I have always loved cheering on the next generation. There is something beautiful about their passion, their conviction that life must count, that faith must be real, and that the church must be more than what’s seen on a stage. They provoke me to pause, to reflect, and to question my own assumptions. And honestly, we all need that. Without listening to those coming behind us, we risk becoming disconnected, even obsolete.
They carry both promise and weight, and I’m convinced they are being entrusted with leading the church into a new and necessary future. It won’t look the same as what many of us have known. Change will come; it has to. But the mission hasn’t shifted. The call to love God, love people, and carry the gospel into the world still burns at the centre. If we cling to forms or nostalgia that no longer bring life, we will miss what God is doing.
What I see in this generation is a deep longing for authenticity. They are not impressed by platforms or personalities. Many have grown up in the shadow of public disappointments, the unravelling of leaders, fractures within movements, and the quiet disillusionment that follows. Alongside this has come a loss of trust in institutions, churches, governments and systems of authority. So, they’re asking: Is there something more real than this? What previous generations assumed, this generation questions. While unsettling, it creates space for something deeper.
After 40 years in ministry, I’ve come to see that what people are searching for isn’t perfection, but integrity. Perhaps this is where the next generation carries something powerful—a refusal to settle for anything less than what’s real.
There’s a question that lingers in the heart of every leader who has ever prayed over a younger life: Lord, what will become of them? What will they achieve, and who will they become when faith is tested, when disappointment comes, and when the church doesn’t always reflect Jesus well?
My hope for our sons and daughters isn’t built on trends. It’s built on what I have seen God do in quiet places, through unlikely people, in moments that never made headlines but changed lives.
That They Would Keep Jesus First
If there’s one thing I would say to those stepping into the future, it’s this: keep your relationship with Jesus first. Before platforms, before influence, before outcomes, there’s simply being with Him.
In my early 30s, after some loss, I became consumed with things that didn’t matter. My time with God waned, and with it, my compassion for people. I became focused on myself rather than those I was called to serve. It was one of the shallowest seasons of my faith. But the Holy Spirit revealed the lukewarmness in my heart. When I surrendered, everything changed. It was painful, but it brought me back to dependence on Jesus.
If there’s one thing this generation is rejecting, it is empty structure without substance. They have seen what happens when platforms grow larger than character. My prayer is that they would find the answer, not in better systems, but in a deeper relationship with God. My appeal to our sons and daughters is that they guard that relationship. That’s what will sustain them; It will shape everything else.
That They Would Never Stop Learning
During the pandemic, I noticed a growing rejection of experience and expertise. With the explosion of information, many assumed they were their own experts. This concerns me.
There have been many moments in my life when I needed the perspective of those who had walked further than I had, but I had to choose to reach out. Lived experience still matters. This generation must never stop learning or asking questions. Faith isn’t threatened by honest questions; it is often strengthened by them.
In my 20s, I asked a well-known evangelist a sincere question. He responded sharply, “Of course the Holy Spirit tells me.” I didn’t feel assured; I felt dismissed. God help us to welcome questions with humility, to listen without defensiveness, and to respond with both truth and grace.
That They Would Stay Focused on the Mission
The methods may change, but the mission must remain clear. In a distracted world, they must stay anchored in what matters: loving God, loving people, and carrying the gospel into everyday life—not just in gatherings, but in workplaces, neighbourhoods and the margins.
I have seen the gospel move across cultures, and what encourages me is this generation’s awareness of the wider world. They see injustice. They feel compassion. They want to build bridges. My prayer is that this becomes a way of life.
That They Would Be Led by the Spirit of God
There is a difference between striving to manage everything ourselves and learning to move in step with the Spirit. One produces pressure, the other produces peace, even in uncertainty.
My prayer is that this generation would not be driven by expectation, noise or the need to prove something, but would learn to recognize and respond to the quiet leading of the Holy Spirit. What could be, if they became deeply attuned to His voice? Not reacting out of fear or frustration, but responding with discernment, wisdom and grace. To be led by Him means surrendering control, laying down the need to have all the answers, and trusting God with both direction and timing. My hope is that they would know the Spirit as a present guide, comforting, correcting, strengthening and empowering them.
What could be, if a generation rose that was not only passionate, but Spirit-led? Decisions marked by wisdom. Leadership marked by humility. Lives marked by fruit that cannot be manufactured (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.).
That They Would Choose Calling Over Comfort
The world will offer comfort and safety. But the voice of God still calls: “Follow Me.” That call will stretch you. It will disrupt your plans. It will lead you into uncertainty. There is a cost.
I have learned this: the most meaningful life is not the easiest one; it is the one surrendered to God. My hope is that they would not run from that life but embrace it and understand there is still a price to be paid.
That They Would Be Anchored in Hope
The world they are stepping into is complex and heavy. But hope has never depended on circumstances. I have seen hope survive where it should have disappeared, people clinging to faith, rebuilding after incredible loss, continuing to believe. This is the kind of hope I long for them to carry: not fragile optimism, but resilient confidence in God’s faithfulness.
What Could Be
What could be, if this generation embraced what matters most?
· A church known not for its platforms, but for its presence.
· A church embedded in communities serving and loving consistently.
· A church where leaders are trusted because they live authentically.
· Faith lived out in everyday life around tables, in workplaces, among those often overlooked.
· A generation marked by both conviction and compassion.
They don’t need us to have everything figured out. But they do need us to walk with them, to listen, to guide, to release, and then to trust.
A Final Prayer
For our sons and daughters, this is my prayer:
That you would know God deeply, not just in word, but in experience.
That you would live authentically.
That you would keep learning and seeking truth.
That you would stay anchored to the mission and faithful in relationships.
That you would love boldly even when it costs you.
And that in your time, we would witness a renewal of faith, not built on personality or platform, but on Christ.
What could be? Perhaps a generation that doesn’t simply inherit the church but helps purify it, strengthen it, and carry it forward with fresh fire and faithful hearts. And we will be here cheering you on, learning from you, praying for you, and trusting God with what comes next.
Sandra McIntosh, recently retired, has devoted her life to pastoral ministry and ministering to women in the sex industry. She now volunteers with Rahab Australia. This article appeared in the July/August/September 2026 issue of testimony/Enrich, a quarterly publication of The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. © 2026 The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. Photos © istockphoto.com.