A child will lead them – reaching a generation
Tim Barton
I am sure everyone of us has done a ‘dot to dot’ puzzle at some point in our lives. You look at the mess of dots and there seems to be nothing of any relevance or clarity there. But as you follow the numbers, joining the dots, a picture begins to appear. The picture had in fact always been there on the page, but when you join the dots the picture becomes visible and understandable to you.
I don’t know about you but so often this is the way the Lord seems to work. There are dots of His work and Word here and there, with seemingly no coherent picture. But as you begin to join the dots the picture becomes clear. As with the puzzle, the picture was always there, but now you can see it and make sense of it.
With this in mind I was greatly encouraged when I heard Martin Scott’s prophecy on Sun 15th Nov. Adrian had spoken to him about some of our focus on children and a desire to see this generation reached by Jesus. As he prophesied my heart began to leap and I was in awe of the Lord.
Martin said “the scripture that came to me when I heard that yesterday was this, ‘and a child will lead them’…a child will lead them, and I’m declaring that the strategists come with a 3 and a 5 and a 10 year plan but God says I put a child in the midst and I’ll give you an eternal plan, I will unfold something for you and for the body of Christ that is not a short term, but a generational, and from generation to generation…so I declare even as this body of people sets children in the midst so it will be that this congregation will be led, not led all to work with children, but will be led in ways that will be so clear and so direct…”
What Martin didn’t know was that about a year and half ago we had a parents afternoon, gathering all the parents of our children and young people at ACC. During this time as I prayed to close a section of the afternoon the Holy Spirit seemed to enter my prayer. I don’t want to overstate this but there are times when you’re praying and it suddenly becomes more than a prayer, the Spirit Himself seems to enter into the prayer and it takes on a whole new level. As this happened I said the words “we know that there are revivals all over the world that are led by children and young people”, as I said the word ‘led’ a gust of wind blew through the open windows and threw a whole stack of paper onto the floor. I was stunned for a while, not quite knowing what to do. The Lord was strangely present in this moment.
I don’t claim to fully see the picture yet, but it is my conviction that the Lord is about something in this generation. A generation that has almost completely forgotten about God. A generation that no longer sings hymns in many public schools. A generation that has seen a 90% decline in under 20s attending church just in the last 20 years. A generation that seems beyond saving. Beyond reaching. Beyond anything ‘man’ can do. Is this a generation that is positioned perfectly for a massive move of God?
As we put children and young people in the midst this Sunday morning may we join up some ‘dots’ of what the Lord is about in our times. May we not be distracted by our own systems, ways of working or traditions. But may we be humble and open, and see what God is doing.
As Martin finished prophesying on Sunday there was a rumbling that sounded like thunder from above. What we didn’t know at the time was that upstairs in the youth lounge the children were doing an ‘amen’ to a prayer by stamping their feet. How amazing! Without any coordination or planning a prophesy had been made and the children had given their amen by the rumbling of feet. Could there be a people movement led by children and young people so significant that it shakes the very heavens and earth? I think I have faith for that. May we join with the children, as they have led, and give our amen to God’s plans and purposes for this generation. May we join the dots and see the picture He wants to unfold before our very eyes. May we see the Lord truly reach this generation.