Hi leaders, what a great opportunity and a privilege to teach this topic to you today.

Now I'm CJ. I'm a pastor in Victory Ubelt and that is the very first church that was planted here in the.

Philippines. Now, I'd consider that a privilege because first and foremost,.

There's really thousands,.

If not literally hundreds of thousands.

Of young people in that specific area.

In fact, if you're a part of our every nation movement, I would like to suggest that at some point maybe you.

Could drop by and visit us.

Second, it's a privilege because it truly is about the calling of God.

And third, it's a privilege because this topic that we have today on multi-generational.

Leadership.

Is the very thing that has allowed me to have a place or a platform to lead our church there today.

You know, our founder, Pastor Steve Merl,.

Passed it on to Pastor Luther and then eventually to pastor Mark, pastor Gilbert, and I'm so glad that there are a.

Group of people who took the chance on me and said, "Maybe you can lead this."

And then there's I'd like to emphasize that word maybe because that's what they literally told me.

Maybe you can lead this. Now this topic on multigenerational.

Leadership,.

The concept of this is simple.

It's not a complicated thing. In fact, in your manuals,.

It says there that multigenerational.

Leadership.

Is a leadership model.

Where multiple generations can serve together,.

Enhancing.

Another.

One another without diminishing.

Either one of them. So the thought here is that there is no one more important generation.

Than the other. There's no choice between is this generation more anointed.

Than the other generation or is my generation.

More blessed now considerably.

Compared to the ones who started or maybe the ones who would follow after us would be the better generation.

So the concept is is quite simple but I'd like to propose that the outworkings of this could sometimes be very challenging.

Could be very challenging because there's always a place in us to think about our own selves and say this leadership has.

Been built because of quote.

My leadership or maybe these things that we're encountering now it's possible for us because of the certain work of a group.

Of people. That's why this is a very important thing and because there are challenges involved in it.

That's the reason why we need to go back to God.

So if you look at scripture, the first thing is this that God's plans are multigenerational.

All throughout scripture, it's laid out that there is no one.

Prioritized.

Generation over the other. In fact, what you could see was that when God.

Lays out a big and a great plan, he would talk about generations.

Being able to fulfill this. For example, the the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, right, which is the ultimate plan of.

Humanity's redemption.

You could see that from the generation, I would say, of Adam and Eve, the foreshadowing of it when a lamb in.

A sense was or an animal was sacrificed.

When they first sinned. and you could see the outworking of that plan from one generation to another until it came to.

Pass. So God's plans,.

They are multigenerational.

The second thing we could look at is that when we go back to God is this that God's promises.

Are multigenerational.

His promises you could see in scripture he would say Abraham, the God of Abraham, Isaac.

And and Jacob.

We could see there that sometimes there are days where God would summon Isaac for the sake of the promises that he.

Gave to Abraham.

He would say, "Even if you've done this, even if you've not been faithful,.

But because I made a covenant with your previous generation,.

Then I will make these things come to pass."

Our story later would involve that as well where we could see David and and Solomon.

Where there are certain generations in the book of Kings where they did not necessarily.

Follow God and yet God would still come through with his promises.

Why? Because he is what?

A multi-generational.

God. His promises.

Will go beyond one generation.

And another thing we could take a look at is this.

The third part is this that God's nature.

Is multigenerational.

God's nature and we all know about the trinity.

The mystery of the trinity.

Now embedded within the trinity.

Is a.

Person.

Who is the father and a son.

Now try to imagine this. God is trying to describe who he is to human beings like us.

Of course we can never fathom the depth and the width of who God really is.

Really is. That's why we have a relationship with him.

That's why we have an entire lifetime.

Of being able to walk with him from our time here on earth to the rest of eternity.

Why? Because we could never fathom who he is.

But for him to be able to at least.

Express who he is to human beings like us.

In scripture, we could see there the trinity.

And the trinity involves a father and a son.

That's a multi-generational.

Relationship.

In the perfection of the Trinity's relationship is a description of a father and a son.

A person of a father and a son.

A father who loves the son dearly.

A father who would empower.

The son and a son.

Who would defer to the father equally god himself but he would defer equally important himself but he would defer to the.

Father.

And trust the father for everything.

I know that in a day and age wherein.

Fathering could be a a very manipulative relationship, this is far from that.

And we could see God as someone and a part of his nature is multi-generational.

So what we're going to do today with that being the premise, we're going to take a look at uh three different.

Stories from scripture.

Um.

Two really good ones and sandwiched in between is a bad story.

And I know that a lot of us uh can learn equally learn from bad stories.

I'm not sure if you've had those leadership moments in the past where when you talk about bad stories, you learn more.

From them than it is from the really good ones.

So we're going to take a look at three stories today.

The first story would be this.

The story like what I mentioned earlier about David and Solomon.

And we would see here on how multigenerational.

Leadership is expressed within this story.

So 1st Chronicles.

22:5,.

This is what the scripture says.

For David said, "My son, Solomon, my son, is young.

And inexperienced,.

And the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent.

Of fame and glory throughout all lands.

I will therefore make preparation.

For it." So David provided.

Provided materials.

In great quantity.

Before his death. So what's happening here?

God was trying to lay out his plans.

I mean a grand plan. You know, they've been a very nomadic people during the past.

They would travel from one place to another,.

Set the presence of God, which was then represented by the ark of the covenant into different places, different locations, until all.

Of a sudden there was this burden coming from David, saying, "I would want to be able to build a a plan.

Or a structure that would somehow permanently in his mind.

House.

The presence of God." And what a great plan that is.

So God.

Approved of that plan and it's not like he did not plan for it himself to begin with but he approved of.

That plan and he would say okay I that plan is good I'm.

I'm paraphrasing here that plan is good but.

It's not going to be you who's going to build it.

Is going to be your son Solomon.

So what are we looking at here?

The first part there on your manuals is this that there was a young.

And inexperienced.

Next generation. The one who would carry out this grand plan is described.

By not only his.

Physical dad David.

But also the ultimate planner of all things who happens to be God as young and inexperienced.

Now of course nowadays.

When you are being asked about your age.

Right I mean you'd probably would want to be young especially if you're reaching maybe your.

30s.

Towards 40s.

You would try to remember how it is to be young and and maybe now it's a positive thought.

When somebody describes you or maybe mistakes you for a younger person right maybe you're in your 40s and then somebody would.

Tell you oh you know you look like what your early 30s or your early 20s and and that's a great.

Attribute.

That's a great thing to hear, right?

But during the time of David,.

It was probably a uh derogatory term for someone to be called young and inexperienced.

As I was trying to study this, those terms weren't given flippantly because it would not only discourage people.

It's like saying.

This guy.

Has nothing to contribute.

This guy is young. There is no experience in him.

He probably still has the folly of his youth.

There is no he has no proven.

Track record and for such a great project.

That's going to be a difficult.

Undertaking for him. He's young and inexperienced.

Now, this is.

The reason why.

I love.

Our church family, if I may call it that way, or I'd say our movement, because.

We give young and inexperienced.

People a chance to lead. I'd still remember the first time I led a victory group when I was a student.

My victory group leader back then or my small group leader back then just called me up and said, "Today you are.

Going to lead." And it was never in my ambition or dream to become a leader.

But when this person called me up and said, "Today you're going to lead."

And and I told him, "How can I lead?"

Um.

I don't even know how to do this.

So what he did was he started teaching me.

He said, "Open your Bible." This was during the days when we never had small group materials.

So he'd say, "Uh, what did you read this morning?"

So, I read about Proverbs and this is what you're going to talk about and this could be one of the questions.

That you could ask them as you start leading that group.

And I appreciate that person and his name is Pastor Jonathan.

I truly appreciate him for.

Investing time and and trusting that a young leader back then who happens to be me can do something significant for the.

Kingdom of God. Of course, this is probably not as significant as building a structure or building a building.

But during that time, I did feel that I am in a place, I am in a place, I am in a.

Church,.

I am in a movement where young people,.

Inexperienced,.

No track record.

Can do something significant in the kingdom of God.

So that's what David.

Was getting to experience, but that's what God was trying to clarify with David.

I like your plans,.

But it's not going to be you.

But David, of course, faced the fact and said, "Okay, God, it's not like I'm not going to submit."

But this young person.

Does not have any experience.

To make matters worse, I already made mention of this.

The second part here is that of the story is that there was a great vision.

There was a great vision.

The building that will be built, there is going to be nothing like it.

It's going to be nothing like it.

It's not going to be something that has been seen in the known world back then.

What a great vision that is.

You know when there is a great vision,.

This is in fact a signal for us to do things and to do leadership.

Multigenerationally.

You know sometimes I would encounter leaders.

On campus who would tell me did you know that during my days we had x number of students.

You know hundreds after hundreds during our days and I would keep on hearing those phrase.

During our days.

But sometimes the question that I would ask the person is what's so what's happening now.

And that's when he begins to pause and say.

Gives a deep sigh and and say.

That's a.

Nothing is happening. Now,.

Of course, in my mind, I'm not going to accuse that person and say, "Your vision is too little."

But that is just the reality of it.

The vision is big,.

But maybe things weren't done multigenerationally.

Maybe at some point it was just all about our batch,.

Right? Our batch is the more anointed one.

Our batch is the OG.

Our batch is the best, the originals.

Or maybe when the younger people got involved,.

Maybe they'd say, "Ah, this batch, those bats right there, they don't understand us.

Those bats right there, they just want to implement.

Things.

Those bats right there, you know, it's just all about it's all about this and that, and they don't really care about.

Us."

I'd like to say that even for our church and our movement,.

The next.

Level of being able to lead well.

Is to get two batches,.

Two generations.

Or maybe even more involved together.

That's that's the next level of leadership for us.

We we would try to understand how can the young.

Generation take part in this, the younger generation take part in this, how can the older.

Generation.

Take part in this? because the vision is too great.

Therefore, the third part is this.

It fell to the older generation to prepare.

So.

This is the burden that David had.

The initial burden.

Is to be given to David.

Because Solomon was chosen.

Now my question for us is that.

What will you do if the one.

Who God wanted to build this great project is young and is is young and inexperienced.

The best part about David is that he did not resist God.

He didn't say God.

Don't you understand. I've been trying to explain right my son you know he's no good yet.

I don't think he can do it.

But God didn't budge. He he just said, "Then this is what you're going to do.

I would like you to prepare.

The way for this person."

You know, this is the reason why I love doing campus ministry.

Because more than just going to the campus and and having a mass crusade.

Uh let's let's do a a quote a concert thing and then preach the gospel to thousands and thousands of young people.

Although we do that still, we can still do that and there's nothing wrong with that.

What I love about campus ministry is that we disciple.

Students.

We get to disciple future lawyers, doctors,.

Right? Teachers. Uh currently I am doing personal disciplehip,.

One-on-one disciplehip with someone who's doing.

Medical studies in the oldest.

Uh university in Asia, that's US.

Roman Catholic University in Asia, that's USD.

And and it's interesting to know that this person does have a a great vision.

And of course the institution,.

The academic institution is preparing him for that.

But more than just being prepared academically,.

Our desire is that they get to walk.

The go the the purpose that God has for their lives.

And what a great privilege that is to prepare the next generation.

Speaking of preparation,.

That's on number four. Speaking of preparation,.

This is what's happening.

David.

Prepared for the vision. You know how it is when you read through the scripture that he wrote the plans.

He had some very good plans and he put it in writing.

You know, he sought the mind of God.

He was empowered by the Holy Spirit and as a result of that, he was able to prepare the vision.

This is what we're going to do.

But the second part is this.

Solomon.

Understood.

The vision.

You know,.

David did not just prepare something that only he can understand.

You know how it is when you sometimes would write notes.

And then you would show it to another person and then the other person would say I don't I can't understand anything.

Of those. It's like you're the only one who can understand that.

So it could be something like that.

But David didn't do that. It was so.

Intricate. The details were all there.

I would assume reading through it and maybe the the drawings were also fine.

And more than just the physical layout of plants,.

What I love about David is reading through scripture again.

Is that he was able to pass on not only the physical writings but the heart behind why this is being done.

You know, continue reading through 1 Chronicles and you would see that there.

But David, sorry, Solomon.

Understood the vision. He kind of like accepted that and said, "Okay,.

Now if this is what's going to take to build this temple, then I'm going to be all in on that."

1 Chronicles.

22:17.

Says this. David, on top of just being able to pass on.

The plans for the temple,.

Also commanded.

All the leaders of Israel to help Solomon,.

His son.

He asked people, that's the fifth one, people are very important.

He asked them and said, would you go ahead and support this person?

And I would say this is very crucial in raising the next generation in working multigenerationally.

That for us who are probably the older leaders.

What we can do is when we give.

A task or maybe when we empower a younger person to do something significant for the kingdom of God.

We're not just going to hand them plans and say that's completely up to you now.

It's not like that. We're going to be with that person.

We're going to help that person just like my first small group leader who worked this through with me.

It's not like he said, "Okay, today you're going to lead."

No, he walked this through with me and said, "This is how we're going to do it.

This is the plan." So when they come in, this is what you're going to do.

And in the end, this is all for the kingdom of God.

And what he did was that he also did encourage others.

Unbeknownst to me, he did call some of the people in our small group back then.

And he said, "Please make sure you attend today.

Because when they find out that I'm the one leading, they probably won't be attending, right?"

But he called them up and said, "Please attend today.

Because you need to support this person."

That's why I truly appreciate him.

And again, I mentioned earlier that I'm.

I have the privilege of being able to pastor.

Our church in university belt.

And when I transitioned towards the task,.

What I found out later on, maybe two to three years into the responsibility already, was that our outgoing pastor, that's pastor.

Gilbert Fiient, and I truly appreciate him for this, talked to all of the staff before he left.

And he said, you know, the same support.

You had for me, please support him.

The same fervor and passion for the kingdom when we were still working together.

Please continue on doing that because it's never about me.

That's what he said. So I found out only later on talking to the staff and uh and that's what Pastor Gilbert.

Told them. He kind of like told them to please support this new guy who's going to come along.

There was a season where we worked together and as we've worked together, I did feel the support that he had.

That's why it made me a bit more confident knowing that it is him who's going to make things not that he.

Does not not that he makes things happen but I know that it is him who will.

Make that support visible.

For everyone else. So that's the fifth one.

The people.

David.

Told the people to support Solomon.

But Solomon.

Won the people over. So there's a responsibility on Solomon's part as well to not let go of the trust that has.

Been given to him. And if you continue on the story, Solomon's son Rahoboam.

Did exactly the opposite of that.

What he did was he rejected his father's advices and went on his own ways.

Number six is this provision.

There is provision.

That is going to be given here.

So the first part is that David made great preparations,.

But Solomon.

Stewarded them well.

1st Chronicles.

22:14,.

"With great pains I have provided for the house of the Lord.

100,000.

Talents of gold, a million talents of silver and bronze and iron beyond weighing.

For there's so much of it, timber and stone, too, I have provided.

To this you must add." I love that final statement.

To this you must add.

There's I've provided in great length.

I've provided in great quantity but to this you might add something else and that's stewarding it.

Number seven is prayer. What's happening here?

They were there's prayer being given here.

First is that David prayed.

To God for Solomon and then second is that Solomon.

Prayed to God for the vision.

I I love how.

They were both in constant communication.

With God,.

Both generations. David.

Was continually being assured by God that this plan is going to work because I planned it out even if your son.

Is young and inexperienced. In the same way,.

You could see the journey on how God.

Spoke to Solomon.

In fact, he's he's a very known king back then because of his wisdom and on how God has spoken to him.

And eventually God uh spoke to him and David or sorry Solomon.

Uh came into a place of understanding that it's it's not just about.

The resources that has been given me but it's about leading these people wisely.

That's why he became one of the most wise if not the wisest king that they've ever had.

So that's David and Solomon. What a great example it is of multigenerational.

Leadership.

The second example is going to be Hezekiah.

And Manasseh.

Hezekiah and Manasseh. And let's read from 2 Kings chapter 20.

This is a very interesting story.

Verse 14 says this. Then Isaiah the prophet came to Hezekiah and said to him, "What did these men say?"

That's was when he entertained some guests to come into his place.

And from there did they come to you?

And Hezekiah said, "They have come from a far country from Babylon."

He said, "What have they seen in your house?"

And Hezekiah answered, "They have seen all that is in my house.

There's nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them."

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the Lord.

Behold, the days are coming, when all that's in your house, and that which your father have stored up to this day.

Shall be carried to Babylon.

Nothing shall be left, says the Lord.

And some of your own sons who shall be born to you shall be taken away and they shall be unuks in.

The palace of the king of Babylon.

And Hezekiah said to Isaiah,.

The word of the Lord that you have spoken.

Is good.

For he thought, why not if there will be peace and security.

During.

My days.

So just to summarize this entire thing up, the people from Babylon, high officials from Babylon.

Came.

To Hezekiah's kingdom and Hezekiah kind of like entertained them not as enemies but as common friends saying hey this is what.

I have and probably that's the heart of the king.

So Isaiah the prophet came to him and confronted him and said because you have done that.

This is the very thing that's going to happen.

You know what's appalling in this verse that we read was that.

What Hezekiah said was that this sounds good.

Now how can that be good?

You know I have two children.

And um I can't bear the thought that someday they would not be following Christ.

You know try to imagine this if if somebody like says.

Uh to me and says that you know this is what's going to happen to your children.

And they will be carried off to this place one day and this is what's going to uh they're going to terribly.

Suffer in the land where they're going.

I have nothing in me that could say that plan is good.

That plan is a bad plan.

That that should not be happening.

But interestingly enough, this is what Hezekiah.

Said.

He said in the last part of the verse we read, why not.

If there will be peace and security.

During my days? It's like saying this,.

I think this plan is good.

Because my tenure.

Is secure.

Because my generation.

Is going to be fine. But the next generation, you don't have to think about them.

And I'd say this is the greatest pitfall.

Of a multi-generational.

Type of leadership.

To think about your generation.

Only. Now, of course, for the older generation, Hezekiah, man, what a lame leader that is.

What a lame leadership that was displayed there where he only thought about himself and said, "Never mind the next generation as.

Long as I'm fine."

But I would say that this could be an equal temptation.

To the younger generation.

Where we just think about ourselves and say, "No, those older guys there,.

No, they're nothing. They're obsolete.

There's nothing more that they can contribute.

It's now our turn. We could never think that way.

You know, if we're going to do this well, we're if we're going to do multigenerational.

Leadership, well, we have to think of both.

Generations.

And my prayer is that when we look at things someday, we would attribute things to multiple.

Generations.

Of leadership.

That's what I love about being able to go and build this building that we are all as a movement building in.

The university belt right now. So we're currently in the middle of putting up a structure.

Not for the glory of man but for the glory of God which will serve as a tool in reaching more students.

And equipping more leaders. But that generations.

But that is a product of generations of prayer.

You know the church, our church in the university belt is about to turn 40.

And.

That's been a product of generations of people praying, people investing.

And multiple.

Layers and generations of leaders are making this project come to pass.

And when we look back someday when that building is all up, we would say different generations.

Made that happen. Just like the one.

Which is represented by Paul and Timothy.

That's our last story for today.

Paul and Timothy.

You know what's apparent about Paul was that he had spiritual children.

He never had physical children. You know, a lot of the the two other illustrations we gave was that it speaks of.

A father and child relationship.

But this one, Paul never had a physical child and yet.

His life was complete. And yet his life and his multigenerational.

Leadership has been shown all throughout scripture.

Here h here on how it was shown.

The first part is this. The older generation included the younger.

Generation.

What we could always see is that Paul will always have someone with him particularly a younger person such as Timothy.

Uh Titus.

Every time he would go on a missionary journey.

For most part he would always include.

Intentionally.

Include young people with him. But the second part here is this that the younger generation was available to the older generation.

This is how we see it happen multigenerationally.

The younger.

Should be available as the older.

Intentionally.

Brings them along and includes them along.

We take every opportunity for mentoring.

I remember when I was a new staff and we would host conferences here in Manila.

Man, I would really offer to be a driver.

For a lot of our apostolic leaders.

I would say, "Hey, please sign me up.

If somebody needs to be picked up in the airport, I would want to be the ones who would pick them up.

I can't remember.

The number of times I've done that."

And what a great opportunity that is.

I know it may sound a little bit rude because they just came from the airport.

They're probably tired from a very, very long flight.

But I would start as as they're willing to engage, I would start asking questions.

How long have you been in the ministry?

What made you go into the ministry?

Why are you still doing what you're doing right now?

What's the source of your passion?

And then I remember this one of our leaders just said, "Uh, can I just rest for a while?"

I think I was becoming very intrusive.

But that's just the heart. I wanted to be available.

Now, the third and fourth one, they're related together.

And it says there, the third part is that the older generation, as represented by Paul, trusted the younger generation.

And the younger generation was faithful with what the older.

Generation.

Has passed down. It's not like they made up their own vision in a sense, but they continued on with what has.

Been coming from the Lord to the older generation.

And then being able to pass it on to the younger generation for them to be faithful.

Is at some point in their lives to be able to pass it on.

And this is the essence of disciplehip.

And of leadership development that that vision coming from God does not stay with us but it keeps on being passed on.

To the next generation.

Now number five and number six it says here the older generation served with the younger.

Generation. And I love this concept but the younger generation also served with the older generation.

So you have the same word in those two fillins.

Why? because it's very important.

For them to be able to learn how to serve each other.

I remember a time when.

I was asked to do a church plant in one of the outskirts of of uh the city.

And when I went there, I went to the.

Place.

I went to a church that is I would say consider back then the most influential one because I just wanted to.

Learn from the pastor there. not from our movement, not from our not from our church.

I went there and I asked him some questions and I tried to learn from him about staying in that place,.

Planning a church there.

And.

He entertained me. That's really good.

But in the end, he was he told me this and I can't remember I can't forget this.

He said,.

"My suggestion is you just leave.

Uh this city to us."

That's what he said. Maybe you just go back to the metro and you don't have to start a church here.

We got this city covered. So I I went out very discouraged and I what I did was I called one of.

Our leaders here in our church and I called him up and said, you know, this is what he told me.

And one of our leaders here, our apostolic leader here, he said, I know that guy.

He used to be my classmate in seminary.

So wait, wait a minute. He said, I'm going to go and call him up.

So I don't know what they talked about.

But the following week,.

The person who I met, the pastor of the city that I met called me up and said, "Uh, could we have.

A meal together?" So, I said, "Yes."

And during our meal, he said this.

You know what? You're very much welcome in this city.

I hope that we get to understand each other well and at the same time be able to thrive and flourish together.

As the body of Christ in this city.

I don't know what happened between the conversation of our leader and that pastor,.

But that's how I I love it.

I I mean, I I I was in the field doing the work, but the older generation leader was kind of like.

Helping me out and and paving a way for me.

And again, in the end, this is never about me or the church.

It truly is about the vision that God has given us to plant a church there.

This is how we get to serve together.

Maybe remotely, but at the same time, for most of you, you could be in a place where or in a church.

Where you are together.

Serving.

In one church. And and I'd like to continually encourage you to keep on doing that.

There are days that we may not necessarily understand each other, but as we look not only to each other, but as.

We look up to God, we would know that this is something that he has placed us in together.

Multigenerationally.

Number seven,.

The older generation fathered the younger generation.

And the younger generation were spiritual sons and daughters to the older.

Generation.

And again, the concept of the father and a child, the father and a son is very much consistent.