Wishing all Hermonites a Blessed Anniversary! Today we celebrate 36 years of God’s goodness and grace upon Hermon. We are well and truly into our fourth lap of Hermon’s history and the Lord has led us back to the vicinity where we first started. May the 36 years that we have journeyed be experiences that will put us in a better position to be a greater blessing to the area again.
The pioneers of Hermon who started at Swee Pharmacy focused on having a witness in a then new HDB estate. Today, we are back into an estate that is matured but in the process of being rejuvenated. Now both in Henderson and in Hermon, there are multiple generations and it is very appropriate that as a church, we have been deliberately talking about what it means to be an intergenerational church.
Through the recent camp, where we ‘sailed’ on the Doulos Phos, through the creativity of the camp committee, we had a wonderful taste of what intergenerational church might mean through the camp talks, discussions and games. Lot’s of participants gave feedback that it was an edifying ‘cruise’.
After the church camp, as we celebrated Youth Sunday, I came across an article by Paul Tripp listing out 7 questions that Teens need to answer. As I went through them, I think an intergenerational faith community such as Hermon would be an ideal place to help teens answer these questions. Our multiple generations are filled with testimonies that can be tapped on for the successes that can be emulated and the mistakes that should be avoided.
This anniversary, may we seek to be such a nurturing community that helps everyone (not just the young) answer these questions:
1. What will be the meaning and purpose of your life?
So far, your values—the things you think are worth living for—have been shaped by your parents. You begin to make that critical decision for yourself during your teen years. What will be the thing that will capture your heart and shape the direction of your life?
2. Will you internalize the faith you have been taught?
There is probably no more significant decision in life than this one. Everyone believes something. Every home has religious convictions, whether or not they consider themselves religious. Every home seeks to instill their “faith” in their children. In the teen years, you will decide what you will believe about God, about yourself, about right and wrong, about what is true and what is false, about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and about how you will live out your beliefs in everyday life.
3. What significant decisions will shape your future?
Wow, there are huge decisions ahead of you! What are your gifts, interests, and passions? What do you see as your life’s work? Where will you go to college? Will the church be an essential part of your life? If you could have your dream future, what would it be?
4. What will you do as you begin stepping outside of daily parental protection?
During the younger years of your life, your parents made all of your decisions for you. During the teen years, you begin to make more and more of those decisions for yourself. I don’t mean that you no longer need parents. However, you are moving into a stage where rather than exercising total control over your life, your parents will offer you wise counsel, while you will bear more and more of the burden of making the decisions that will shape how you live.
5. What kind of community will you surround yourself with?
This is a big one. Until now, your mom, dad, grandparent, or guardian have chosen the community they felt comfortable having you in. They were the gatekeepers, vetting the friends that came into your life. But now, you will increasingly have the responsibility. Who will you allow into your life? Whose advice and counsel will you listen to? Who will you entrust with the important things in your life? Who will you allow to influence the way you think and the way that you live? You will surround yourself with others, and those people will significantly impact who you become.
6. How seriously will you pursue your relationship with God?
Most teens were first exposed to God, his will, and his way in their homes and by their parents. My mom and dad thought a relationship with God was the most important thing for me, but I had to decide that for myself at some point (which I did during my teen years). No one can make you love God. No one can make you willing to surrender your heart and life to him. No one has the power to produce faith in you. Will you make God the center of your life? Will you pursue him every day?
7. What kind of success will you value most?
Every human being runs after some type of success. Everybody defines what a successful life is. Will you live for material success? Will you live for career success? Will you define success in money terms? Will success be determined by how many people love and respect you? Will success be defined as living a life pleasing to your Creator? You will define success somehow, and how you define it will determine how you live.
Paul Tripp ends with this advice which I pray will be evident in all our generations
What will be your life GPS? Whose plan for life will you follow? I love what the Bible says in Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God gave you his word to be a guide to you. As you walk through the forest of life, often dark with roots that will trip you up, the Bible has been given to you to light the way so you can be sure of where to go and how to get there. The central theme of the word of God is the story of the transforming grace that is ours because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Be reminded of the truths of God’s word day after day. May it cause you to admit how much you need the forgiving, reconciling, and transforming grace of Jesus. And may it give you wisdom from God’s word to live by. There is no better way to prepare for all the significant issues that will shape your future than to spend time every day meditating on God’s truth, remembering his grace, and recommitting yourself to a life shaped by following him.
As One Hermon@Henderson, let us encourage one another in every stage of life to walk in step with Jesus.
Pastor Daniel Tan
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