Luke 6:40

The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher

It is our responsibility to pass on what the Lord has taught us through His Word, revealed by the Holy Spirit, and by our mentors - successive faithful men and women who have schooled us in what they have learned - passing on the mysteries and riches of the Gospel, that is Jesus, from one generation to the next.  

Through Leaders and Followers Foundation "Future Leaders Fund" you are impacting the lives of inner-city children who, through no fault of their own, are living in abject poverty, with day-to-day physical and practical needs, and, perhaps of greatest concern, often devoid of adult role-models, mentors, and encouragers in their lives. 

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We are blessed to see their beautiful smiling faces as you have supported day-trips to the beach and basketball games, buying ice-cream and donuts, but first ensuring the kids have clothes to wear.  

We have become deeply moved by the plight of teen moms, whose young lives are so profoundly transformed by the joy and numerous associated challenges that come with bringing a baby into the world.  Jesus tells us to suffer the little children to come onto him and we must nurture the lives of the parents who are children themselves and model for them the joys of a life centered on Jesus. Likewise, the teen dads deserve our love, care, and attention. Your partnership can ensure that there are mentors and role models in these young men's and women's lives. 

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One of the shocking things we have discovered is how few husband and wife couples are making themselves available - not least to model what family looks like.

When asked, many Christians will immediately point to Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬ as the 'submissive' model of family:

“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”

But we suggest a better reference is Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬ through which we are reminded Jesus did not 'lord' his status over those beneath him, rather he submitted, yielded and emptied himself for all - and so we ask you to consider doing likewise by partnering with us in this work. 

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“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

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We have been equally exposed to the seemingly continuous conveyor-belt of the "Juvenile Justice" system with far too many at-risk children becoming incarcerated in our society - the vast majority being beautiful young black men following the same path their fathers, uncles and grandfathers have followed before them.  Our call is to both challenge those who can fix the systemic problems in our country and to practically love our young people and young adults.

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All of our youth, whatever their situation - whether homeless, trafficked, in foster care, or incarcerated - deserve to hear the ultimate good news that we are loved, we are forgiven, we are redeemed and, to 'cap it all,' we are adopted into God's family and - family members, who you might not have recognized before, are all around you and love you too. 

“In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”   Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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ALERT: Check your language and your attitude towards those of another

age-group, cohort, or clan! 

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Jesus teaches us so much. He said, “I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you" and he gave us a new commandment "love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.””

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He told us "as you go [about your daily life] make disciples" - He did not say make Christians. Therefore, our role is to 'learn together' and encourage others how to be followers of Jesus. He certainly did not say "I tell you, constantly speak ill of the younger generation, for they do not know what they are doing or talking about." Yet, many Christians speak freely about what is wrong with young people - for that matter they speak about what is wrong about many 'other' groups.

Jesus' brother James writes,

“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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We are huge fans of Grant Skeldon, a Prophet for the Millennial Generation, and we commend his book "The Passion Generation". Grant maintains and we agree "we don't have a millennial problem, we have a discipleship problem". In many respects, our generation has failed the following generations.

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We are committed to our Millennial and i-Gen friends and hope they will be committed to us too. We love working man-to-man and woman-to-woman, and we especially enjoying working couple-to-couple with young leaders, and aspiring power couples!

“and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”

‭‭Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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“Instruct and teach the people all that I’ve taught you.

And don’t be intimidated by those who are older than you; simply be the example they need to see by being faithful and true in all that you do.

Speak the truth and live a life of purity and authentic love as you remain strong in your faith.

1 Timothy‬ ‭4:11-15‬ (‭The Passion Translation)‬‬

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We could be overwhelmed by the challenges that we see our young people face, but rather we give thanks that God is putting them in our way.

In the High Priestly Prayer of John 17, Jesus spoke four times to the Father about "those that you gave me," and about "those who will believe in me through their word.”

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We give thanks that He has given you to us and we thank God for your prayer and your practical partnership in all that we do. 

Please consider partner with us on a monthly basis:

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