The speaker was addressing a movement in the church that promoted the young faith of believers. While the movement was attracting large crowds and the number of baptisms were unprecedented, fallout from the pressure and intensity to live by enforced rules drove these same people away. Sure, the movement made an incredible first impression and sold Jesus like no other church could or did. They targeted college students. They gave up everything, they walked with faith and many sacrificed their futures. All to follow Jesus, or at least the Jesus this movement was advocating.
Within a handful of years the same statistics showed that the young college age people left the movement broken, scared and less than even a mustard seed of faith. The rules and restrictions were so rigid and the burden so heavy, these members buckled under the pressure. Then the speaker lamented, “We should have members whose faith grew over fifty years, instead we have nothing.”
There’s something to be said about faith for a lifetime. The Bible certainly underscores a faith among the aged, a faith that walked with God over the decades. In the great chapter of faith (Hebrews 11) the author specifically points to three individuals whom he considered men of faith at the end of their lives. Note the focus of these three individuals is at the end of their journey, not the beginning or middle part of their lives.
The first is Isaac (v. 20). While the historical narrative tells us very little of Abraham’s son, he does highlight the moment Isaac blessed his twin sons, Jacob and Esau. And while the incident involved the deception of Jacob to get the blessing, Isaac still looked to the future where God’s promises would be made good through his son. He still believed and held on to the promise God made to his father and to himself. He was also convinced that promise would get work out through his son (or sons).
Following the promised line, Jacob’s life is skipped over and we’re given a snapshot of him on his death bed (v. 21). Not only is he worshiping God, he’s blessing Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. He’s claiming them as his own so that they will be part of the promise of God.
Finally, the author turns to Joseph at a point when the patriarch knew his end was near (v. 22). He points Israel to the day of the Exodus, as many as four hundred years into the future. He not only told them that God will lead them out of Egypt, but that he also had instructions about what to do with his bones. He believed their destiny was the Promised Land and he wasn’t about to be left behind.
Each of these men became men of faith because God never gave up on them. Through their failures and shortcomings, God was faithful. In his faithfulness their faith grew and deepened. In time they were men whose agedness matched their faithfulness.
In order for faith to grow and deepen, the church needs to cultivate a place where an environment for a growing faith is present. Those who are mature need to allow faith of others to be immature. Those mature in faith need to allow failure to be a part of the immature faith. Stop rebuking. Stop humiliating. Stop condemning. Instead, begin walking hand in hand. Always encourage. Guide with wisdom. Be present when they fall because people will fall. Only then will the tender faith of the young turn to the powerful faith of the aged.
Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)