How to Build a Generational Church

Showing Beats Telling

SPEAKER_01 0:00

And so you can sit in a classroom and talk about the theory, or you can actually demonstrate, which I think in today's world, like showing is more powerful than telling. How many kids were there for your first night when you spoke?

SPEAKER_04 0:13

We had 756. 756.

SPEAKER_03 0:16

That's a decent start. That's a decent start. I got invited to a Bible study. Walked in that night and gave my life to Jesus. I preach my first message, and that night my parents get so impacted, so my dad goes home by himself and in his room and gives his life to Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

Growing up in kids' ministry, I mean, we're putting little kids up on the stage and letting them lead. And it's like, that was me. That was me back there. And it's like, that's my biggest fear is that we would continue to raise up sons and daughters because there's there's something special about this. Yeah.

Haircut Counsel And Mullet Stories

SPEAKER_01 1:01

We want to start this podcast, Luca, by talking about your haircut. I knew it was gonna start this one. So you've had nice flowing landscape. How the flow. And then when did you shave it? Uh a week ago. A week ago? Yeah. And and it was just like, I'm just gonna go.

SPEAKER_04 1:20

So for like a year, I've been trying to tell my wife, Avery, for hey, I need to buzz it. You do? I just wanted to. It's a little bit, I've never gotten more glory, the shorter you go. So I'm telling you like you.

SPEAKER_01 1:32

And uh, but she randomly last week was like Okay, so you did not seek, you didn't seek any pastoral counsel. I should have probably got it. So let me let me let me give you some pastoral counsel. Okay, here is it, here it is. If you can grow flowing locks, don't let it never shave it. Because see, I would die to have your hair, okay? So don't ever minimize the power of what you have. Okay. I want you to just let it grow. I want it to just flow. I mean, it just You want the flow, man. Just let it flow, just let it let it let it grow out. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 2:10

So I'm gonna look like a chia pet once it gets to a certain length. So does it get curly or anything?

SPEAKER_01 2:15

Or is it I don't got the curl. It doesn't have a curl. Okay, so he's thinking about changing it. What are you thinking about doing?

SPEAKER_03 2:20

So you need a password before he does it. Just like go with the let me let me cast a vision. A little bit of a mullet, not like a full mullet. Just a little, just like when you kind of look at it, you kinda look at it. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

So let me share with you. Okay, I had a mullet at one time. Did you know about that? I'm asking for you input. Yeah, y'all have seen a picture of it before? It's actually very perfect business with, and then it was it was actually a cullet. It was a curly mullet. It was a curly mullet. A cullet. Curly mullet, which is a cullet.

SPEAKER_00 2:52

Did you permit, or was it not? I didn't have to permit it.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

Just I didn't know it was that until it grew out. It had waves in it, and I was like, man, I always thought it had like pretty straight hair.

SPEAKER_03 3:02

Huh.

SPEAKER_01 3:02

So I'm gonna say, I mean, it it everything comes in phases, so you might be able to do like the mini mullet with a little bit of shave. Maybe I don't know. But you know, you guys are in youth ministry, so you got to keep playing with this stuff. You can let it flow,

Building A Culture Of Young Leaders

SPEAKER_01 3:20

right? So I just finished doing a podcast with Pastor T, okay, who was your youth pastor, right? Both of your youth pastors kind of coming up. So, and he and I were talking about raising up young leaders. So a lot of people, you know, listen to this podcast. They're not all in ministry or church. We have people in our church, we have people in other churches, we have pastors listening, and we also have like business leaders, right? Like, where do where do I, you know, where do we get the next level of talent coming up, right? And so you can sit in a classroom and talk about the theory, or you can actually demonstrate, which I think in today's world, like showing is more powerful than telling. Right. Right. And so you guys really represent a season in the life of milestone started in October 2002, where we just went, we just took this big step, and you guys are all a part of it, right? So, you know, Luca grew up here, grew up going to the youth group, kids' ministry, youth group, playing piano on the weekends. I mean, what all other things have you done? Just everything, just serve. Serving kids, yeah. Serving in kids, did a lot in kids' ministry. Yeah. That was my original role. That was your original role, right? Went off to college and like felt such a strong calling. You were like, Am I in the am I in the right place? Came back, you and I talked, you're processing all this was a pretty big deal because you're a very good student, very smart. And it's kind of like, okay, you know, you had to cross that bridge that all ministry people like tell your parents. I all of your investment in my amazing education, I'm going to use to do ministry. Do ministry for the kingdom. For the kingdom. So, so then, you know, you come back, you go to Milestone College. We were just given a church. For anyone out there that doesn't know about this, like we had this area north of us, we had people, and we were given this really large campus. It's debt-free. We have all these people coming from up there. They had people. Yeah. We we the church became Milestone Church campus in Argyll. And you, finishing college, got married, and you go there now as the student leader

First Night Preaching To 756

SPEAKER_01 5:55

at that campus, right? And so your first night. This is Kevin. How many kids were there for your first night when you spoke?

SPEAKER_04 6:04

We had 756. 756.

SPEAKER_01 6:07

That's a decent start. That's a decent starting. You're on your way into something pretty amazing. Oh my goodness. Did you have any? I mean, from your mindset in all seriousness, yeah. How many people do you think would come?

SPEAKER_04 6:18

Oh man, I had no clue. I was praying for 150. I was like, Really? Well, because we're believing, you know, you have your faith goal. Yeah, God could do it. And then you get real and you're like, man, what if no one shows up?

SPEAKER_01 6:29

That's uh that's real ministry when you're like, what if nothing happens? So exactly you now have stepped into that. I want to ask you guys some questions.

From Cafeteria Church To Campuses

SPEAKER_01 6:37

Brie actually is interesting because Brie, her parents, when we moved here, we started in a cafetorium and your parents, how did they hear about the church? Do you remember?

SPEAKER_00 6:50

I was literally just asking mom this morning. So they just got invited.

SPEAKER_01 6:53

This somebody invited them.

SPEAKER_00 6:54

Yeah, she was she was church shopping. Um, dad wanted nothing to do with church, he was not not ready to go. But um, just over the course of them trying for a baby, mom was like, I just need to go to church. That's just what you do. You just go to church.

SPEAKER_02 7:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:08

So she got invited and she heard it was in a school cafeteria. And my dad told me he was like, I literally was like making jokes like, Don't forget your lunch money. You're going in the cafeteria, you're going to the cafeteria. Like, it was in a school cafeteria, and most of the time. It was. And I was back there.

SPEAKER_01 7:26

Middle school, cafeteria. And so, so that so you had you had just been born, or I was one. You were one, okay. So you were one year old when you came. Miraculous, like your dad gets saved, your mom and dad, you know, that's just it was a crazy, crazy whole development. But for you, you just grown up in the church. You're a one-year-old baby when when we when we move here to start the church, right? So then you've done everything in the church, right? You're in all the original OG pictures where the kids' ministry was in the hallway with my kids, by the way. And uh, so you know, so you've you've you so then along the way though, Dalen, how old were you when you came?

A Bible Study That Sparked Faith

SPEAKER_01 8:08

We were at that time we were in a grocery store behind Takokashi.

SPEAKER_03 8:11

Yeah, so I was 15.

SPEAKER_01 8:12

You're 15. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 8:13

Moved here from um, so my parents are initially, they're from Washington State. They moved down here before I was born, and then I was born and raised here. And like five minutes down the road. Five minutes down the road. Yeah. Get invited by a friend or what? What was it as so I got invited, so played football at Timber Creek, and I got invited to a Bible study. And so it was actually Ryan Roberts, he was the one leading the Bible study, and uh showed up on a Monday night, it was February 27th, 2017, and uh just heard the gospel. And it was like a whole like elevate Bible study. So, like these students at Timber Creek that were connected to Pastor Tyron and Elevate were leading this Bible study and uh walked in that night and gave my life to Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 8:51

Crazy. So, and really didn't grow up really with much real understanding, your your family really, no, no real background or anything, right?

SPEAKER_03 9:01

My dad actually lost his dad when he was 17. Uh-huh. And so when he went through that season, there were just some things and some challenges that he was wrestling with. Yeah. And after that, like he kind of came to the conclusion of why would a good God let that happen.

SPEAKER_01 9:16

Right.

SPEAKER_03 9:16

And so it just was something where he always said, like, he knew of God, and you know, he kind of grew up going to church, but at that moment when he was 17, he kind of made the point of man on the show.

SPEAKER_01 9:26

So this is one of the greatest stories ever, though. So we were just, I think I had you share this at something. But so you get radically saved, you start leading Bible study, you kind of have your own little congregation, Father Father. Yes, yeah. We call that story. That's weird. We call him Father Falcon, or you call him yourself Father Falcon, or whatever. And so it's so good. It's so good. You you you kind of laid hands on yourself or dated yourself, you had your own new book. Was he really taking a photo?

SPEAKER_00 10:00

The message notes were like printed out. So you like had them when you walked in.

SPEAKER_01 10:07

And you're only saved like two weeks. But then we do a deal called Elevate by Elevate, right? So our whole our whole deal is you don't have to wait to be great, right? So we believe young people, there's not a junior Holy Spirit. So we start, you know, again, some people are amazed. I would believe it or not, this morning I had a breakfast with two CEOs that everyone, if I said the companies that they lead, everyone would know it. It's national companies that are part of our church. And um, they were talking about last night we had a gathering of of some of our leaders and stuff, and and and they were talking about Luca, right? And and they were we're we're talking about, you know, a 20, what are you, 22? 22, yes, sir. 22-year-old leading a whole you know campus of 2,000 people, youth, or like what you guys do. And she and and and one of the CEOs said, Well, I don't have a problem with it because Luca was leading my son when he was 16. My son was 13. Wow. And he was like helping him and leading him and working. So I think a lot of it is just the culture that you build is that the young people rise to the level that you you you you know, you what you have an expectation of. And so here you are, and so we do a deal called Elevate by Elevate, where we let some students preach. So you were gonna preach. So take it from there. So you your first elevate by elevate.

SPEAKER_03 11:37

Yeah, and like even just a point like I think about is like when I was thinking about this, it was on the same platform that you preach on every single week. And so it's like it wasn't a back room, like this is my first message preaching on that platform, right? Yeah, in front of hundreds of my peers, right? Yeah, and so I get saved, I start getting connected, and I was just getting a real burden for my family. Yeah, and so I would just start praying, and my dad actually ended up coming to my baptism, and I was like, this is it, they're gonna get connected, go to step one, and uh they ended up not liking it. So I felt like, man, oh my goodness, like what's it gonna happen next? I was just praying that they would come to see my message and that they would just like church. Right. And uh, so I'm on my knees praying for my family, believing for them, and I preach my first message, and and that night my parents get so impacted. So my dad goes home by himself and in his room gives his life to Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

Wow. Is that like a crazy story? That's a crazy story. Like you you get saved, you share your first message, your your dad gets saved, and so then you guys met in the youth group, right? Yeah, yeah, right, yeah, yeah. And so then, and then you both went to milestone college, right? Yep, and then when and then y'all got married. What what where were you at? Were you in still in my college? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it was uh right at the end of our sophomore year. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:52

So second year in college.

SPEAKER_00 12:53

So I started dating when we were 16 in high school, met in Elevate, grew up there, and then we got married when we were 20. 20. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:03

And in two weeks we'll celebrate four years. Four years of marriage. Yeah. Come on. And then so then we have a campus that um, you know, would have you guys would have still have been in the college when we started it, you know, started the campus west, west of our main campus. It was really the first campus we started. Our McKinney campus is something that we inherited. This was the first campus that we we we actually launched and doing really well in the school, and then we had a old furniture liquidation building that we were remodeling. So then we're gonna we're gonna, man, we're gonna have you know a youth service. Really, you guys, the opening nights were the same. About a month apart. We opened two campuses. This is crazy. I tell people it took us 20 plus years to build 2,500 seats, and in like a month, we opened like that many in one month, right? And so, but you guys lead. Bree has always worked in the area of of worship, so she's been helping next gen worship, overseeing, and then helping there at the campus. And then you guys were already leading, stepping into a different role, though, more more than just kids and young. So you stepping into to the student role there when we opened up in Hazlitt. So now that everybody kind of understands your story, both of you guys are at significant campuses that are better than you know, 2,000 people campuses, and you guys are responsible now. So you are you know, you're reproducing in the lives of students what you know, in some ways you're trying to give away what was given to you, right? So that's that's really so what you know what what have you found now that is challenging and what are the things that you know people listening out there, they're like, Well, I want to you know, I want to raise up young people. Yeah what what is it? What is it that you're that that that happened as you what what are the things you found that you're really leaning on? I'm I'm thankful I had this deposited, and then what's been some surprises?

Calling And Who You Walk With

SPEAKER_01 15:12

That's great.

SPEAKER_04 15:13

I think for me, I look back, I was even thinking about it this week, of that conversation me and you had several years ago of when you sat me down and asked me about calling. You said, Are you called to this? And I felt really deep down that this is what I was supposed to do, but I didn't know what that looked like. And uh, but I remember you asked me a follow-up question, you said, Well, who are you walking with? And I was like, God, the Holy Spirit. I don't know. And uh, but you you taught me in that moment, and you talked about it in your book, When With People, it's not as much about your assignment, but more about who you do it with. Right. And uh in a season, even us launching ministries at the same time, we could have gotten competitive very fast. His number one strength finder is competition.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

Yeah, I don't think you'd be through milestone college. I think the entire class was like, that is not surprising.

SPEAKER_03 16:03

I like to compete. Like, oh my goodness. I think you'd be like, Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_01 16:08

Second is the first loser. Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_04 16:11

Yeah, and so honestly, when we were launching, we were super intentional and it's been really cool. Yeah, because we could get competitive. Yeah. Looking at numbers, who has more what? Why does Daly have a thousand volunteers this week? And I don't. And uh, but we learned how to celebrate one another. Yeah. And uh walking not just by myself, I'm not in a silo. I have pastors and I have good friends that I'm doing ministry with. Right. And that's been the greatest blessing to me.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

Yeah. I think it's one of the most underestimated things, right? In the ministry space, especially. Right. I think it applies everywhere, but it's still one of the number one things, you know. Like you talk to people about milestone college, or sure, you know, why would you go to church at a go to college at a church and this and that? Because we live in a world today where it's like I can research the information or do it yourself, DIY. We we have we have so much more access to information, but ministry is about impartation. It's more caught than it is taught. So I would tell people even beyond Milestone College, because before we had Milestone College, a lot of the young leaders that we raised up here, we would have them go to like local colleges to get their education, but they were learning ministry. You know, your challenge was you were doing well and you had friends and stuff, but the problem was you were called to ministry, yeah. So there wasn't anything for you in that space, you know. So you would say, Who?

SPEAKER_04 17:39

Yeah, you talked even about it's an apprenticeship. Yeah, so ministry is an apprenticeship model, yeah. And uh I didn't have any models that I was following, and so um it's been such a blessing though. What is what has been one of your biggest surprises in ministry? Yeah, um I think realizing that the organization is a reflection of you, and so sometimes we get frustrated um with the organization. Like I'm frustrated, like why? I would leave every Wednesday night. I'm like, why does it look like that? Why are the leaders like this, or why why are the students doing this? And then it always comes back to me. Um it's a me problem. So I'm learning more and more than I'm normally the problem.

SPEAKER_00 18:16

So that's funny.

SPEAKER_03 18:18

I don't realize that one day, like I took some students home and like they were talking about some crazy things, and so I dropped them off. And like, to your point, what you're saying, I was like, man, why did I get all the weird kids? And I'm like, wait, you reproduce who you are. Am I weird? Like, is that just me? Like, you know, what have I got to change? And so, but no, like I I even think like what you're saying, and then even to your point, um, just even just what I've learned, and just things like I'm just thinking through, like, and I was even just thinking about it this week, but even you know, what you talk about a lot, Pastor Jeff, is you talk about there's a difference between aspirational values and actual values, there's a difference between wanting to be something and actually being that thing. Right. And when you look at us and you say, and even just the next generation of our church, and you say, you don't have to wait to be great, you can be great right now. Yeah, it's not just an aspirational thing, but we actually feel it. Right. And I know I feel it

Opportunities To Shine And Grow

SPEAKER_03 19:10

through even just a couple things I've just learned throughout the years, and what I say that I can hang my hat on that we do really well, even when it comes to just next gen, just as a church organizationally, is giving young people opportunities to shine and margin to grow. Yeah. Um, and so like I think about even my story. Like preaching my first message at 15, you know, in front of my peers like that, like that was an opportunity to shine. I think about next gen weekend with all the kids. Oh my god, so good. You got kids that are, you know, that was like the first time I started leading worship.

SPEAKER_00 19:41

Really? It was like after the weekends.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

Well, how old were you when you did it the first time, you think?

SPEAKER_00 19:46

I think I was like 12. Yeah, yeah, I was little. But I mean, growing up in kids' ministry, I mean, we're putting little kids up on the stage and letting them lead. And it's like, that was me. That was me back there. And it's like, what you're talking about, we've seen that so much. It's like I had leaders pour into me and see the gold in me even before I saw it myself. Like leaders here in this environment that didn't want anything from me, didn't want my singing gift, but just wanted me to be successful. Like took me grocery shopping with them. I I think about like one specific leader on worship, our worship staff. She she literally took me grocery shopping with her every week and just was investing in me and talking about my heart and and asking me what I'm dreaming about and praying about. Like that that's a real stuff.

SPEAKER_01 20:31

That's so good. And I think a lot of times people out there feel like you have to be, you have to have some certain knowledge or you have to be this great person. But like basically what you're saying is it was really about just the investment. Like it doesn't take a lot to make a huge investment in people if you just care and you you open your life up. And I mean, I think sometimes you know, people listening and be like, well, you know, I have to have some great, you know, insight or some you don't. It's just like peep just investing in the people around you.

SPEAKER_00 21:06

Like I I mean, we all think about moments where we spent with you. We've we've spent with leaders that have sat across the table with us for hours just asking us about what's God telling you, what's God speaking to you. It wasn't anything maybe grand, but it meant so much to us because it it it felt like you cared, it felt like you were investing, taking the time. It's like I remember all those moments. Yeah. Sitting across the table from leaders. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:32

And even like young people, they're not even really looking for an impartation. Right. They just want real. They want content. They get it more than ever before. Right. But they just want somebody who's willing to listen.

SPEAKER_01 21:43

Actually, we'll listen, and it's like, you know, so I think we're we all we all are impacted, right? So so Pastor T, when I was talking with him, our youth ministry has this we want you to experience God, right? We're gonna do battle of the sexes where there's gonna be these encounters Experience because he was impacted in an encounter with God that revolutionizes life because he saw God as distant. And me, I think, you know, my pastor let me preach in my home church. This this was even way back when that was even well, very much not even thought of. And then I became a senior pastor at 21. Right. So when I and people would say you put a 22-year-old and how old are you? 24. 24. 24. 24. So you're putting young 20-year-olds in role. I was like, well, I was the senior pastor.

SPEAKER_02 22:40

That's good.

SPEAKER_01 22:42

You know, I mean, I I think, I think obviously there's things that come as you grow along and and develop, but I think also like we're we're all in a journey together. And I think it makes it a more holistic picture of because one of our values of being family, you know, family is all about the kids don't stay kids. You you don't keep them in the little kitty chairs. You start going, hey guys, time for you to learn how to use your fork and sit at the at the big people table and maybe buy the meal, you know.

Marriage And Ministry As One Team

SPEAKER_01 23:12

So how has I got a question? How has though marriage and ministry and what have y'all had to navigate being you know young, married, you guys married four years and then you one year, one year? Yeah. Talk about like talk about talk about one of my passions, okay, is like the ministry model, right? So because I I have this thing where people's perspective of ministry, right, is like, you know, uh, I'm not saying that we're minimizing the challenges, the pressures, the emotion. I mean, we're not sitting here acting like, you know, that that isn't real, but I don't think you have to just endure it. Yeah, you know what I mean? Like, so and we're we're kind of my wife and I are kind of dangerous because we just love what we do. We love the church. We love so you can almost like you have to make sure people have their calling. True. Because they can look at you and be like, well, well, everybody should, you know. Yeah. What have y'all, what if, what, what have you learned about this? Like, what how are you incorporating this? What are what are you how are you thinking about your marriage and your family and all of that in ministry?

SPEAKER_03 24:19

Yeah. Well, one, I mean, I just think about like even I'm so thankful that we're in a house that models it so well. So, like when I think about you and Brandy, when I think about just like all the countless pastors and like how you just taught from day one that ministry is a holistic call on the family. So I think about all the models and the mentors that I've just learned over the years. Like I was getting premarital counseling when I was 15 years old, you know what I mean? Just like learning and just taking it in from you know, all the incredible people that are within you know our church. And so um, I think about it like that, but then also like what you say, like as far as like having a partner, a spouse that understands the calling is is massive. That's true. Um, because even like I just go back to you know, the week when we launched Elevate, when we opened up the building, I mean, spending 60, 70 hours working that that week, yeah, because there's actual things to do, right? But then to have like a mutual understanding of no, we're sold out to this, we're clear to this, that there's like a higher level at stake with all of it. It just helped us so much just even in understanding each other for it.

SPEAKER_00 25:20

So it's really nice when you make each other better. You're each other's biggest fan, biggest advocate, yeah, know what to be praying for, know that like in seasons where there's a lot going on, like this summer, we're about to have two camps that we're gonna all be at and doing worship, preaching, all these different things, but knowing those rhythms and those flows of like how can I serve him better? But I think it's just it's been so sweet, like thinking about like we were in high school and we have journals, like we were pulling them out the other day, like journals of like what if, what if? Like this is crazy. Like, what if like you speak and then I'll go lead worship? Like that would never happen.

SPEAKER_03 26:03

Crescendo dreams in high school.

SPEAKER_00 26:05

That that was like that that happens all the time now, and it's like it's only it's only God's God's goodness to get to do that. But we are we love it, it's so cool getting to walk with people, getting to see God speak to them just as much as he was speaking to us at those camps and retreats all along the way. But definitely, I think the biggest thing we've learned is like we're each other's biggest fans. There's no competition between us. Like his successes are my successes, your ones are my ones, like and we're just there for each other, and it's really fun. It's really, really fun.

SPEAKER_01 26:38

I think it's so I think it, you know, who who you marry is so critical just in life in general. And y'all know I'm I'm doing my family series right now. And so I do that I it, you know, I'm just I'm just passionate about marriage, family, kids. I talk about it a lot on here. Um and and and so, but in ministry, even more so, right? Just because and there's a reason the Bible connects those things. Because you know, it's it's it's such a it's such a um a unique calling that everyone embraces, you know. And so so what do you what do you guys I'm gonna ask you guys on the podcast here a question I asked. I had I had a group of students that I invited to give me a give me their so it's like four or five of them. They're in the college, they had a practicum like for like um Easter, you know, and some services, and like tell me, you know, what you guys would do. So they had this whole presentation. They actually had a couple of pretty unique, pretty cool ideas. And I asked them, you know, like if you were me, you know, what would you change or what would you be thinking about, or what would y'all, what would y'all say, you know, Luca, what would you say to me, which may feel weird to you, but I'm getting it. If you if you keep cutting your hair short, you will you will look like me. I will. You keep going lower, gain a little weight.

SPEAKER_03 28:15

Well, subscription teacher will be like there's still teacher. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:20

So what do you think though, like when you know, from your perspective, what do you what do you think about, you know, our church as we're going forward, from your

Expansion That Creates More Leaders

SPEAKER_01 28:29

perspective? What are what what what are what are some things y'all think about or dream about where we're going? And so I always get excited.

SPEAKER_04 28:36

I think some people can look at expansion in a negative way because you're thinking less control, um, which means you have to trust more. But even us at a campus, it's like I'm I'm watching young leaders come through our environment and I'm excited to see greater expansion. Because what is greater expansion? Greater impact. And uh it's just greater trust. And so I don't know, me and Dalen dream a lot sometimes when we talk. It's like you know, we always back and forth a little bit. Uh but I just think about the next generation that's coming up. I mean, it's like a whole new layer of young leaders that are excited about God. Like there's literally like a revival. I mean, um across churches, I've heard even in our church, of just I mean, hundreds of students coming. And uh the hunger after God, yeah, and just the prayer that that God's gonna raise up a next generation that's gonna that's gonna lead it better than us. Yes. Um, and so honestly, like I feel we're on the younger end, and uh, but there's so many coming behind us. And just what I would lean into more is just more belief in the next generation, yeah, more opportunities for them to lead, yeah, more opportunities for them to to grow. Yeah. So just more of what we already do, which is believing them.

SPEAKER_01 29:44

So we and we don't we just we don't want to stop what we've been passionate about, right? And so that's that's that's important. What what things have you thought, Bri? You've been here since you were one year old. So true. So true. What do you think? Well if if you were me, what would you do?

SPEAKER_00 29:59

I mean, honestly, I think what Luca's saying is so true, like continuing to do what we've been doing and believe in the next generation and continuing to give people space, like because you could think like now that we're so big, we need to keep the level of excellence. Like, I was not the greatest worship leader, like up on the stage. Like I I still got reps, but we were a lot smaller then. So now a lot of people listening could think, well, it'd be a lot easier to stop giving leaders reps. It'd be a lot easier. Like we talk a lot about like hired hands versus sons and daughters. Like it's it would be, we were talking about this the other day, like it would be really easy to hire an incredible worship leader that has way more experience than me. Yeah, that you've took a chance on me and invested in me all these years, and now I mean there's fruit now. But like back then it was like, okay, can she really get there? Do we really you know, or whatever? But like that's my biggest prayer is that we would continue to raise up sons and daughters because there's there's something special about this, yeah. That we're all sons and daughters of this house and gotten raised up here. Yeah, and I don't I want that to continue. Like, I'm excited about the next Dalen's and Breeze and Lucas like coming up in our environment. We're already seeing them, like we're already seeing leaders lead, but continuing to believe in the sense of the city.

SPEAKER_01 31:19

That's the cool part about the campus. The that's the cool thing about the campus expansion because it creates a holes of where it's like yeah, yeah. We don't, you know, and and I think it's also the we have to, you know, I I try to keep a restraint from just hiring and fixing and solving problems. Like you have to be willing to go, yeah, well, I mean, do you care about that problem? You know, it's it's it's and and and I think when you get bigger and you have money, you could easily be like, well, let's use money to fix everything, or let's find this or that. Whereas the the leaders, the young leaders solving those problems and working that out is part of what makes you develop and grow.

SPEAKER_03 31:58

I was even just thinking about like so I had a conversation with Pastor JP, our executive pastor, the other day, and he he always says, There was like a couple weeks where you know I was just making some mistakes and we were getting, you know, talking about it. And uh he always says, Man, I I've value team members that solve more problems than they create. And I told him I was like, I can't help but feel like I'm creating more problems to solve them. Um you get competitive about that? Yeah, exactly. Um, but it's just like even on that note, like what you're saying of like, man, us going out to be a part of a campus, figuring some things out. Like we we started doing student ministry like at the school that we were doing setup and teardown in. Yeah, like 15 students, and I was figuring some things out. It looked terrible, but I was figuring some things out, like I had an opportunity to actually just try and throw things at the wall and try to make it stick. And so I I so believe in the campus model. And I know we talk about like the missional impact of it, like I haven't a local church in that area, but I I love the direction we're going as far as doubling down on it because it gives space for other young leaders. Like who's gonna be at this table in the next five, 10 years? I've been impacted by man, I was given an opportunity, I was given uh a time to shine. I don't know if you remember this, but we had a conversation when uh freshman year college, and this this marked me like with within when I mispronounced your name when you're in youth group, or you already joke.

SPEAKER_01 33:19

I said I he that it was like right after he got so so you you went through Freedom Weekend, you got over that and then when you're in college, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:32

So freshman year in college, I asked you, you were I was like, hey, what's like one mistake that you see young people make, like young leaders in ministry make all the time? And you said something along the lines of you know, they come into an environment like this and they see all the momentum and they don't know like how to actually stir up their own momentum.

SPEAKER_02 33:49

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 33:50

You took a pen and you tossed it to me, you're like, here's a spoon, start digging in a trench, go build something, go make something. So I literally took that pen, I had it with me, like annotated in my Bible for three, four years. Yeah, because it was like a reminder of like, I gotta build something, I gotta dig my own well with God. Yeah, I gotta be able to contribute in some shape or form.

SPEAKER_01 34:07

I love it. Yeah, I mean, I think, yeah. So the the difference in impetus, yeah, right? Meaning you can make some something move as opposed to writing something that's moving. And when you go to a school and you have to be, you know, the kids, the students of this to figure out the volunteers, you're like, okay. Not a lot moving here. Yep. Yep, that's it. That pretty much is everything in a dead stop.

SPEAKER_03 34:33

Yeah, gotta learn how to stir it up. So somebody told me recently, they were like, Man, I just have this memory of you. Like, I remember like you were doing the middle school ministry in the library, and I showed up, and I would have never told you at the time, but I remember thinking, this is terrible. So it's like you look back, right? It's like, you know, what you talk about in the cafeteria, somebody got in the soda, all that. It's like you're trying so hard to like make it, you know, but you know, important and impactful.

SPEAKER_01 34:56

You know, one of the things that I think the greatest, the gr the the people that are great, right? Jesus said the servant, you know, is the greatest of all. And and I'm not, I'm I'm saying the spirit of this is true. I'm not saying I haven't had tough days, but whether I was starting a church in a furniture store when I was 23 or a phone company or milestone in the cafeteria, I mean, I ain't gonna lie, there was a few times in the cafeteria you're like, I don't think I would go to my own church. This is pretty bad. I mean, but overall, I think if you can't, if you can't love ministering to the 15, you're never probably gonna be that authentic and real. I mean, you know, people comment here, you know, I had a lady yesterday, you know, just it feels real. It feels well, that's because whether it was 15 or 15,000, it's like I'm here to honor God, serve God, serve these people. That's great. Lord, thank you for the privilege, right? The spirit of that, in my opinion, is what keeps you going. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 35:56

Y'all always taught that, which was so helpful. Because I remember being in kids' ministry, I'm shaking, nervous, speaking to 15, five-year-olds. But I'd go back just because of the way our environment raised us up to where it's not about the platform, but the platform is opportunity. Right. And there's a weight to it. And so I'm praying up, I'm fasting and praying. God is good. And then I'll get off the platform. Praise God. Kid will come up and say, Man, I just put my pants.

SPEAKER_01 36:22

And uh, but it's because God moved or God moves in such a way.

SPEAKER_04 36:26

God moves in such a way. Yeah. And uh, but that spirit of, and it's it doesn't matter the the

Invest First And Earn Trust

SPEAKER_04 36:32

number.

SPEAKER_01 36:32

What would you say? What what would y'all say? Kind of closing thoughts, each one of y'all, somebody listening to this and they're like, Man, I want to have, you know, more young, a younger team. I want to, I want to impact young people. I mean, we have teach uh I've gotten responses from teachers that get encouraged by this, or or maybe they have a small business, or maybe they're just a member of our church and they have teenagers or whatever. What do you think are some qualities if somebody out there or a pastor listening to go, man, I want what's at this table. Yeah. You know, what do you say to them? What what are some things you have, what do you how do you have to think to impact like the next generation?

SPEAKER_03 37:13

I just think it comes back to like the whole idea of when you actually believe, like I just know without a shadow of doubt, like you've taken a chance on each of us or you believe in us. And I think part of it comes back to the opportunities that you got coming up, called nature at 12, preach your first message, seeing your pastor at 21. So you're giving away the experiences that God has deposited in you. So it's a little bit easier for you. So I think for anyone that's like, well, I want this, I would go back to, well, what's in your upbringing? What's what are the unique moments that God has identified in your life growing up that you can then turn around and give to somebody else? But I know without a shadow of doubt, you believe in the next generation more than even we do, and then you believe in us, sometimes even more than we do as well.

SPEAKER_00 37:56

So true. I think the biggest thing I would encourage people is not being afraid to invest. Like if you're if there's a leader in your business, if there's a leader in your church that you're seeing that's rising up, like it's worth the investment, it's worth the time and the energy. Like it's hard too. Like we're we're walking with leaders now, and sometimes they, you know, may fall off or they're like, hey, they opt out. And it's hard because like you spend so much time and energy. Like, I think about people that invested in me. I'm like, man, that that would have been really hard all those years later, and then it's like, okay, like, see you later, bye. But we still continue, like, because of what we've been impacted by, it's like we want to continue that. And it's worth the late phone calls. I mean, Luca, we were like at dinner the other day, and Luca's like, I got a phone call. The student's calling me. It's like 10 o'clock at night. But it's like we care about it so much because that was what it was for us. We had leaders that were like, no matter what it is, no matter what time, like, call me, text me. I'm here for you, take you out to coffee, go on a walk. I'll come over, I'll fold laundry with you and your kids. Like in every season, my leaders still showed up for me. Even when they had kids that were really young, it was like meeting them where you're at, it's worth the investment.

SPEAKER_01 39:08

It's interesting to me that a lot of just even youth pastors never getting sessions or times to be with their pastor, right? I think I think a lot of times it's like, can we get somebody good and this is a program that maybe can run? And and I think what you're saying is is that you know, it young people can tell if it's real. So true, right? At the end of the day, they're the authenticity monitor. Yeah, they are. That's why youth pastors are good speakers, because you gotta be gotta be real walk out. Yeah, they will. Bye to see you.

SPEAKER_03 39:42

Or listen to 15 other pastors on TikTok or Instagram, you know.

SPEAKER_01 39:46

Exactly. Exactly. So I think young people can tell if you authentically care about them and authentically believe in them. And and I think that's a good thing. So, what would you say, Luca? What would you what would you encourage a pastor or somebody out there? Man, I really want to, you know, make an impact on the next generation. What would you say?

SPEAKER_04 40:04

I think John, if you have the desire to, just act on it. I mean, you said it's the investment. Yeah. Like go first.

SPEAKER_02 40:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 40:11

Um, I think sometimes we wait for the student to come to us. I know parents, you know, even for me being a kid, it was like the uncomfortability of being a leader. Do I go for them? What do I say? Insecurity comes out.

SPEAKER_02 40:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 40:22

But they're never gonna come to you. They're always going to somebody that wants to come to them.

SPEAKER_02 40:27

Right.

SPEAKER_04 40:27

And so um, somebody's gonna get their ear. And whether that's social media, that's culture, um, or if that's a pastor, a leader, that's somebody that sees something for them. And so just being the first there, going early. Yeah. You got me there early. I remember the conversation. It was honestly, it was there were so many outlets that people were talking to me about, but you you saw something in me and you called it out and you believed in me. And but also I felt in that moment, and you're you said it right on the money, you didn't want something from me. Yeah, you cared about me.

SPEAKER_02 40:57

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 40:58

And uh, it wasn't about what I could give you. And so for for any pastor, leader, parent, even it's it's it's they feel if you care about them. Exactly. They feel if you care about them. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 41:09

Yeah, and I think what it what a great investment, right? Because you get the return, you know, you're making all these life decisions, your your your marriage, your family, your you're just there's so many important things that are happening right there, and and what a what an exciting thing to get a chance to be a part of it. I always say it doesn't take as much as you think. Right. It really doesn't take a lot. I mean, you could just just just come with me to go grocery shopping. Let's have I come come. I I would, you know, I we have a Saturday night service, so a lot of Saturday nights, kind of like with you. It's like, yeah, come sit with me. I had two students, one one from uh another college, one kid said, come sit with me on Saturday night. I was like, sit with me. I hung out with them afterwards, visit with them. Yep, doesn't take a lot. I mean, I've got to be there anyway, and then we're gonna meet afterwards. It's like just open your life

Open Your Life And Multiply Impact

SPEAKER_01 42:03

up. And I think, you know, Elijah and Elisha always loved this story, right? Elisha got the double portion. Now, theologically speaking, I think sometimes we get a little, praise God, you got the double, you got the double. I mean, we have the full, we have the full anointing in Jesus. Yeah, right. But I do think the principle is it's a it's this multiplication principle, right? So you guys should speak to more people, impact more lives, because like we're there's stuff we were figuring out that we just handed to you that you're starting from here. So it should be a multiplied impact, right? And and so, but the story actually is Elijah has to open his life to Elisha. So, really, the top the role of the the person who wants to impact the generation coming behind them is you really have to decide are you gonna open your life up to them? Well, are you gonna make yourself available? Are you gonna have anything that they can come be with you? Because see, I don't have to, I'm not at a place from a formal career standpoint that I have to spend any time. Very true. Y'all can meet with this person that meets with that person that meets with this person, but we have something that you two guys are in that I have as a development thing that we're sitting, we're talking, we're we don't even know really what we're doing. We're just making it up as we go. Like, I don't even know what the I'm kind of making it up. We're just sort of talking about topics and then and you know, like whatever. We're in the middle of a PR crisis. I'm like, guys, I'm not gonna be your pastor anymore. But I'm tired of getting killed online. You're all the so I I just it's like, but opening up your world to them, like just open your world up to them. Elijah had to open his world up, but Elisha. Had to burn the ox, burn the plows, and follow.

SPEAKER_04 44:04

That's it.

SPEAKER_01 44:05

So you can't give them the revelation. Like I didn't, I coached you and prayed with you, but I did not tell you. That's very true. Right. Yeah. I did not tell you. I said, Luca, you got to wrestle this to the ground. What I'm saying is, I'm opening my life up to you. I'm going to give you an opportunity. You had to burn the plows, burn the oxen, then step into this calling that God had for you. So my big message is do you have an open enough life? That's so true. And do you really care about them enough? So good. Do you get excited? I love it. I would rather hang out with next gen people. I like the creativity. I like the learning. I like the coaching. I like the I like the, you know, I truly believe this that you guys are going to take our church to a place I couldn't take it. And because I trust you, because you're all sons and daughters, you're going to push me to places that I wouldn't naturally go. And so it keeps us from getting comfortable. It keeps us from getting in routines. And you guys are going to actually help our church go to the next place God's called it to be. So there's a it's a reciprocal blessing.

SPEAKER_03 45:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:13

It's very true. It's a reciprocal blessing. And it's it's the way God designed it to be. So I would say to somebody out there, um, you know, do you have that view? And and I've learned I'm learning this too. Not everybody's good with working with young people because I think they don't really honor them, right? Like I don't see you guys as kids. Like we're we're on the same team, of course. You respect me, I'm you know, but I'm it's like we're all we're all teammates, too, right? So I have we were just talking about this, you know, Sam, who runs the multi-millions and buildings and budget of milestone, was one of the first four kids in the youth group. Yep, yeah. She's the one who does my expense report. She's like, tell me, Pastor, you got to pay for this. I'm like, son, what are you telling me what to quit? Tell me what to do.

SPEAKER_03 46:05

That's real life. Sam's telling me what to do.

SPEAKER_01 46:07

You know, it's like, but that isn't that how it's supposed to work, that it's like you don't stay kids forever. Then you also have reciprocal submission too, to go, hey, I want to respect you for where you're at and learn from you, which is a beautiful dynamic, in my opinion. So it isn't just a bunch of robots walking around do what I tell you to do, right? But it's people who own the vision because they're sons and daughters, right? Right.

SPEAKER_04 46:31

And because we've experienced it, so much easier to replicate it. Because we're not going out there and expecting young people to listen to us, follow us, because the only reason I can expect that is because I was willing to follow. Yeah. And I have experienced what it means to be under leadership.

SPEAKER_01 46:46

Right. And uh so it's awesome. Well, I'm cheering you on. Thank you for doing this podcast. We should do maybe a bigger group, some of y'all's friends, at some point, because I really think this is an impartation of who we are that I think encourages because people are seeing what y'all are doing. Like us recently, hundreds of kids saved, three, three thousand you know, students at all our campuses, the impact that's happening, and they're asking questions, but we're trying to talk to them about some of the stuff

Conference Invite And Subscribe Reminder

SPEAKER_01 47:14

behind the scenes. And I want to, if there's a youth pastor listening, we're all gonna come together and host this year at the lead to win conference, youth pastors from the country. And so you can go to leadtowin.com to be a part of that as well. So I love you and believe in you. Thank y'all for coming today. Love y'all. Thankful for you. Thank you. I want to say thank you for checking out this episode of the Lead to Win podcast. I want you to know that I love and my team loves getting this kind of content into your life so it can help you lead and win at what matters most. So I'd love for you to do me a favor, like, comment, especially subscribe if you would, so that we can make sure that we're able to get to you some of the things that are gonna help you lead to win.