A Generational Church

Robert Morris

I want to talk to you about the future

God is a generational God and

Gateway must be “A Generational Church” (Not just one generation)

Numbers 27:15

Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying:

Numbers 27:16

“Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

Numbers 27:17

who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”

Deuteronomy 11:18

“Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

Deuteronomy 11:19

You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Deuteronomy 11:20

And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,

Deuteronomy 11:21

that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth.”

When I got the word to begin the church, God gave me Gen. 35 and Deut. 11

He spoke that I was beginning a church that would last many generations

He spoke that I would pastor the church for 25 years

Now don’t get afraid because we’re 22 years into it!

The first thing I want you to know is that Debbie and I aren’t leaving!

We’ll be here for the rest of our lives!

But we’re going to become grandparents, not parents

I love to see the grandchildren come, and love to see them go

Only because of my energy level!

The reason that God identifies Himself as a generational God is

Because the next generation has the energy and the drive and vision to lead!

Again, don’t get worried because I know you love me

But what you love most is my preaching

And the vision, values and DNA of Gateway Church

All of that’s going to continue!

I will be setting in a successor in the next few years

But I’m going to continue to be the main voice in the pulpit

I’ll continue preaching the same number, and then slowly cut back

But I’ll never leave completely! We’re not going to rocking chairs!

I’ll still be preaching for many years

Probably until I begin saying 12 commandments and 10 disciples!

God doesn’t say He is the God of Abraham and Jacob

He says Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! Abraham needs to pass it to Isaac

Some hold on so long that they skip Isaac and pass it to Jacob

God spoke to me about the Joseph generation as well

Joseph: Birth to 20. Jacob: 20 to 40. Isaac: 40 to 60. Abraham: 60 to ...

I have entered the Abraham generation and will pass it to Isaac

The main thing that God told me to look for was the next leader!

We will always make sure that you are fed on the weekends

But it’s very important that the DNA continues

Every church has a DNA! That’s what makes us the Body of Christ

God gives us specifics that make Gateway, Gateway!

These will continue!

You want notice much change because I’m going to continue to preach

But someone with more energy than I have is going to lead!

I want to share with you who that is and the process we went through

The process was very thorough, and all of the elders are in unity

We also hired consultants to help us with the process

And they are in agreement! The Apostolic elders agree also!

I took the whole month of February to pray and seek the Lord

Then I nominated a person and then recused myself from the process

Then the elders interviewed Him individually many times

And they also interviewed him and his wife as couples

He went through 39 interviews in 6 months because 40 will kill a man! God gave all the elders a word to confirm it!

The vote was unanimous, 12-0!

The motion was seconded by all the elders!

We also did gifts, personality, and ability tests

The process was bathed in prayer and also very objective and thorough

I want to tell you prophetic confirmations

But I need to tell you who it is first

This may surprise you, but he’s already been running much of the church

I want you to trust me and the elders and the process

The next Senior Pastor of Gateway Church is my son James

The handoff will be in 2 ½ years on our 25th anniversary

Remember, I’m going to continue in the pulpit for several years

And then I’ll slow down gradually

I will probably still preach 2 to 3 series a year for many years

But James will be leading the church

The only changes you’re going to notice for several years will be

Better ministries! Better Children’s, Students, Men’s, Women’s,

Prime Time, Groups, Equipping, Stewardship, Freedom...

And more campuses and better organization

So that everyone is ministered to and equipped better

Because I’ve entered a new season and we need someone with

More vision and energy to implement the vision

I’ve laid the foundation but it’s time to build the house!

Better and more locations!

James has stepped into a new position

The Associate Senior Pastor. This is so he can lead now

And I can be by his side and mentor him.

I, in 2 ½ years will become the Lead Apostolic Elder

And continue to give advice and counsel to James and the elders

I want to tell you some of the prophetic words spoken over James When he was a in 6th grade at presbytery at Shady Grove

“I saw you like your dad, carrying on his ministry, but it was far greater than your dad’s ministry. There was massive growth, and you were leading. There were huge crowds, and you were preaching.”

When he and Bridgette went through presbytery

Pastor Preston Morrison prophesied

“James, now is the time to learn. It’s not yet time to lead. Because what you’re learning today is all about the leader God needs you to be tomorrow. It’s big, James! This is a big assignment. I’m going to give you 10 things. And then I’m going to give you 100 things.”

God had already spoken to me that when I began the transition

We would have 10 campuses and my successor would take us to 100

God had already spoken that to James also!

Pastor Larry Stockstill prophesied over him:

“James, I see you as a shepherd in a big pasture with a large staff in your hand. James, you are to stand on your father’s shoulders. You will reach the next generation. You and your father are to work together. Everything you need for the future is down in you. And when you need them, God is going to just turn it on like a spicket—just like Joel Osteen had only preached three times before

his father died and he took over the church. You will do the same. James, you have your father’s DNA more than any. You are a protector of his DNA. You will carry on your dad’s DNA.”

Wayne Drain in presbytery prophesied over him:

“James, you are strategically positioned for the divine appointment the Holy Spirit will reveal in His time. James, a mantle of leadership is being fitted for your shoulders. You are a shepherd like David who could slay giants because He loved God and loved God’s people. James, know that whatever you think it could be, it is bigger. It is more than you could imagine. You are a likable guy. And that is necessary to lead a church. People love you. You love them and so they see it.

There is more to it, but I haven’t felt released yet to share it all.”

Wayne told me later that what he heard was that James was my successor

But he didn’t believe he was to share that publicly at that time.

When he and Bridgette were going through presbytery

I prayed that morning that if he was supposed to be the Senior Pastor

That someone would prophesy Psalm 78:72. 31,102 verses!

They prophesied and then Steve Dulin walked up and said,

I have to speak this verse over you! Psalm 78:72!

Psalm 78:72

So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

He was mentored by Steve and Steve made him memorize Scripture

4 a week, 200 a year, for 10 years!

Our 3 Apostolic Elders, Olen Griffing, James Robison, and Jack Hayford

All feel this way. Pastor Olen and James Robison interviewed him

And they both shared with the elders that they feel James is the one

Then, this last week, I heard that Pastor Jack told someone

He was sharing with Pastor Jack that James said he should move to Dallas

Pastor Jack said, “If James Morris said you should move to Dallas

Then you should move! James is the next Senior Pastor of Gateway!”

So, the guy moved!

So, all of our Apostolic Elders are in agreement!

God spoke this to James years ago, but he only told Bridgette

So, he began to prepare to lead and feed

He and Bridgette are close to their Master’s degree in Theology

He has studied leadership and was in business before staff

Then he asked me last February about delivery

I mentored him and then he preached in staff chapel

And we were all amazed!

Let the Lord set a man over the congregation!

When God calls, He anoints and empowers

Moses, Gideon, Deborah, Abraham, Esther, David, Mary, Paul...

James was our first maintenance person (Janitor) at Gateway!

Debbie and I are so proud of Josh and Hannah, James and Bridgette,

And Ethan and Elaine. Ethan and Elaine are doing great,

And Josh and Hannah are praying about what is next for them

Our family loves Gateway Church, and we are all committed

To loving you and serving you!

We are a generational church and we will reach the next generation!

Many years ago, God spoke to me, and I told Debbie, and she wrote it down.

“One year from today, you will have a son

He is to be named James Robert Morris

After James Robison and you

And his ministry will surpass both of yours put together

He is to be born at home, and separated to me from birth

On the day he is born, Satan will try to kill him, but I will save his life.”

He was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck

But God saved his life! We’ve joked about that’s why he’s a little different!

My mother had a devotional that talked about Hannah dedicating Samuel

When I was born, my parents dedicated me to be a prophet to the nations

Debbie and I dedicated James to be a prophet to the nations

God gave me a dream about 30,000 in one church, 300,000 in the metroplex

3 million in Texas, 30 million in America, and 300 million in the world

I didn’t understand at the time, but this is a generational dream!

You and your children and grandchildren are going to be in great hands!

God is a generational God and Gateway is a generational church!

We have more to do, and God is going to continue to be faithful!

New King James Version (NKJV) ©1982 by Thomas Nelson.