It's not uncommon for a church to have a gap in its congregation or youth ministry. It could be the older folk at the evening service, a generation of baby boomers on a Sunday or teens in senior high on a Friday night.
Sometimes, the gaps are beyond a church's control, a sign of present or previous weakness or become evident due to a surge in one particular demographic.
But, gaps cause a hidden damage.
Those who are younger don't get to see the next step lived out.
The young adults don't get to see someone who has faithfully followed Jesus for seven decades.
The boomers don't get to see what a content, faithfully serving, retiree looks like.
The younger teens don't get to see a peer who's surviving high school with their faith intact.
The challenge for those within the church is to open up avenues for the "next step" to be not only seen, but experienced enough to be valued and interacted with enough to inspire.
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