LOVE BEGINS
Postscript
Love Begins
Since you stayed with us this far, there is a good chance you may be feeling overwhelmed right now. Even though this book is short, it is packed full of strategies for equipping the next generation to think and live biblically. You might be thinking, Where do I even start?
Let us close with a final suggestion: if you love this generation, simply begin with one or two strategies, and then keep going. Please don’t feel like you must have all your “ducks in a row” before acting. Simply ask what strategy you can implement, or improve, and then go for it.
You have probably heard the aphorism attributed to Voltaire, “The best is the enemy of the good.” In the case of training the next generation, this is unmistakably true. Don’t feel you have to do everything to make a difference. We have been training students for decades and are still learning new strategies in parenting, speaking, mentoring, and writing. The key is to begin by doing something.
Writing a book is a massive task. It’s intimidating and time consuming. Even though we have written or edited many books, it is always a challenge to begin a new one. In fact, when the time came to write this book, I (Sean) found myself coming up with mental excuses to put it off. It seemed daunting amid everything else I had to do as a professor, teacher, speaker, parent, and blogger!
Yet one of the best pieces of advice we have ever heard about writing is simply to begin. Seriously, just begin. At some point, you have to sit down and start outlining or writing. Taking this first step, as difficult as it can be, starts the process that ultimately translates into a book.
The same is true for impacting this next generation. There are many steps to take, as we’ve describe in these pages. The key is simply to begin the process with a first step. And then take a second step. And so on. Over time, you can make a difference in the lives of young people. When I (J. Warner) first began my seminary degree, I knew it would take me six or seven years to finish. I also knew those years would pass—whether I achieved the degree or not. Given that reality, I concluded I would rather be seven years older with a degree than without one.
If you’re raising, teaching, or pastoring young people, the years are going to pass whether you adopt the strategies in this book or not. You might as well start; the first step you take is up to you. We suggest beginning with something that feels manageable. Start with a strategy you are confident could work in your unique situation. Write it down. Share it with someone. Implement it. As you have some success, try something harder. Then keep going!
While you will certainly feel some “bumps and bruises” along the way, you can make a lasting difference. If you feel inadequate to train this generation, please know that God has equipped you to make an eternal difference with Gen Z. That’s right—God has equipped you.
Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Your job (and our job) is simply to be faithful. Just be the person God has made you to be. Trust that God is the One who ultimately transforms lives. And remember, God will supply us with all our needs (Philippians 4:19).
Time is short. This generation faces more intellectual, moral, and emotional challenges—just one click away—than any previous generation. And yet they have unbelievable promise. Now is the time to begin. Forget about yesterday. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Today is the day to begin so that the next generation will know.