There is something amazing happening in our younger generations right now. Something that I think all of us can find hope and joy in and it may not be what you expect!

This younger generation is a generation of people who are tearing down walls rapidly, and with great joy to unite in God’s work of reaching people.

Some of us may remember a time when every New England town had a Baptist church (maybe 2), a Congregational church, a Methodist church, an Episcopalian church, maybe a Pentecostal church, and definitely 1 – 3 different Catholic churches depending on which ethnicities were most prevalent in that town (Italian, Irish, French, etc…).

These churches did NOT often rub elbows to do ministry together. After all, there was a reason that there were so many different churches in one town. While there are exceptions to this, in general each had their own theological beliefs (albeit sometimes only slightly different) and way of conducting worship and that was enough to create separation in partnering in really meaningful ways to reach people for Christ.

This has changed some over time and we are seeing more and more partnerships amongst churches of differing backgrounds (North River has been incredibly good at this over the years!), but never in my lifetime have I seen what I am seeing now amongst Gen Z. Gen Z knows how to partner across lines for the good of the gospel.

This is happening all over the country, but we can see this locally with the many inter-denominational Bible clubs popping up in schools, multi-church prayer and worship gatherings led by high school and college students all over the south shore and Boston, and youth ministries partnering with other youth ministries side by side and to share resources and work together… all without competing or comparing or arguing.

Our youngest generations have figured out how to major on the major theological points and release those things which are debatable to worship God and declare that Jesus is Lord.

In John 17:20-23, Jesus is praying for his disciples and continues with this…

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

It was Jesus’ prayer that believers everywhere would be one in him and in the Father. He declares that it is “then” that the world will know that God sent him and that God loves them.

Our unity as believers conveys far more about who God is and his love for us than our differences ever will.

As we go through the next week, let’s pray together that God would continue to bring unity in all his followers. That we would be a light and witness to all people of his great love and mercy and forgiveness and grace. Let’s pray as Jesus did… that God would make us one in him so that the world may know that they are loved by the very one who created them.

Grace & Peace,

Kristie Peck

Next Gen Pastor

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