Perspectives from the Peninsula ~ 7 (October 7th 2005)

Please take the time to read this important statement about what is often known as the ‘Bridger’ generation. It represents a crucial initiative - a race against time to see God's purposes fulfilled for this special but largely unchurched generation. 

Many of you know (or at least know of) our very dear friend, Phil Buechler. For many years, Phil pioneered church plantings in some of the world’s most spiritually barren places. More recently, the Lord has impressed on him the crucial need to disciple the generation that is 30 years old or younger. He has already begun to plant churches across America, including one in Manhattan that has already grown to around 300 people. 

The final section, ‘Responding to Hurricane Katrina’, provides a short commentary and charts the heroic efforts that he and his church are making to help hurricane victims. (See also the word we sent out in Prayer Perspectives Number 5, which not only foretold the devastation that would sweep Louisiana, but also prophesied that the subsequent displacements would represent a special opportunity for outreach). 

We have appended Phil’s address at the end for those who would like to get in contact with him. 

                                The Bridger Generation  Phil Buechler 

It began with a prophetic word in August of 2002 at the MFOT Conference in Malvern, England. Just before I was introduced to speak at one particular meeting, the Lord gave me a scripture. Though it was not an audible voice, it was as strong within my spirit as if it had been. The Lord said, "Look at Isaiah 8:18."  I quickly searched out the verse, even as I was being called to the platform: "Here am I with the sons and daughters you have given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel."  As I was walking to the podium wondering what this text had to do with my message, the Lord explained these words to me: "The sons and daughters are spiritual sons and daughters. They will do signs and wonders and they will be signs and wonders." 

I was very open for the Lord to use this text in the message, but there was no indication through the entire sermon that I should. When something comes to me that strongly, I am always prepared to change the direction of my original teaching, but it was immediately after I had finished speaking that one of the leaders came up to me on the platform and announced that he had a word for me. He prophesied that there was a new season coming that would build upon the last season. He closed the prophesy by describing this new season with these words, "Multiplication of spiritual sons and daughters who will do signs and wonders and be signs and wonders."  He repeated this phrase numerous times. The presence of the Lord was so strong I was on the floor! 

As I began to seek the Lord about this, He led me to a study of the Bridger generation (those who were born after 1982. They are also known as Generation X, Mosaics and the Millennials). I quickly discovered that 96% of these people are not in church and of the 4% that are churched, only 4% of these are in any position of leadership. It doesn't require a high I.Q. to realize that if things do not change, the church in America is a generation away from irrelevance at best, and possible extinction at worst. But I, along with a growing number of church leaders, believe that this is a unique generation who will be and do church in a New Testament manner that will advance the kingdom of God upon the earth and bring Him great glory. 

Though most of the Bridgers are not yet churched, there are things God has put in them that causes them to stand apart from preceding generations. This is a generation that 
· wants to live significantly for the sake of others rather than selfishly for themselves; 
· wants authentic community with relationships that are real, and to care for 
people in a genuine way; 
· may not be attracted to the church as an institution, but are wildly attracted to God, respectfully interested in Jesus, and long to see the supernatural; 
· are a generation that wants to truly possess the land; 
· embrace diversity, not just as the latest politically correct ideology, but because they realize every race, tongue, tribe, and nation joined together, is both valuable for relationships and desirable for opportunities to shape the future of the world. As such, the Bridger generation will be the next great missionary force commissioned out of America to disciple the nations; 
· are passionate to discover who they are and what they are to do with their lives - they are purpose and destiny-focused even though they do not yet know what that means. 

This is a generation prepared by God for greatness, as defined by Jesus in Matthew 20:20-28. God has a long history, both in bible times and throughout the church age of using young people in revival, especially when it appears that all is lost for that very generation. Think of Bible heroes such as Joseph, Esther, Daniel, David, John the Baptist, Jesus, the twelve He chose, and  "a young man named Saul" (Acts 7:59), who we know better as the apostle Paul. Each of these was called and commissioned into ministry before they were 30 years of age. 

Consider also in church history how God used Augustine, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, John and Charles Wesley, each of these to spark revivals that transformed nations, cities and cultures, all before they were 30 years of age. There are just as many examples of God raising up and using those of us who are older, but the point is that this generation, the Bridgers, need not be a lost generation in God's eyes. They could be the latter day generation who will experience and bring the promised Latter Rain revival to the nations. (Joel 2:23-28) 

This is already happening in nations such as China where it is estimated that between 25 and 50,000 people are being converted each day. This revival is being led largely by teenagers and twenty-somethings. They are the evangelists, the pastors and the church planters, all in the midst of incredible persecution. They are seeing the fulfillment of the promise of Ex. 1:12: "But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew." 

The Lord is challenging us to plant 100 churches in America that will target the Bridger generation, churches that will be trans-generational, hooking up spiritual moms and dads (Boomers, those born after 1946, and Busters, those born after 1965) with spiritual sons and daughters. We will be targeting cities with high young adult populations. The southeastern and southwestern regions of America have many cities where as much as one third of the total population is 30 years old or younger. Most of these cities have numerous colleges, universities and high growth technology businesses. The young adult population is attracted to these regions for educational, cultural and financial reasons. It is as if God is gathering this generation in specific locales for revival purposes. In order to plant 100 churches, we need to raise up 100 church planters. We will also need to develop 100 church planting teams. Therefore, we need to develop a church planting training centre that will feed leaders and teams into the strategic cities of America to advance the kingdom of God into and through the next generation. 

Most recent update: “Responding to Hurricane Katrina” 
When Jesus, returns this world will be transformed and function as God has designed it. Until then, things are going to get much worse before they get better. This world is a war zone. Jesus taught there would be an exponential increase of political and natural disasters as this Age comes to a close. (See Mt. 24:6-8). There will be an increase of wars and earthquakes with the consequences of famine and plague. There have been over 40 international conflicts since World War II, to say nothing of civil disturbances. Earthquakes larger than 6.0 on the Richter Scale are doubling in number every ten years. 
In Luke 21:25, Jesus adds to the above-mentioned list “The sea and the waves roaring.” This phrase could be understood as a tsunami or the category 5 storm surge of a hurricane. There will be more of these events, not fewer, as history wraps up. We are living in a war zone. 

Many are asking “why?” A number of pastors have asked me to counsel them as to how to explain what has happened so their congregations can understand these things from a Biblical perspective. They want to have an interpretation for the “why?” question. 
The New Testament church didn’t ask why things happened. They asked “What are we, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ going to do about it?” They were not troubled with why a famine was coming to “all the world.” They focused on what they could to about it. (See Acts 11:27-30) 
Jesus resisted the why questions with His contemporaries: ‘Why did the Tower of Siloam fall on 18 people killing them?’ ‘Why did Pilate murder worshipers in the Temple precinct, mingling their blood with the sacrifices of others?’ Wrong questions. Jesus responded instead with ‘what to do’: Repent. Likewise, when the disciples asked in John 9:1-3 why the man was born blind, it was the wrong question. The right question was: ‘How can God be glorified?’ 
When we understand the world is a war zone, and that we are soldiers on the frontline, we won’t be asking “why?” The “why?” is obvious. We are at war. Our very lives are battlefields between two kingdoms. One, led by Satan, aims to kill, steal and to destroy. The other kingdom, headed up by Jesus, the King of Kings, has its purpose too – ‘life and that more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) 
When calamity strikes, the true question the Church must ask is: What are we going to do about it? We are the salt of the earth, the light of the world, the hope for all who are hurt, confused, lonely and oppressed. 
When wars erupt, the seas and its waves roar, when evil men grow worse and worse, it is harvest time. The Spirit of the Lord is upon us and has anointed us to proclaim good news to the poor, to set the oppressed free, to heal broken hearts, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour, and to do all of this in the midst of grisly, horrible circumstances that cause people’s hearts to fail for fear.  (Lk. 21:26) The answer is a people born again by faith in Jesus with renewed hearts that are full of faith, hope and love. 
Isaiah 59:19-21 declares that: “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.” The enemy has come in like a flood through Hurricane Katrina to kill, to steal and to destroy. But the Lord has lifted up a standard against him. That standard is Jesus (verse 20) and those He has empowered by His Spirit from generation to generation (verse 21). 
When disasters strike, it is an opportunity for the Church to be the Church. The City of Memphis has at least 20,000 displaced people from the Gulf Coast. Our home church, Christ the Rock, has adopted many of the families living in hotels and spare rooms of church members’ homes, providing meals, clothing, toiletries, counselling, and job opportunities – however we can help. This is the kingdom way to do ministry – one person at a time, one family at a time. 
PBM has adopted a family from New Orleans. They are relocating permanently to Memphis and will be staying a few blocks from our home. They lost everything in the New Orleans flood. They have very little clothing, no food stock for the kitchen, no furniture or linens – you get the picture. They have enrolled their three children in local schools. Both the husband and the wife have jobs so they have a huge step in place to put a new life together. We have calculated they need $12,000 to start over again. Words cannot express their sense of disorientation, mental, emotional and physical fatigue.  They are in shock on all fronts. When Denise told the wife we were adopting her family and what we wanted to do for them, she was overwhelmed – grateful beyond words. If you would like to help this family along with us, please send checks to PBM and mark  “Katrina Relief” in the memo line. 

Thank you for your partnership with us. Together we are making a Godly difference in people’s lives, one person at a time. Your prayers, friendship and financial support are incredible. We love you and look forward to seeing many of you soon. 

Phil and Denise Buechler, 294 Morton Road, Colierville, TN 38017, USA, pbministry@hotmail.com 

Other links: 
We would highly commend a new book by James Rutz. ‘Megashift’ (Empowerment Press, Colorado). This  is an important contribution to why the church needs to move towards a more participatory and a less pyramidical and hierarchical style.   Available from www.amazon.co.uk 

You may also find Robert’s article helpful: ‘The Joshua Generation.’ www.ruachministries.org and go to Articles and Publications. (This article began as a talk at Tidal Wave in Malvern last year.) 

Ruach (Breath of Life) Ministries 
The Manse, Station Road, 
Halwill Junction, 
Devon  EX21 5XB 
           www.ruachministries.org 

Phil and Denise Buechler, 294 Morton Road, Colierville, TN 38017, USA, pbministry@hotmail.com