Chad Mahoe [00:00:00]:

All right. I remembered to turn my microphone on this time, so that's good. Oh, yeah. Good morning, everyone. Yeah, good morning. Thank you for the feedback. My name is Chad Mahoe, as Pastor Glenn mentioned, and I am a child of God, and I like to start off with that because days, you know, we can identify as a lot of different things. And for me, that's the most important thing in my life, my faith and what I believe in and my devotion to God.

Chad Mahoe [00:00:37]:

So that's how know try to introduce myself as. And as Pastor Glenn mentioned, I've been a worship director here at New Kapolei for about seven years or so and have also been the ministry development coach for about a year and a half. I've also been married to my God freeing wife, who's here Anela for 17 years. Yeah. Yesterday was actually our anniversary, so yeah. Praise the Lord. Yeah. And we wanted to put one of those beautiful pictures that we still look beautiful.

Chad Mahoe [00:01:07]:

Of course, you could see the resemblance, but that was 17 years ago, so we look a little different. But we've also been together for over 22 years, and I can't believe that we've shared our life together for more than half of the years that we've been alive. Praise the Lord. Yeah. All right, man. You guys are an active group. I like that. So we've been blessed with seven children ranging in age from 19 years to almost 16 months.

Chad Mahoe [00:01:36]:

Yeah. That's a beautiful picture. If you guys desire for your pictures to look that good, I have a contact for you that's actually sitting in the house. They're the ones who do our pictures most of the time, but our friends often cite Genesis 128 and comment that we have taken this scripture to heart by being fruitful and multiplying. And we do. We do take it to heart and believe that children are a gift from the Lord, that they are a reward from Him. So for today's message, we're going to be looking at the Book of Titus to see what Paul's practical advice was to Titus, his friend and one of his converts. Before we get into the message, let's pray for the Holy Spirit to speak clearly through me.

Chad Mahoe [00:02:19]:

Dear Lord, I just again, thank You, Lord, for this opportunity to just relay a message that I believe that You've kind of prompted me to preach. Lord, Father God, I thank you for just the people who are in the house, Lord, as well as the people who are online or maybe watching this at a later time. Father God, would you bless them? Would you open their ears to hear, Lord? Would you open their minds and their hearts to receive it? Lord, we just give you all praise and glory, Lord, as we sang in that last song, nothing else will do, lord, we just want you. So would you show yourself to us, Lord? In Jesus name, amen. So Titus was a Greek, and he appeared with Paul in Ephesus and was sent to Corinth to look into certain issues within the church at Corinth. And if you recognize those words, because they're books of the Bible as well, Ephesians and Corinthians. He was chosen to look after the situation because the Apostle Paul considered him to be capable and wise as a Christian leader. In Paul's letter to Titus, we see further evidence that Paul entrusted Titus to remain in Crete and appoint elders in every city warning against false teachers and to instead teach sound doctrine.

Chad Mahoe [00:03:35]:

The Book of Titus ends with a note on the importance of good works. And here ends the message for today. Okay. Yeah. Nobody bought it. Okay. So it's funny because, as Pastor Glenn mentioned, I've done messages before with 21 days of prayer as well as weekend midweek gatherings, and it's much different from what I had to prepare for today. But praise the Lord that I'm not done, because although it would have been the shortest message, you wouldn't have learned anything.

Chad Mahoe [00:04:06]:

And there's so much more to discuss. Yeah. Amen. Amen. Many of you may know that I just got back last week from a trip to Kinohiloa. It's a place where I experienced many things for the first time. Although I won't have time to go into too much detail and talk about all the experiences I had, I wanted to share about my discipleship experience and open with a story that highlights the importance of discipleship. Quinohiploa is a place that few people have ventured and experienced.

Chad Mahoe [00:04:42]:

So how many of you have been fishing or done some kind of plumbing work before anybody in the house? Wow. Way less than I ever saw. There was only, like, maybe ten hands at raise, which is surprising, but believe it or not, at 42 years old, that was the first real experience that I had with fishing and plumbing in Kinohiloa. And I can't believe that it took me to go to someplace else to experience those things. But what it reminds me of is that we all have different situations in life and different mentors who disciple us in different ways. Some of you may never have come to church before or watched a message online, and that's okay. Would you know that it's never too late to start something new. Sometimes we think we have everything together and find out the hard way that we really don't.

Chad Mahoe [00:05:35]:

On this trip to Kinohiloa, another thing I did for the first time was swim in the open ocean. I don't know about you guys, but swimming in the open ocean is not something I ever thought was fun. It was more scary than anything. And those who know me liking me more to a horse than a fish in water. So if you know what a horse does, it kind of just sinks and drowns. And I'm not that bad, maybe, but I had these fins that I used to help me swim better. And of course, I've used fins before, but I made the mistake of not double checking them before to make sure the fit was good. I would say that I was comfortable swimming for about 40 minutes straight, but that would definitely be a lie.

Chad Mahoe [00:06:21]:

Some of you may think, oh, maybe he was worried about the sharks that could have been in the water. And it wasn't that. It was actually the idea of my fin slipping off my feet somehow and not having them and holding up the rest of the group. What I learned from that was to double check my stuff and to not take it for granted, to be humble, to humble myself and do what I need to for the rest of the know. All in all, it was an immersive experience of being one with nature and really appreciating God's creation. There's a beautiful picture. Know while at Loa, I would not have been able to survive without the guidance and mentorship of Andrew and Josephine Gomes, who are the caretakers and stewards of the land. Know.

Chad Mahoe [00:07:07]:

From understanding the place they call home to the different plants and animals that live there, they opened my eyes to God's provision and faithfulness. Another group of people who really helped me to thrive in my experience were the Okamuras. They were sitting in the last gathering pastor Mitch, his lovely wife Kim, and his patient brother Nate. I said his patient brother Nate because he was the one that kind of took me under his wing. He's a plumber by trade, so he knew everything that he was doing. And I was like, oh, man, like kid in a candy shop. Everything's new to me, but he was really great. And what I learned was, without their guidance and discipleship, the many tasks that we were responsible for would have been met with many roadblocks and barriers on my know.

Chad Mahoe [00:08:00]:

So as we look at the book of Titus, the first thing that stands out is Paul's relationship with Titus. It is clear that Titus was a gentile who became a convert to Christianity and then to become a respected leader who was responsible to the believers in Crete. In Titus two, we see Paul instruct Titus to teach about discipleship. Specifically, he calls out the older men and women to take special roles in their communities. They are called to be role models for others, teaching by the way they lived. We are reminded of the example that we are called to be for others. How many of you grew up with an example that was worthy of following? Anybody? Okay, wow. You guys respond pretty well, but the hands don't really go up.

Chad Mahoe [00:08:47]:

I don't know what's going on. But this brings me to my first point. It's hard to be an example when we don't have an example to follow. And some of you may have had Godly parents and grandparents who are great examples of people of faith. That's great. But for many of us who may not have had that experience, we may have had to figure things out the hard way going down a few deadened roads, making a few U turns, and even starting over again. At Know. Of course, we can take the example of Jesus, the only person who walked the earth and never sinned.

Chad Mahoe [00:09:24]:

But Paul also reminds us that there is a template to follow, regardless of what our example has looked like. So according to Titus, chapter two, verse two, we're actually going to read that together. So if you could repeat after me. Ready? Begin. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self controlled, and sound in faith, in love, and in Know. One person who stands out as a model of how I'd like to be as an older man was my Uncle Ray. My Uncle Ray was such a gentle soul. I can't remember a time that he raised his voice nor got really upset.

Chad Mahoe [00:10:06]:

I'm sure there were times, but I never saw it for myself. Uncle Ray married my auntie sister, who is my dad's younger sister, after she got divorced from her first husband. My auntie's still living today, so I'm very happy for that. But before I surrendered my life to the Lord, he was probably the first example of a Godly man for me. And unsurprisingly, he was an ordained minister of the Catholic Church. But it wasn't because he quoted scripture or because he would pray for me out in the open. It's the way that he lived his life. It's the way that he loved his family and the way that he carried himself.

Chad Mahoe [00:10:48]:

I aim to have that same level of soundness in faith, in love, and in endurance that he had. And sometimes, as we get older, many of us get set in our ways and follow patterns that we grew up with. We are to be temperate or self restrained, someone who is considered a role model, knowing and understanding the faith that we hold on to. I also think of my dad and the life he lived. Although I loved him and admired his generosity, one thing I learned from my dad's example was that I wanted to ensure I was able to play with my children. And that might sound like a weird thing to some of you, but for those who knew my dad, he definitely was a kind soul and very generous. But he was overweight for most of his life. As long as I could remember, he was always overweight.

Chad Mahoe [00:11:41]:

And I can't remember a time when my dad really played with me. Those tasks were either done with my mom or my older brother, who was my role model growing up. But sometimes the example that we are influenced by, it causes us to be someone different, to avoid the example we saw, or to be the opposite of what we experienced. Although my dad, he's no longer here on Earth. He passed away years ago. I had the privilege of leading him back to Christ before he died. So praise the Lord for that. In Titus, chapter two, verse three to five, we see instruction for older women to disciple younger women.

Chad Mahoe [00:12:25]:

So we'll go ahead and read that one together as well. Ready? Begin. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands so that no one will malign the word of God. So one word that we'll keep hearing throughout Titus is that idea of being self controlled. Women are called to be self controlled, like the men being reverent in the way they live. We recognize that women often have different challenges that they typically face. As we look at our culture these days, we see a lot of opposition to typical gender roles.

Chad Mahoe [00:13:23]:

In fact, being a busy mom at home has a name these days tradwife. Anybody in the audience heard that term before? Tradwife? Yeah. Oh, okay. Maybe one or two. Usually it's one of the younger crowd because it's all over TikTok and YouTube and stuff like that. But believe it or not, tradwife stands for traditional wife, right? And back in the day, guess what they used to be called? Wives, right? Amazingly, yeah. But it has a negative connotation these days because it infringes on the efforts of the feminist movement for gender equality, especially in the workplace. However, if we look at data from a recent study conducted out of Harvard University, we find that married women far better than their unmarried counterparts.

Chad Mahoe [00:14:13]:

They had better health outcomes, a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, less depression and loneliness, greater happiness, and a greater sense of purpose and hope. I don't know about you, but tradwives seem to be a pretty good option these days. In fact, I would love for some of my daughters, if not all of them, to be tradwives, but we'll see. Maybe there's some of you women out there who are still trying to get yourselves together and figure life out. Would you know that there's no greater joy than to love your family and care for them? Getting involved in community is a great way to practice loving others and knowing what it means to serve and be served. I've heard it said like this if you want kids, hang out with people who have kids. Not only will their baby making skills rub off on you okay, good. I got some laughs.

Chad Mahoe [00:15:11]:

I didn't get too many last time, but, yeah, that's not proven. There's no scientific theory on that. But I just figured, yeah, maybe that'll work. But what you'll definitely see is good examples of what it's like to be good parents. If you want to be a good husband or wife, then hang out with people who have a good marriage. It seems kind of common sense, but it's supposed to be. It's supposed to be common sense because it's these examples that we have in our lives that can help us to be the best example for others. In Titus Two Six to Eight, it details how we can disciple the younger men that we encounter.

Chad Mahoe [00:15:52]:

And it says, similarly, encourage the young men to be self controlled. Yes, in everything. Set them an example by doing what is good in your teaching. Show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. So, the Greek word that is commanded for younger men to follow is Sofron, and it's having a sound mind or curbing one's desires and impulses. This is especially important because as men and as women, we need to lead by example. Leading by example in every aspect of our lives is not an easy task, but is something that is greatly needed for the next generation of fathers and husbands and mothers and wives to experience. Similarly to our women, the typical gender role for men is definitely under attack these days, whether you take a look at TikTok or YouTube or the news or whatever media you might look at these days.

Chad Mahoe [00:17:01]:

In fact, there was a recent article that was published in LinkedIn showing how the redefinition of what it means to be a man is disrupting how our society views man's place. It even likens, what is going on to be a systemic assassination of being a man. It might sound funny, but last I checked, the best example of a man is still a man. Rather than seeing men or women as the opposition or enemy, it is so important for us to understand how we complement each other. We are different by design, and that's how God created know. However, as I think about my marriage to Anela, there's definitely some things that she has done that I wish I could do, kind of as a you know, she grew up. She loves being in the ocean and used to surf. In her younger days, I was purely a land animal most of the time.

Chad Mahoe [00:17:56]:

I would love to go to the park and run around, which there's nothing wrong with that. But she also used to go diving for taco and fishing with her family. Doesn't that sound like a cool bonding experience for men? Yeah. Wow. There's even clapping for that. Yeah. You know, it would have been good if I did that, because it would have helped me in Kinohi Loa. Then I wouldn't have been so uncomfortable in the ocean, but those skills would have been nice.

Chad Mahoe [00:18:22]:

But what I've learned was that while we were talking about discipling the younger men. It makes me think that I don't need to be the best fisherman or the best diver to give my sons the experience that I never had. In fact, that's why it's so important within the know here at NuHope Kapolei or any church that people go know. It's important that we have opportunities to disciple others, not just in fishing and diving in the ocean, but fishing and diving in the ocean of life. I'm not just thankful for Pastor Mitch for discipling me on this trip to Kinohi Loa, but he's taking my son Elua under his wing and has been teaching him how to disciple others spiritually and not just in the ocean. So you may be asking yourself, what can we do to fight back against our culture? Well, I believe that the second point says it clearly. We can't expect our families to be strengthened if we don't strengthen our perception of families as believers in modern day Christians, we are called to be in the world, but not of the world. Although the Bible is written over 2000 years ago, the truth that is contained in it still holds true today.

Chad Mahoe [00:19:37]:

The best environment for a child to be raised is still in a loving family where there is a mom and a dad. The best and only chance for a child to be conceived is still with a mom and dad. Despite what the news might tell you. These know, a few weeks ago, Anela and I had the privilege of attending some of the sessions hosted by Hawaii Family Forum, as well as Focus on the Family, I think it was called, created in his image and likeness. And it highlighted current issues that our society faces with regards to our identity in Christ versus what identity the world wants to label us or push on everyone. It was an eye opening experience that made us become more passionate about what goes on in our children's lives and what they are exposed to. One of the biggest takeaways from all of the presentations focused of course, on the next generation. And they said something that stuck out and it said, our kids will not know what is false unless they learn and understand the truth we see.

Chad Mahoe [00:20:43]:

In the book of Romans, it says, how then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? How are we training up the next generation of young believers? Are we ensuring that the voices they are hearing are our voices training them, teaching them, showing them what the truth is, being the examples that they need us to be? Let's pivot back to Titus Two and for this one, because everybody gets tired at this point of the message. I would love for you guys to stand up and then we're going to say the words. We're going to read the Scripture together. So would you read it with me? Ready? Begin. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self controlled, upright. And Godly lives in this present age while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are his very own eager to do what is good. So thank you for standing with me.

Chad Mahoe [00:22:08]:

And I know some of you had to control yourselves, and he's asking us to stand, but you guys can go ahead and have a seat. Thank you very much. You guys are a very good audience this time around. They're all good, actually. But as it says in this scripture, it says, salvation is for all people. No matter what type of trauma you have faced, no matter how many times you have turned your back on the Lord, salvation is for you. When I said yes to Jesus and asked Him to live inside of me and to change me from the inside out, I was saying no to ungodliness and worldly passions. I was being redeemed from all wickedness.

Chad Mahoe [00:22:48]:

Now, I may not always get it correct all the time, but at least I know who I serve and who helps me in my time of need. Can I get an amen? Yeah, that's good. This idea of doing what is good is repeated throughout Titus. In fact, Titus Three starts off with this advice remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone. How many of you agree with everything your boss says? No.

Chad Mahoe [00:23:29]:

Wow. A lot of people even say no. Jasmine? She didn't raise her hand this time, but for the past two, she raised her hand. And I'm picking on her because Pastor Glenn's her you know, he's not here right now, but yeah. How many of you guys agree with everything that our president is currently doing? But what does Paul remind us of? We are to submit ourselves to those in authority. We should be obedient and ready to do what is good. We must not slander anyone and avoid know. Can I be honest? I used to get into stupid arguments on Facebook with people about politics.

Chad Mahoe [00:24:07]:

Anybody else? Anybody else in the crowd? Don't raise your hand. Don't raise your hand. You might get some haters, but I needed to be reminded of this verse. And remember to be gentle and show true humility to everyone, regardless of whether I agree with their viewpoint or know. Nowadays, Facebook is mainly used to post my devotions and to uplift others. Sometimes we'll throw in, like, a happy birthday thing, know, our anniversary. But I've shifted my usage to be one, to preach the gospel and not get into silly arguments, risking losing a friend or two. And it really happened.

Chad Mahoe [00:24:43]:

I lost a few friends by those things, but it's okay. It goes on to state at one time, we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. I'm so glad that I'm not the same person I used to be before I surrendered my life to Christ. How many of you can remember that time and thank God that you're not the same person you used to be? Yeah. Amen. Praise the Lord. So here's where things start to change.

Chad Mahoe [00:25:17]:

In Titus three, verses four to seven, it says but when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ, our Savior, so that having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs, having the hope of eternal life. If you read that carefully, it says he saved us. It wasn't because of anything that we did or anything we did to earn it. It was because of his mercy. Our society today thrives on people acting according to their feelings and doing what makes them happy. I don't know about you, but I sense that there's this pressure to agree with what our culture says. If not, you'll be canceled or ridiculed or made an example.

Chad Mahoe [00:26:14]:

Know, Paul reminds us that our reward does not lie here on Earth. That washing of rebirth and renewal, of being made new, accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior is the only way to experience eternal life. So if eternal life is our reward, we have a responsibility to pass on this message to others, starting with our families and friends, and to all we come in contact with. This is how Paul says it. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. See, it isn't enough to just live in our comfortable bubbles, being Godly and being generous.

Chad Mahoe [00:27:04]:

In fact, the third point sums it up nicely. It says, living a life of doing good in the name of the Father is a life worth living. God is calling us to devote ourselves to doing what is good, doing what is necessary to ensure that our families and friends know the truth, that they know the One who sits on the throne, the one who rescues us in our time of need. Jesus christ is not just for me and you. He's not just for our Christian brothers and sisters. He is for everyone. Everyone wins when they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. In fact, it says in Scripture, I tell you that in the same way, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Chad Mahoe [00:27:54]:

See, this connects things together for me, for who I am and what I do, especially here at New Hope Kapolei in our church, as someone who's on staff and who's been a ministry leader for a while. In chapter one, Paul instructs Titus to appoint elders according to a certain standard. It says an elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God's household, he must be blameless, not overbearing, not quick tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. These verses are not an example of God calling us out, trying to make us feel guilty for how much we fall short. Instead, this is a reminder for us as believers to be the head and not the tail, to be like the lion and the lamb, to understand that church is not just a place where we come to hear a message, to sit in comfortable chairs and to enjoy some food.

Chad Mahoe [00:29:22]:

Although we're going to enjoy some great food today. This may just be my perception, but as mature believers, we should all aim to become elders or leaders within the church. Why? Because we owe it to our families. We owe it to the next generation. If you have kids, you owe it to your kids. If you don't have kids, you owe it to the kids of your brothers and sisters. As I was preparing for this message, I mentioned to Pastor Glenn that I want this to be a sweet aroma for non believers to hear, and do be curious enough to pursue a relationship with Jesus. However, for believers and people within our church or any church, I wanted to light a fire within you that will encourage and inspire you to shine brightly for the Lord to get off the bench and get in the game.

Chad Mahoe [00:30:12]:

I apologize if this message makes you uncomfortable, but there's believers around the world that would love to have these opportunities that we have here. Some of you guys, if you tuned in last week, you guys got to hear that story from Pastor Esther, who's in Myanmar. So I'm going to bring it back down and kind of end with two examples of a. Life worth living. This video that's about to play brings joy to my heart. Not just because it's my youngest son serving, but it's evidence that no matter how old or young you are, you can serve the Lord. It one more son. Rise.

Chad Mahoe [00:31:07]:

Good job, boy. Oh. I'm not showing this video to brag or show off in any way. Instead, this will always be a reminder for me, for you, for generations to come, that you don't have to be the most skilled, the most intelligent, the most capable to be able to serve the Lord. You just have to have a willing heart. The legacy that I am leaving is one that demonstrates a life of serving the Lord. Not just what we say or do here in church, but everywhere we go. I'm so privileged to be a school counselor in my full time job, and it's such a joy to be able to make a difference in the lives of younger our younger generation.

Chad Mahoe [00:31:58]:

But believe it or not, I'm a minister of the Gospel. Everywhere that I go, my ministry doesn't start or end when I go to work or when I come to church. In the same way your ministry doesn't start or end when you leave for work or come to church. We are ministers of the Gospel everywhere that we go. We don't need to have the title of pastor or minister to be the hands and feet of Jesus. God will use us in whatever capacity he feels necessary. We just need to be willing vessels. So remember my experience at Loa that I briefly mentioned open today's message.

Chad Mahoe [00:32:37]:

I talked about it a little bit, but there's a legacy that's brewing there that allows people to experience God's creation and the love of Christ like no other place on earth. This is a picture of Andrew and Josephine that's pictured in the middle, as well as Pastor Mitch, Kim, Nate, and I. And the example that was demonstrated by Andrew's family will live on through him and his vision. That was developed by his grandma Joyce, who chose to raise her kids there decades ago. Living off of the land disconnecting from the outside world as much as possible. The connection with God that I've experienced there, along with the land, the sea, and the other people who are chosen for this last trip, is something that will live on in me and inspire me to be a greater example for my kids. My son, Elua, he got to go twice with the high school, with young life, and I'm hoping that the rest of my family will eventually be able to experience Kinohi Loa for themselves. When families are able to experience Kinohi Loa, it draws them together, strengthening the bonds that were already there and even repairing fragile connections at times.

Chad Mahoe [00:33:50]:

Andrew and Josephine remind me that the ministry that they lead connects with what Paul wrote to Titus in doing good and benefiting all, it truly is a life worth living. And just to kind of mention about the title for the message, living the Good Life, just wanted to clarify that it doesn't mean that you take all of God's blessings and you just spend it all or just live comfortable. It's clear in the Bible that we will be persecuted against if Jesus was hung on a cross. We can't expect much different. But as we end, it's important for each of you to think about where you are in your life. Whether you're 72 or twelve, we all have a next step to take. Maybe it's to clear out your Saturday morning and devote a few hours to be a part of our food pantry community, a community that feeds our neighbors and those in need. Maybe God has been prompting you to take a recent graduate out for coffee and see how you can help them transition in this next stage of life.

Chad Mahoe [00:35:00]:

As a shout out for my son. Yeah, anybody want to take my son out, go ahead. Or maybe you want to babysit a few kids so their parents can celebrate their anniversary. Just joking, just joking. That's why we have older kids, they can watch our younger ones. But seriously, maybe some of you high schoolers maybe some of you high schoolers need to start talking to some of your uncles and aunties and bridge that gap as well. Our church will need to draw closer together to see more intergenerational connections to allow discipleship and mentoring to take root. Let's start small and see how it grows.

Chad Mahoe [00:35:44]:

Let us pray. Father God, I just thank You, Lord, for this opportunity to just deliver a message that is of you, Lord. Father God, I thank you that it draws people closer to you, hopefully, but it also challenges and maybe it kind of hits people a little bit different, Lord. And maybe it's for some who maybe have felt like they could be better examples of the gospel or they could do a better job of instructing those in the truth, Lord. Or maybe it's the way they deliver the truth, maybe, Lord. But Father God, I thank you that regardless of where anyone is at this present moment, Lord, that you don't want us to stay here, Lord, in how we are, Lord. You want us to change, Lord, from the inside out to get better, Lord. And Father, I recognize that there may be some of people out there, Lord, that don't really know what it's like to follow Jesus.

Chad Mahoe [00:36:53]:

Maybe they've been thinking about it for a while and maybe, just maybe, that they would like to take a step of faith and submit their lives to Christ. And if that's you, you don't have to raise your hand or anything, but I'd love for you to pray this prayer after me and even some of you who are already saved. And if you want to just recite this prayer just as a reminder, as a rededication of your life of Christ. You can go ahead and do that as well, but go ahead and repeat after me. Dear God, I thank you for loving me. I thank you that I'm not saved by my own strength. I confess that I don't have it all together and that I am in need of a savior. I repent of my wicked ways and leaning on my own understanding.

Chad Mahoe [00:37:55]:

I declare today that I put my life in Your hands, that I call you Lord and Savior, and I aim to follow you all the days of my life. In Jesus name, amen. Well, thank you again for today, and have a blessed day. Yeah.