When the next generation doesn't have to invest anything, they won't. That's the challenge.

Recently, I've been seeing a trend working with church after church, where a generation literally built what the church looks like today. You see the building the church is in, and you think, "I know the people who put their hard-earned income into that building."

They're probably the same people who are greeting. They're probably the same people who are ushering. They're probably the same people who are highly invested throughout the church. And we look at that investment and say, "Isn't that amazing what they did?" But we recognize the next generation really doesn't have to invest anything.

See, the Bible says, "Where your treasure is, so your heart will be also." It doesn't say where your heart is, that's where your treasure will be. It actually says your investment, your treasure—what you spend your time, money, and energy on—that's where your heart will be.

The building generation spent their time building the church into what it is today, and the reality is their heart followed it—they loved their church. But if the next generation doesn't have to invest in the same way, they'll never love it the way the previous generation did.

A lot of times we're working with a church where the older generation built it and the younger generation doesn't volunteer and isn't highly invested. That church will often say to us, "Well, young people just don't volunteer." I want to challenge you on that—it's not true. Yes, they do.

Let me take you to the church across town that we visited, where eighty percent of the people volunteering are under forty. The difference is they're owning the development of their church. Maybe it's time for the older generation to recognize they have to link arms with the younger generation.

They might have to control less and serve in different ways going forward. But how can every generation invest deeply into the things of God in your church, so that you become a multi-generational church that ultimately impacts generations for the kingdom?

So here's my challenge to you: How do we help multiple generations own it? Who is the most invested person in your church? And how do you help them bring other people into that investment? Because if one generation owns it, they'll never let it go. How do you help them pass on the heart of building to the next generation? It's a big challenge, but God's here to help, and so are we.

Thank you for what you do for the King and the kingdom.