32 kind, and only 8% would cite a religious leader as a role 31:35 model. George Barna makes his point 31:38 well. The younger the generation, the 31:41 more post-Christian it is. What's the next generation? 31:44 These little kiddies that were up here. 31:45 If time should last, what are they gonna be, Double A? 31:48 We've run out of letters. [ Laughter ] 31:52 The younger the generation, the more post-Christian they become. 31:57 Wow. Oh, boy. 32:00 Currently, teenagers spend nearly 9 hours a day absorbing 32:05 media in all its forms. 9 hours a day. 32:08 Leading Fedler, put him on the screen, please. 32:12 The author of the mass-media textbook, "Standard." 32:15 Fedler writing... 32:22 And you thought it was you and me. 32:24 Nope! There is a technology out there 32:28 now that is taking over the education of an entire 32:31 generation. Oh, boy. 32:34 Keep reading, on the screen. 32:49 Here's a key point. 32:56 "If I accept it, then I affirm it. 32:58 "If I accept it, then I affirm it." 33:03 Hmm. The media. On the screen, Eric Schmidt, 33:07 Jared Cohen, in their book, "The New Digital Age." 33:11 Oh, this is unbelievable. 33:26 Just leave that on the screen for a moment. 33:29 Anarchy. There are no rules out there. 33:31 There's nobody controlling that space. 33:33 It's just there. The largest experiment in 33:36 anarchy in the history of the human race. 33:39 He's got to be right. No other generation has had 33:43 pornography so available in such extremes at such a young age. 33:47 Think about that now. 70% of all 18- to 34-year-olds 33:52 are regular viewers of pornography. 33:54 White calls it "the wallpaper of our lives." 33:58 There is a porn site that has over 15.35 billion visits, 34:02 twice the population of Earth! Generation Z, as he puts it, 34:11 lives in a pornified world. Yeah. 34:17 We're in a war, and the battle is intensifying. 34:23 The more teens are exposed to sexual content in movies, the 34:26 earlier they started having sex, and the likelier they were to 34:30 have casual, unprotected sex. One last quotation. 34:33 Denny Burk, on the screen. 34:43 I had a little girl, a co-ed see me on the last Sabbath of the 34:46 school year, just a few weeks ago, and she said to me, 34:48 "Pastor, you have to this new year. 34:50 You have to deal with pornography. 34:52 It is pervasive. Boys and girls. 34:55 You cannot leave that out." So we're gonna have a little 34:59 DIY -- Do It Yourself -- on pornography this fall. 35:03 We have a few of those little DIYs wrapped in. 35:08 Keep reading. 35:25 End quote. When I put those two books down 35:28 at the end of the summer, I said to myself, "My Lord... 35:32 My Lord, we are in a war." And by the nanosecond, 35:35 this battle is intensifying. We can't just sit here and say, 35:41 "Wow, this is a little rural campus, and we have problems. 35:45 We have filters on our Internet anyway." 35:47 Psht! You got to listen to the kids 35:50 laugh about those filters. >> Yeah. 35:54 >> We're in a war. It's not just about pornography. 35:56 It's about the entire culture of life. 36:00 Gen Z, God bless them. We desperately need -- 36:05 Ladies and gentlemen, we desperately need a generational 36:08 breakthrough. I want you to go to one of the 36:11 short wars recorded in Scripture. 36:12 It's the shortest battle, I should say. 36:14 Open your Bible, please, to First Chronicles, Chapter 14. 36:16 The shortest battle in the Bible. 36:18 Look at this Scripture. See if there's anything for us 36:21 on this day of new beginnings, on the eve. 36:23 1 Chronicles, Chapter 14. 1 Chronicles. 36:27 I'll be in the NIV. You follow along. 36:30 Whatever you have. 1 Chronicles, 36:32 Chapter 14, Verse 8. 36:46 Two leadership lessons tucked away in the opening story line 36:50 of this very short battle. Leadership lesson number one -- 36:59 Yep. The Philistines here -- 37:01 "He's the new king. "He's the new king of Israel! 37:03 We're gunning." We're going for him because 37:06 every enemy knows that if you can take the leader down, you 37:11 have the whole army. Just take the leader down. 37:15 You say, "Oh, Dwight, whew, I'm very glad because I am not a 37:18 leader." I beg to differ with you, sir. 37:21 I happen to subscribe to John Maxwell's definition of 37:23 leadership. Put it on the screen, please. 37:30 If you have influence on this planet, you are a leader. 37:33 If you have influence on this campus, you are a leader. 37:36 I don't care where you work. I don't care what you do. 37:38 If you touch a human life in your play circle, in your work 37:41 circle, in your classroom circle, in your dormitory 37:44 circle, in your family circle, in your neighborhood circle. 37:47 If you have only you and you have influence on you, you are a 37:50 leader. There's no ducking out. 37:54 We're all in this together. And the enemy strategy is... 37:59 Gun for the leader first. [ Exhales sharply ] 38:09 Leadership lesson number one -- if you're the leader, the enemy 38:11 is going for you. Leadership lesson number two -- 38:16 Because that's what leaders do. They don't run. 38:19 They don't wimp out. They're not gonna quit. 38:21 No. You go for the enemy. 38:23 Isn't that what David did? "Hey, they're coming for me? 38:25 I'm going for them." We have to. 38:28 We can't sit here and wring our hands over these statistics and 38:31 say, "Oh, my Lord, isn't this awful?" 38:38 Jared Thurman, in an astounding piece. 38:40 I'm a little surprised that they published it. 38:42 I'm very grateful that they did. My friends at the 38:45 Adventist Review. Jared Thurman, this month, just 38:48 a few days ago, wrote a piece entitled "The Church I Want to 38:52 Belong to is...Terrible." Here are a snatch of words from 38:57 that, on the screen. 39:20 David could have run from the enemy, but he ran to the enemy 39:24 because that's what leaders do. We have to take it on together, 39:30 which means that whatever happens this new year, we will 39:33 take the initiative. We'll take the offensive. 39:36 We'll do it together. We need a generational 39:39 breakthrough. That's the truth. 39:42 "How we gonna get it, Dwight?" Well, just keep reading. 39:44 It's right here. Pick it up in Verse 9. 40:19 Now, what's the mean, "Baal?" We say "bael," but it's Baal. 40:22 It's the Canaanite phrase for -- a Canaanite word, rather -- for 40:26 "Lord" or "master." "Perazim," as in the plural. 40:28 The "iam" is always plural in the Hebrew, and so that means 40:31 breakthroughs. He's the master of 40:32 breakthroughs. He's the Lord of breakthroughs. 40:37 He's the God of breakthroughs. In fact, let's drop the "Baal" 40:41 out because we don't like that word anyway. 40:43 Let's call him Elohim Perazim. 40:50 Let me hear you say "Elohim Perazim." 40:52 Elohim Perazim. It just fits. Let's do it again. 40:56 Elohim Perazim. He's the God of generational 41:01 breakthroughs. James Emery White writes... 41:07 If you're gonna reach out to Gen Z-ers, which we're gonna do 41:10 together, then there are two realities you must immediately 41:13 understand, and here they are. Lookit, he's talking about a 41:16 cross-section now. Understand, there are huge 41:18 exceptions to this, but he says these are two realities you got 41:21 to lock onto. Reality number one, Gen Z-ers 41:24 are lost. Put his words on the screen, 41:28 please. 41:37 End quote. All right? 41:40 Not your children, you understand. 41:43 But a cross-section of this generation. 41:46 Number one, they are lost, and, number two, they are 41:49 leaderless. This about broke my heart when I 41:51 read this. Watch this. 41:53 James Emery White again. 41:59 Now notice... That's where my heart broke. 42:08 I said, "I can't believe it." They have no mentors. 42:11 They have no one who cares. They are so isolated by their 42:16 technology. They are so isolated by the 42:19 medium itself, they have nobody to turn to. 42:22 And they're coming to us in nanoseconds. 42:27 No mentors. Are you serious? Nobody that you can talk to? 42:32 Nobody that will pray with you? Nobody that cares? 42:35 Nobody that will ask, "Hey, how's your mom doing this week?" 42:39 Nobody knows! Oh, they have hundreds, 42:45 thousands of friends in the electronic world, but not a one 42:48 of them cares. [ Sighs ] God bless them. 42:57 "So what can I do, Dwight? Come on, come on, come on. 42:59 Cut to the chase. Is there anything we can do?" 43:02 Let me tell you what I know, okay? 43:03 I'm gonna end with this. This is personal testimony. 43:07 This last school year, I met with a group of Gen Z-er 43:10 university students. Every other week, almost all the 43:13 way through the school year -- almost every other week -- 43:16 and I called them "The Collegiate Council." 43:18 Now, I had to really suck it up to find out if these kids would 43:21 even sit down with this old dude. 43:23 And so I asked them. I was absolutely amazed, 43:27 delightfully, that they said yes. 43:30 Now, a bunch of them said no, but that's the risk you got to 43:32 take if you want to get a yes. You got to be willing to take a 43:34 no. [ Laughter ] 43:36 So I got a bunch of them. Multi-discipline, 43:40 multi-gender, multi range of ages from a freshman to two 43:44 seniors, and I sat with them every other week. 43:48 And I said, "What am I gonna talk to these kids about?" 43:52 So, the first time they came in, we just kind of all introduced 43:54 each other. So they're all strangers, 43:55 and I'm a stranger. And we're talking, and guess 43:58 what came up, on their own? Mental health. 44:02 Mental health. They started talking about their 44:04 own mental health, and I'm thinking, "Man, I come from a 44:07 generation you don't bring that stuff up in public at all." 44:09 [ Laughter ] Right? 44:13 They started talking. So we get -- 44:15 We go, two weeks later, Claudia brought a little food, and that 44:19 always helps. So there'd be snacks there, 44:21 they'd come, 5:00 in the afternoon. 44:23 We'd sit down together. They'd eat, we'd talk. 44:27 Eventually, we got around to, "Hey, how things going with you 44:30 and God? How do you connect with God?" 44:34 It was no big rocket-science question. 44:36 They got into it. One of the kids said -- 44:39 You know, I'll tell you a little something about prayer. 44:41 I gave him a clip to a video -- we got it online. 44:44 It's me talking about my own prayer life, such as it is. 44:47 But I talk about it. And, remember -- DIY, YouTube? 44:51 They like it. So he took it and he showed it 44:54 to his girlfriend. She liked it. 44:55 They got together with a large circle of friends on a Friday 44:58 night on this campus and they played it for the whole circle. 45:00 He came back the next time, to the meeting, and he brought his 45:02 girlfriend with him. She joined our group. 45:04 They're all just kind of like, "Wow." 45:06 It's nothing about me. It's just something simple -- 45:09 DIY! They were responding. 45:13 Now, look, if you got a better way to do this, I'm sure you're 45:17 gonna find one, but... This little group, this 45:21 collegiate council, they decide they're gonna -- 45:23 "Let's survey the campus. Let's survey all the students! 45:25 So we got permission from Student Life -- God bless you, 45:27 Student Life -- and they said, "Yeah, you can do a survey." 45:29 They checked the survey out, they said, "We'll send it out." 45:31 We got 319 responses from that survey. 45:34 Duane McBride said, "Dwight, that is a great sample." 45:37 Do you know what the number-one need of Andrews University 45:40 students, as expressed in this survey is? 45:41 The number-one need -- "I want to find a relationship 45:44 with God." The number-one need of the 45:48 Gen Z-ers on our campus now -- "Show me a relationship, help me 45:53 find a relationship with God." Wow. 46:00 Making World Changers. I guess we kind of start with 46:05 God, don't we? My... 46:08 By the way, these kids are coming back. 46:10 I can hardly wait for them to get back because they're helping 46:13 me present the first three sermons of the new year in our 46:15 newly renovated church, and the title of the series is, 46:18 "Roommates, Bad Dates, and Soulmates." 46:20 We're gonna talk about relationships. 46:22 The number-one need of Gen Z, the number-one need of the human 46:25 race. Listen, we are all isolated by 46:27 technology today. Let's not just say it's the 46:29 teens. All of us are isolated. 46:31 We're all pulling this thing out. 46:33 We're all compartmentalized and desperate for some human 46:37 connection. I think the Lord's gonna bless a 46:41 very practical how-to, DIY series. 46:44 I hope you'll be a part of it. We're bringing friends to church 46:47 August 31. So please bring your friends on 46:49 campus and off-campus with you when you come. 46:52 But here's what I found out. They're excited. 46:57 They're actually eager to meet with you. 47:00 Do you remember a few years ago, we shared 47:03 Christian Smith -- he's a sociologist at 47:05 Notre Dame University -- his discovery that the kids this age 47:09 appreciate what's on the screen right now. 47:12 Non-parental adult spiritual mentors. 47:16 In other words, these are parents. 47:18 They don't want you to be their parent. 47:20 They want you to be an adult. Don't apologize for being an 47:23 adult. Don't be intimidated by being an 47:25 adult. They like you being an adult! 47:27 They want you to do something spiritually for them. 47:29 Mentor them. Lookit, you can do the same 47:32 thing in your workplace where you work. 47:34 You got a bunch of student employees in Planned Services. 47:36 Get those student employees together. 47:38 "Hey, guys, I want to meet with you." 47:39 Can you do it Wednesday afternoon, Thursday afternoon? 47:42 When's the best time? Let's just sit down." 47:44 You meet with kids in your class. 47:45 Say, "I want to meet with a bunch of you." 47:47 You call them out by name, or you get to go to them 47:50 personally, whatever. Sit down with them. 47:52 Don't be intimidated by that circle. 47:54 They are wanting you to begin to care for them. 47:59 Of course you have to earn it. Of course you have to take time. 48:01 You're not gonna rush into this, but you're gonna do fine. 48:05 You're gonna do splendidly. You know what, God has been 48:08 waiting for this generation all His life. 48:12 They finally got here. Don't you suppose God has 48:16 already prepared a winning breakthrough strategy to reach 48:20 these young? Do you think he got caught by -- 48:22 Oh, good night. Where'd this Internet thing come 48:24 from? Gabriel, why didn't you tell 48:26 me?" [ Laughter ] 48:29 Of course not. God's been waiting for them all 48:32 His life, and now that they're here... 48:34 And His strategy -- I'll tell you what His strategy 48:37 is. Y-O-U. 48:40 Y-O-U and M-E. That's the strategy. 48:44 Come on! Pull those kids in. 48:46 Pull them into your house. Pull them into your office. 48:51 You know what, here at Pioneer, we need to reactive -- I'm 48:54 absolutely convinced. We need to reactive our 48:56 "Adopt A Student" Ministry. When there was change in campus 48:58 ministry, it kind of fell by the way. 48:59 We need to reactivate that. You community people have an 49:03 immense gift to offer -- nonparental spiritual mentoring. 49:06 Just get five of them to come over. 49:08 Let them bring their own friends. 49:11 They'll be comfortable that way. And you say, "Come over." 49:13 Of course you're gonna feel a little stiff at first. 49:14 Don't worry about it. You'll get over that stiffness 49:17 just like that. You got to step out. 49:20 You got to take a risk. That's what leaders do, 49:22 and you're a leader. You got to take a risk. 49:27 And, guess what, God wins. And, you know what, a friendship 49:31 with God, that'll be the biggest breakthrough of all, the 49:34 number-one need expressed in this university. 49:37 Oh, put that graphic one more time, please. 49:38 Put that graphic. I just love it. 49:40 Brittany Doyle, our Graphic Designer Specialist, 49:42 she put this together. Isn't that cool? 49:45 Look at that. Pow! Pow! 49:50 And it's red. You know why it's red? 49:53 Because calvary is the greatest breakthrough in the history of 49:55 the universe. That's why it's red. 49:57 Pow! At the cross, Jesus broke 50:00 through. He broke through the enemy 50:02 lines. He shattered the hold of the 50:04 enemy on this generation and on this planet. 50:06 >> Amen. >> I, if I be lifted up, I'll 50:08 draw all people to me, including Gen Z-ers." 50:11 Just before that line, he says, "And now the prince of the 50:13 world..." Pow! 50:16 Pow! It's gone. 50:19 I've denuded him. Breakthrough. 50:24 We have nothing to fear this new year, my friends. 50:28 This is God's year. He set us up for success. 50:30 He has set us up for this generation. 50:32 All he needs now is you and me. Calvary. Pow! 50:40 And so, today, we do what we just started to do last year. 50:45 We've been doing this with the new students all the time. 50:47 Seems like all the time. But last year, we did it for the 50:51 first time with the faculty staff that are gathered in this 50:54 service. And, today, I want to humbly 50:56 invite you, if you're a faculty member of a staff member or an 51:00 administrative member of Andrews University, 51:03 Andrews Academy, Ruth Murdoch Elementary School... 51:06 If you're a teacher in private school, if you're a teacher in 51:09 public school, if you're a homeschool teacher, I want to 51:12 invite you today to make the long journey from the end of the 51:15 balcony because you're gonna have an opportunity to put your 51:18 name on the line. Some of you did it last year, 51:21 and it's hanging proudly on the wall of our church, and this 51:24 will soon join it. Breakthrough. 51:27 And by signing your name, you're just saying, like I'm gonna do, 51:31 "Jesus, I'm just asking for a breakthrough. 51:33 Use me any way you wish." "Help to reach Generation Z. 51:36 Jesus, please, just help me. Help me. 51:39 You do the breakthrough. Just help me." 51:43 All right? So I'm gonna ask you, without 51:45 any further fanfare, just get to your feet, please, and come 51:47 forward. Our pastors will have red pens 51:49 because the freshmen are gonna do this Friday night. 51:52 I'm gonna talk to them, and they'll use other colors so the 51:56 red will always be leaders, and you're the leaders. 51:59 And so, lookit, it's a long way from the balcony, but don't 52:02 worry about it. Jesus is asking you, "Please, 52:06 ask Me to be Your breakthrough." Come on down. 52:10 Stay up here while you will. After you're through, our 52:13 president -- By the way, when the last person 52:15 to sign, Andrea Luxton is gonna step to the microphone and offer 52:19 a prayer of dedication for all of us. 52:21 And I'm gonna call you parents in a moment. 52:23 Don't you leave, parents. I'm gonna call you to take a 52:26 stand. I'm gonna call the leaders of 52:28 the church to take a stand. But now, I'm gonna invite our 52:32 faculty, our administrators, our staff, our teachers, public and 52:37 private, our homeschool... Grab a red pen. 52:43 Take that pen, and scribble your name. 52:46 And, you know, Chuck and Julie sang such a beautiful song for 52:49 us a moment ago. We need to sing those same 52:51 words, and so we're gonna put the words to 52:53 "Take My Life and Let it Be, Holy consecrated Lord to thee." 52:56 We're gonna put it on the screen, and we're gonna just 52:59 sing. Give time for your colleagues. 53:02 Come on down. We're got plenty of time. 53:04 Plenty of time. Let's sing together. 53:09 Don't stand. We'll stand in dedication at the 53:11 end. ♪♪ 53:22 ♪♪ ♪♪ 53:41 ♪♪ ♪♪ 54:00 ♪♪ ♪♪ 54:19 ♪♪ 54:31 >> We want God to do a breakthrough for us. 54:34 Our church back at home, my life right now, it doesn't matter. 54:38 I want to invite you, if you're a worshipper here today and you 54:41 want to join us in this prayer for breakthrough, just to stand 54:43 to your feet, as well. So we're all standing at the 54:46 end. Would you stand, please? 54:51 God bless you. Our president is going to lead 54:56 us now in a prayer dedication for this breakthrough. 55:03 >> Our Lord and our God, we have not signed our names today 55:10 likely or easily. And, Lord, neither do we stand 55:16 other than with humility and a recognition that if it were not 55:21 for your leadership, we would not know what to do. 55:25 Those of us who are here on this platform have chosen to bid this 55:33 university, work in education and schools because we believe 55:40 in Christian education. We believe that it can change 55:46 lives. But, Lord, we do that in 55:50 partnership with You because we know that it is only as we keep 55:56 fixing our eyes on You and listen to Your leadership that 56:02 we will know what to do. We think of the challenges 56:07 ahead. We're thankful for all the 56:10 students that are going to be arriving on this campus and some 56:14 who are already here, and we recognize that we are Your 56:20 agents to represent You to them. Help us, Lord, to listen well, 56:28 to pray well, to act in a way that represents Your character, 56:35 Your love, Your goodness. May our commitment and 56:41 relationship to you be an example which will lead them to 56:44 commitment and relationship with You, also. 56:49 Bless us now, we pray, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen. 56:53 >> Amen. ♪♪ 57:05 >> We've been really blessed by the financial support that comes 57:07 from our viewers, and we've made a conscious decision not to 57:11 continually appeal to you for that support. 57:14 The fact is, as everyone in the industry will tell you, we're 57:17 needing to make constant upgrades to our technology. 57:20 So if God has blessed you and you'd like to further the work 57:22 of this ministry, we invite you to partner with us. 57:25 Not a single penny of your donation will go to me. 57:28 Every bit of your gift goes to the mission of blessing your 57:31 community and our world. You can donate on our website, 57:34 newperceptions.tv. Or call the number. 57:37 You know the number -- 877-HIS-WILL. 57:40 Again, that number is 877 -- the two words "HIS-WILL." 57:44 And may the God who has blessed you continue to pour into your 57:47 life the gifts of His joy and His hope. 57:50 Thank you. And I'm looking forward to 57:52 seeing you, right here, again, next time. 57:58 ♪♪ ♪♪ 58:18 ♪♪ |
Revised 2019-08-27