This Month's Issue

Editorial by Timothy Ko

Being a father to two girls is rewarding and challenging. There have been many conversations with my five-year-old (pictured) in which she would answer my questions with quick, short replies versus engaging in conversation. I would ask how her day went, about Spanish or soccer class, and the response would always be similar. At one point, I wondered if our conversations would always be as short as “No,” “Fine” and “Uh-huh.”

I tried negotiating with desserts or toys, but nothing worked. I soon became frustrated that I could not bridge the communication gap with her and feared that we might never enjoy meaningful conversations.

5 Steps for Bridging Generational Gaps

Marquis Johns, senior pastor of Allegheny East Conference’s North Philadelphia church, shares these steps for bridging the gaps between the various age cohorts.

Acknowledge
Talk about generational differences.

Appreciate
Focus on the “why,” not on the “what,” and the common needs.

Adjust
Agree on how to communicate different approaches.

Advantage
Maximize the strengths of each generation.

Story by V. Michelle Bernard / Photos by Brian Tagalog and Joksan Cedillo

Graduation season is starting! See a list of all the Columbia Union Conference academy graduation times and livestream links below:

May 26 - 28

Story by Tiffany Doss

One year we spent $40,000 on evangelism and community outreach—and zero relationships were built,” recalls Jennifer Deans, pastor of the Living Faith church in Dulles, Va. After attending a church planting conference, Deans realized the church didn’t need a better discipleship program; it needed a paradigm shift. “It’s God’s job to grow the church, and it’s ours to make disciples,” she says. “I came across Generate One, a discipleship program that teaches these biblical principles.”