OFFERING - 7.30.2023

NEXT WAVE FAITH

The Bridge at SWBC 2023:

Nightly gatherings at 5:15 before Prayer Everywhere and the evening session

Nightly gatherings immediately following the evening session

Free food, a thriving faith community, and SPECIAL GUESTS that represent the very best of the next generation of faith leaders

Jeremy Pearsons

Morgan Dufresne

Kerrick Butler

David Winston

Aubrey Mitchell

Branden and Destanie Brim

Groups for single and married

God is doing something powerful in the next generation. Despite what you might see and hear, all hope is not lost for the millennial generation. All hope is not lost for Generation Z. There is a revival that is coming and is here as a result of the Holy Spirit pouring Himself out on people of all generations.

Acts 2:17–18 (ESV)

17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

This is both the fulfillment of the prophecy in Joel 2, but also a demonstration of Psalm 145:4.

Psalm 145:4 (ESV)

4 One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

No one is excluded from a move of God. We see at the end of Acts 2 that this outpouring that began when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost brought thousands into the Kingdom in a day.

Acts 2:42–47 (ESV)

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

I want to point out what happened here as it relates to giving. We’re told that they were selling things and giving to those who had need. Why? Because when you experience a move of God, when you encounter the presence of Love Himself, when you get a glimpse of the Healer, when you see the King for who He is, there comes a response from you that affects every part of your life.

In Acts 4, we’re told that no one had any needs among them as a result of their choice to put the Kingdom first. Generations were changed. When you put the Kingdom first, the King takes care of you.

We are endeavoring to build the Kingdom in anticipation of the return of the King. The future is being established through our giving. The church paid the budget, which means we are a part the harvest on the Word sown for all generations.

It’s not about buying anything. It’s not quid pro quo. The giving doesn’t qualify you for anything He offers. Instead, we understand the importance of what we’re doing here and the need for this message to be preached from the top of the world to the bottom and all the way around the middle on every available voice. Ask any parent who’s ever had a son or daughter stray from their faith. There is no amount of money that’s too big to see them make the decision to come home to faith, come home to family, and come home to God. When you see a young person’s life changed by the Word of God and the Spirit of God, you understand what it means for one generation to declare His works to the next. Church, our role is to declare His goodness to the next generation. It’s to tell our sons and daughters what we’ve tasted and seen and to be a Church who spares no expense. Verse 45 says that they gave to those who had need. I’m here to tell you that there is a generation in need of the gospel, a generation in need of a move of the Spirit, and a generation in need of the Word of Faith. Our giving today, our tithes and offerings, are seed in the ground of a church and a ministry that is passionate about the next generation. Everything you see here is about perpetuating this great heritage, this great legacy of faith, to the next generals. Our seed facilitates it. We have seen a glimpse of what God desires for His people, both old and young, men and women, and there is more to come. The best is yet to come. So we must give today to make a place for our children. For our grandchildren. For this move of the Spirit to be propelled into the next generation in a world that needs Jesus more than ever. I can’t think of a better time to put seed in the ground than right now and right here as we prepare for Southwest Believers’ Convention.