The Next Generation

James Dobson, Chuck Colson, Jerry Falwell, D. James Kennedy each on of these men have had a huge influence on my life. I became a Christ follower back in 1980 and one of the first books I read following my conversion was Chuck Colson’s Born Again. One of the first people I watched intently on television was Jerry Falwell and I always enjoyed listening to Dr. Kennedy’s Truth’s that Transform and after becoming a father there was no greater voice than Dr. Dobson.
Over the past six months however we have lost two of the greatest voices for living a life founded on a Biblical worldview with the passing of Jerry Falwell and the just recent passing of Dr. Kennedy. And though I rejoice that these men of God have “run the good race, have competed their mission, and the crown that awaited them is theirs” I am concerned. I am concerned for the generation of men and women who have never been challenged as I was challenged by the likes of these men to examine their lives to see if they are “walking the walk”. I am concerned because I am wondering where the voice for the next generation is, who will be the men and women who will pick up the mantle and carry the Cultural Commission and the Great Commission to this next generation.
Over the coming years more of the voices of this generation will be called home and that is why today I want to encourage the next generation to begin to learn about those who have gone before them. I encourage this next generation to put down that PS III or to unplug that MP 3 just for a moment and to pick up and read the likes of C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaefer, James Sire, Augustine be challenged by the work of Nancy Pearcy, Chuck Colson, Ken Boa and G.K. Chesterson and above all renew your mind daily with the greatest compilation of all time The Bible.
If you of this next generation will do this perhaps you will be the one God has called to be the voice of your generation.