Letters to Next Generation Leaders

Letters To Next Generation Leaders

Phil Pringle

philpringle.com

C3 Church Oxford Falls, Australia

ISBN: 978-0-646-90204-3

E-ISBN: 978-981-07-7029-7

Published by Pax Ministries

EBook Published by Faris Adal Publishing

Cover Design and layout by Sasha White

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical-including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system-without permission in writing from the publisher.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from:

The New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

The King James Authorized Version of 1611.

NIV-New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society; Zondervan Publishing House.

AMP-The Amplified Bible, Old Testament, copyright © 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation. The Amplified Bible, New Testament, copyright © 1958, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation.

THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson, 1993, 1994, 1995; NavPress Publishing Group.

NLT-New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004. Tyndale House Publishers.

Phil Pringle is one of the most imaginative pastors I’ve ever met.

He’s also one of the most productive. This commentary on Paul’s epistles to Timothy

is powerful, because it is written by a pastor who is leading a movement that is

global in reach and grounded in substance.

S T E V E N F U R T I C K

Lead Pastor, Elevation Church

Phil Pringle is the master of empowering & releasing

next generation leaders across the globe.

His example, preaching, writing & personal encouragement has seen thousands of young

(and not so young) men & women launched into their destiny.

This book has insights that are both challenging & inspiring for pastors & leaders.

It’s a must read for those of us wanting to raise up future world changers and essential reading

for an emerging generation of young leaders.

JOHN PEARCE

C3 Church National Director & Senior Minister of

C3 Church Kawana Waters

Ps Phil is one of the greatest voices in Christendom today. I devour his teaching,

am always stretched by his thinking and gain wisdom from his proverbial insight.

This book rocked me again. So many answered questions!

Such clear thinking! Every page has a one liner that requires you to pause & absorb.

Do yourself a favour, read it now. You will avoid foolish mistakes, think on a higher level, focus on the right goals

and move with greater speed towards what God has for you.

JOHN CAMERON

Leader of Arise Church New Zealand

A very big thanks to Michael McCall who has worked hard alongside us, both in editing and acting as my literary manager with publishers and others in the world of the printed word. He has helped shape this material into something that Ibelieve will greatly help the next generation of leaders.

Another very big thanks to my fabulous daughter Bek (Rebekah), our PaX Manager, who is a continual source of encouragement as she attends to every little detail to do with the entire process of ‘birthing’, publishing and distributing my books.

Also, I would like to congratulate Sasha White for working with us yet again to create wonderful cover designs, internal layouts, always going the extra mile and continually being a blessing to work with. To our proof readers and artistic team, Sabrina Berry, Tess Monique Guinery and Chrissy Burow - thank you for your valuable input!

PHIL PRINGLE

This book is not really ‘my’ letters to the next generation but rather Paul’s, the Apostle, the Master architect of the early church, writing to his young mentee, Timothy. Ihave attempted to simplytranslate his thoughts, verse by verse, into our world today to help build new young ministers on the Word of God. It is my commentary on 1st & 2nd Timothy.

TheWord needs tobe the foundation of our ministries. Too many have started well, yet not lasted the distance. As we pattern our leadership on the Word and not just management journals and leadership manuals, I’m convinced we are all better equipped to face allthe challenges of building the eternal church.

Many also are needing to discover the power of the Word to fulfill their destiny deep within. As we live in pathways laid down by the Apostle, the same blessing that rested on him, will be found on ourselves.

PHIL PRINGLE

C O N T E N T S

Coverpage

Copyright

Acknowledgements

Preface

Introduction

1. WORSHIP

2. CONFIDENCE

3. TRUE NORTH

4. LOVE FROM A PURE HEART

5. PREACH GOD’S TRUTH

6. SLAY THE GIANTS

7. FAITH: OUR COMPASS

8. LEADERSHIP

9. TRUTH AND TEACHINGS

10. GODLINESS

11. BE AN EXAMPLE

12. STUDY

13. TAKE HEED OF YOURSELF

14. CORRECTING

15. SEXUAL PURITY

16. HONOR THE WIDOWS

17. PROVIDE FOR THE LEADER

18. SIN, ACCUSATION AND RESTORATION

19. SLAVES...TO CHRIST

20. CONTENTMENT

21. A ROOT OF MUCH EVIL

22. THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH

23. THE RICH

24. AS SONS

25. FEAR NOT!

26. SAVED FOR HIS CALLING

27. STAND STRONG

28. THE LAZY

29. BRINGING TO REMEMBRANCE

30. CLEANSE FROM ALL SIN

31. UNREGENERATE BELIEVERS AND FALSE TEACHERS

32. TRUE TO THE WORD

33. OUR SURE REWARD

Endnotes

About The Author

I N T R O D U C T I O N

THE NEW

New generation leaders are youthful. This doesn’t necessarily mean young - I know older people who are younger than some 20 years old. Still, nearly half the world is under 25! That’s around three billion people right now on Earth who are just a few years out of their teens. We cannot afford to patronize these young people, we must EMPOWER them to take initiative, to make decisions and to lead the Church into her future. This calls for change. Constant, relentless and deliberate in all areas. Leaders will change, programs will die, styles of services will evolve, culture will change. This means that old wineskins (the way we Christians have always done things) must become redundant sooner so we can allow the new to rise.

We Christians are notoriously resistant to change. We are so uncomfortable with it that we discern that the new thing isn’t God and we almost condescendingly shut down young newcomers. Innovation is too easily labeled as rebellion. And if we do accept the new, we try to harness it to our old horse. We try to fill our old wineskin with the new wine.

New generation leaders must be given a chance. Dean Rush, the Pacific Director of C3 Church Global, has started over 24 churches in the past few years. All of them were begun by pastors under 25 years old. Some were as young as 18. Some reading these words might take exception to that, but Apostle Paul’s protege Timothy was also very young. Around 25 years old, and he was one of the new generation of leaders following the apostles, the ones who started everything having to do with Church.

In First and Second Timothy, Paul writes two letters to his favorite young charge Timothy. He does everything he can to set him up and turn him loose.

VITALITY OF WORSHIP

In his letters, Paul begins with worship. All great preachers are worshippers. In fact, great preaching is worship, declaring how great God is, how awesome his mighty deeds. In Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost, when the disciples stood and began speaking supernaturally in other languages by the power of the Holy Spirit, they spoke of the wonderful works of God. They were worshipping and preaching at the same time.

The atmosphere for a new generation leader’s mind is to be worship. The Holy Spirit breathes and moves in the climate of worship. Worship is alive when it’s fresh with new songs. Worship dies when her song is old. God is the God of the new thing! Every new phase in the Kingdom on Earth introduces new leaders with a fresh sound. Worship as an experience is not an option, it’s essential.

The power of music, singing, worship and praise remains undisputed. In his book ‘Your Church Can be Healthy,’ Peter Wagner says, Poor worship...arrests spiritual development and church growth. After surveying 40,000 churches of every kind in his book ‘Natural Church Development,’ Christian Schwartz agrees. His findings reveal that no matter what kind of church yours is, growth will not happen without vital worship services.

W O R S H I P

Youth and young adults are not the church of the future. They are the church of today. The way they’ve felt in adult churches is the way we older guys are going to feel in the churches of tomorrow, the churches they are starting today. Younger age groups are already beginning to outnumber the older ones. Today is about multi-generational churches, even with all the mess we feel it may bring.

I don’t like the style.

The lights are too low.

The music’s too loud.

The lights are too bright.

Guess what: those are exactly what our grandparents say about the churches of today, and their grandparents said

about their churches. We have to get beyond all that and love the God who’s at the end of the worship. It’s not the worship we’re worshipping, it’s Him! He doesn’t care about the style of worship, He cares about the position of your heart. And you don’t have to be young to be youthful. I’m 60, and I don’t want to get stuck growing old. A youthful attitude and a joyful demeanor doesn’t mean you’re immature. It means you’re open... courageous... fresh... energetic... laughing... active... involved... dreaming dreams... trying the new... hungry! Love the young! They’ll love you back.

When we connect with God, our youthfulness is renewed. God Himself is youthful! Every new move of God brings a sound we haven’t heard before.

But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.

(Isaiah 40:31)

A NEW SONG

And they sang a new song, saying:

You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals.

(Revelation 5:9)

Breaking open the seal of a new move of God is surrounded with a new song. In the 1800’s, Charles Finney tried to introduce the 1700’s hymn When J Survey the Wondrous Cross (among the greatest hymns ever written), written by English theologian and dissenting Minister Isaac Watts, about 100 years before it was rejected. Too new, they said

People generally don’t like change.

Who wants to hear actors talk?

- H.M. Warner, founder of Warner Bros. Pictures, questioning the need for talkies; 1927.

We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.

- Decca Records, rejecting the Beatles for a music recording contract; 1962.

Everything that can be invented has been invented.

- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents; 1899.

Every new culture, philosophy and direction is carried with music. The power of music is too easy to underestimate. Worship accompanies every move of God! The Salvation Army had their bands. Moody had a Sankey. Billy Graham ensured he always had a great worshipper lead his meetings. Even King David had a choirmaster, Chenaniah (see 1 Chronicles 15:22). The hymns and songs of the church have endured long after the messages of her preachers.

Worship is that one time in a service when everyone in the congregation can participate and actually experience something. What people personally experience in church is what they take home, and it’s why they return. More importantly, their personal experience is the biggest reason they would bring their friends to church. Everybody wants to share their great experience with someone else.

Time and money must be invested into this experience. We need to supply resources for the entire worship experience. Musicians, singers, instruments, screens, graphics, lights, atmosphere creators.

God is the Creator. He moves on to new things. Maybe God becomes bored with the old. Maybe He enjoys moving constantly forward into the new. He is the God of the New. New Birth. New Testament. New Heavens. New Earth. New Creation. New Jerusalem. New Nature. New Day. New Year. New Commandment. New Man, New song. New! God is not merely at the cutting edge of new, He is the cutting edge.

For those of us who don’t want change, who want it all to stay how it is, the new can be scary, uncomfortable and intimidating. But it’s also the key to keeping a spirit of aliveness!

Sing to Him a new song.

(Psalm 33:3)

The new song reaches people unconnected to God:

He has put a new song in my mouth;

praise to our God; many will see it and fear,

and will trust in the LORD.

(Psalm 40:3)

The new song has the power to unite the whole Earth in worship. Great songs like John Newton’s Amazing Grace is among the most-sung songs of all time-around the globe. And there are new songs and new sounds capturing the hearts of a new generation.

Sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth.

(Psalm 96:1)

The new song releases power. The devil resists the new song because it has power:

Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants