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By Lailani Mendoza
THE NEXT generation is the Now Generation. Ask any
member of Kamloops-based Gateway City Church, currently under a $100,000
renovation based largely on this concept.
“Most people use the term the ‘next
generation.’ But we prefer to use the term ‘Now
Generation.’ They are the ones that the church needs to be relevant
for,” said senior pastor Len Denbraber.
But what exactly does Now Generation mean?
 | Gateway City Church leaders Len and Leanne Denbraber. |
It is the youth and young adult demographics in the
church which is largely unreached, but which has the ability to keep the
church relevant and alive in the years to come. The idea came as an
epiphany to Denbraber, as he prepared for a church sermon.
“God set up the idea of a generation being 40
years. As I did research, I realized that as a man reached 40, it was the
beginning of him passing on the responsibility to those younger than him.
“And really, those of us who are at this age have
to recognize that it is our [duty] to begin to pass on responsibility and
leadership to the next generation – or the Now Generation. It’s
not an abdication of responsibility. It’s a careful, methodical
release of responsibility and leadership to those who are coming up behind
us,” he explained.
In fact, when responsibility isn’t passed on
properly, churches suffer. Denbraber pointed out that, in order for some
churches to move forward, leadership sometimes needs to be wrestled out of
the hands of the old leaders. At other times, churches disintegrate and new
ones need to be built.
“There’s the whole idea, too, that every
church is a generation away from extinction. We’re believing it
– and we’re doing something about it,” he said.
The church certainly practices what it preaches.
Members of the congregation have stepped up to the plate by putting their
money where their mouths were.
“We have a very generous congregation. When we
went into this project, we went in hoping that they would give above and
beyond their tithes – and they did. The [general] revenue
didn’t suffer; it actually increased,” said youth pastor Jarett
Kirkland.
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Aside from the renovation, Gateway is also consulting
directly with a member of the target generation – by having a 13 year
old involved in their creative design team.
“Why wait 10, 15, 20 years for the current
leadership to move along before [the Now] generation takes over, when they
could find a place where they could have significant leadership,
responsibilities and roles?” asked the youth pastor.
Kirkland said leadership development among youth is a
long-term church priority.
Next summer, some of his youth group members will go
out to assist other churches in launching youth programs, by providing
resources and know-how. The youth group also does Hotdog Lunch, a program
which feeds some 200 high school students weekly during the school year,
with no strings attached. These are all part of the process of giving
responsibilities to youth, he said.
The renovation – which has been happening as the
church celebrates its 40th anniversary – includes a fresh colour
scheme, a coffee bar for a gathering place, and a performing arts style
sanctuary as a venue for worship, drama and other creative arts. It also
includes general upgrades to the aging building.
At press time, renovations were scheduled to be
finished by the end of September.
October 2008
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