Great Commission Update - Oct 2025

Quick View: See our Upcoming Events!

Footnotes for Dr. Cathie’s Article:

[1] https://www.imb.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ASR-2023-Global-Presentation.pdf

[2] https://www.imb.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ASR-2023-Global-Presentation.pdf

[3] Living in the New Era of Global Mission - Lausanne Movement. https://share.google/oFicWkpadgWpk2b67

[4] Erlacher, Jolene and Katy White.  Mobilizing Gen Z:  Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Age of Missions. Littleton, CO:  William Carey Publishing, 2022, 52

[5] Erlacher, Jolene and Katy White.  Mobilizing Gen Z:  Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Age of Missions. Littleton, CO:  William Carey Publishing, 2022, 13.

10 Pitfalls to Avoid in the Mobilization of NexGen Leaders

By Dr. Cathie Smith

“59% Percent of the world’s population (4.6 billion people) are considered unreached [with the Gospel]”[1] Approximately 173,451 die every day without Christ. [2]

As our culture becomes visibly more post-Christian and moves further away from a biblical worldview, the way we train and “call out the called” also must change for greater global impact.  While increased global connectiveness is now possible due to technology, social media and ease in transportation, other challenges have emerged that are muddling mobilization pathways for young and upcoming leaders.  These challenges include information overload, non-Christian worldviews exhibiting greater influence and infiltrating churches, gaps and lags in leadership equipping pathways. 

Christ-followers today are at the intersection of immense global lostness and unprecedented opportunity for Kingdom impact! Great changes have occurred in global missions over the past hundred years.  “Only one hundred years ago, Africa, Asia and Latin America were seen primarily as mission fields – today they are mission forces.” [3]  With changes in global missions also comes challenges.

While not an exhaustive list, here are 10 pitfalls to avoid in mobilizing NextGen leaders to live on mission.

1.       Pitfall # 1 – Trying to fit them into a traditional box. Our world has changed dramatically over the past few decades and was forever impacted by the global Covid epidemic.  Allow Gen Z to  “think outside the box” and try “new” things.

2.       Pitfall # 2 - Giving them too little responsibility.  Waiting too long to give emerging Gen Z leaders opportunities to serve can be detrimental.  When an individual learns to drive, they don’t have it all figured out before they are put in the driver’s seat.  Of course, they don’t start at the “wheel” alone, but with a trusted instructor (in the passenger seat) who guides them in the process of learning.  Seasoned leaders, allow younger leaders to “drive” when appropriate, while you can still guide them and teach them as they learn. 

3.       Pitfall #3 - Underestimating their creativity –Allow opportunities for them to leverage their creativity for the Kingdom.

4.       Pitfall #4 - Overlooking practical skills they already have. Gen Z are an extremely tech saturated culture, with smart phones existent at least by childhood for the oldest of Gen Z, and many don’t remember a time when smart phones didn’t exist! [4] Missionaries are finding great success with online platforms – skills most Gen Z find intuitive, while many from older generations are still catching up!

5.       Pitfall #5 -Fail to leverage key life seasons.  Help create opportunities to serve on mission in high school and college, during spring and summer breaks, gap years, etc.  Capitalize on these times to provide teens and young adults with opportunities to engage in missions both at home and abroad.

6.       Pitfall #6 - Taking for granted they have a strong biblical foundation. “For the first time in America, we are mobilizing individuals from a post-Christian generation.  The implications for the future of missions efforts in and from this country are significant.”[5]  While many Baby Boomers and Gen X grew up with a more “Christian-worldview” including views of sexuality and understanding of truth, the cultural landscape has since changed dramatically.  Help these young leaders build a strong biblical foundation.

7.       Pitfall #7 - Assuming they have been discipled. Growing up in a post-Christian culture, many upcoming missional leaders may have a less rooted faith or one that needs development.  Take the time to invest and disciple well.

8.       Pitfall #8 - Acting as if seasoned leaders are no longer needed. Remember the driving illustration mentioned earlier?  NextGen Leaders are emerging with incredible gifts and skills, but they still need time at the “wheel” with a seasoned “driver.”  Don’t exit too soon.  At the same time, don’t forget to release them in due time.

9.       Pitfall #9 - Sending them out alone.  Depression, loneliness and anxiety are at all time highs in our culture.  Help Gen Z and others establish and maintain authentic Christian community. 

10.   Pitfall # 10 - Neglecting to be intentional.  Mobilization takes time and commitment.  It rarely happens without planning and intentionality.  Create margin in your life and ministry to raise up well this next generation to help them reach the world for Christ. It will take all of us.

Resources to help mobilize NextGen:

·        Project 3000 https://www.imb.org/project-3000/

·        GenSend  https://www.gensend.org/

·        California Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) Missions Camp:  Usually held in August.  It is a camp to help raise up the generation of mission leaders right here in California!  For more information contact Sandy Hughes: shughes@cawmu.org>

·        Centrifuge and Mission Fuge Camps: https://fugecamps.lifeway.com/?cmpid=pm%3Aggl%3A230705%7Cboth%7Cna%7Ccamps%7Cfuge_camps%7C17570741037%7Cstudents_camps_fuge%3Alerma_fuge_camps_2024%3Amission%20fuge%20camp&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22020984622

·        Ignition: https://csbc.com/event/ignition-2025/

·        California Baptist University (CBU) BAT program and double major program - https://calbaptist.edu/academics/programs/bachelor-of-applied-theology/

·        Gateway Beyond Trips - https://www.gs.edu/the-beyond-program/

·        Mobilizing Gen Z: Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Age of Missions by Jolene Erlacher and Katy White.

October’s Featured Resource: