Authored by
Dr. Troy L. Denson, Sr.
Executive Director
National Collaboritive Institute of Leadership
Resaying this topic explicitely to an historic church, "Let us begin to normalize "Respecting Younger People's Vocation-Experience and Learning Credentials Regardless of their Age." If considering the successful ministry of Jesus and his newly empowered and appointed leaders, called Disciples, in advancing the Kingdom of God ministry and in healing people, one has present-day proof that younger people can be experienced and smart enough to offer advice and guidance to folks more senior in age and experience. However, despite these younger leaders' successes in their preaching and healing crusade with Jesus, the Jewish population continued suffering because the Pharisees and Sadducees did not receive the successors' radical leadership, and ultimately crucified their leader (Jesus). Despite the setback, Jesus's resurrection and empowerment of his youthful leadership proved the goodness of their learning, experience, and effectiveness, which changed their ancient world, and continues changing the present world. Similar to Jesus's rejection, nowadays when folks don't want to receive Godly truth and direction from a younger person, due to personal agendas/goals unmet or selfish pride, senior people label the younger people's credentials as "letters behind one's name," and/or overlook their valued experience. Consequently, many historic churches continue declining, relocating to survive, and even some completely closing down. However, if declining churches desire to begin experiencing numeric growth, practices' renewals, or church revitalization across generations, they must reflect on Jesus and his younger leadership's experiences, and begin to normalize => "Respecting Younger People's Vocation-Experience and Learning Credentials, Regardless of their Age," and receive their relevant leadership in today's context. Normalization of younger leadership does not imply silencing sagely wisdom and timeless lessons, however, it means offering intentionality to the input of younger leadership in order to increase relevance of the church to the younger people's growing/thriving families and working individuals in the present-day. After all, the younger generation seeks to live, thrive, and support their aging seniors in the present, as well as to ensure and pass-on coveted/sustaining values.
Dr. Troy L. Denson, Sr.
MTS, M.Div., M.Ed.-Admin, D.Min., (Ph.D.-candidate)
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