By Terry Barone

RIVERSIDE - Three generational California pastors pointed to evangelism, discipleship and "moving forward" as keys to reaching the next generation, during the Feb. 22-23 On Target Evangelism Conference at the Riverside Convention Center.

Wayne Chaney Jr., pastor of Antioch Church in Long Beach, said that to reach the next generation, churches and denominations are going to have to quit circling "when God want us to move forward. Things may not happen as they did in years past. What we must understand is that God is progressively moving forward."

Using the Tabernacle as an example, Chaney said there was a progression through the elements for sacrifice. He noted the priests didn't stay at one station for an extended period of time, but moved through the Tabernacle.

To reach the next generation Chaney said leaders can no longer "hold on to the vision He gave 20 years ago, but instead must listen to Him today."

"I'll give Him executive privilege to shift my thinking and actions not on a yearly basis, but on a daily basis," Chaney declared.

"Reaching the Next Generation" was the theme of the On Target conference in which the featured speakers were either sons or grandsons of pastors or evangelists. Chaney is the grandson of Joe Chaney Jr., retired pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Long Beach where the younger Chaney is now pastor. Other California pastors included Josh De La Rosa, son of Gil De La Rosa, pastor of New Hope Community Church in El Monte, and Matt Spradlin, son of Roger Spradlin, co-pastor of Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield.

De La Rosa, who serves as pastor of Orangecrest Community Church in Riverside, told attendees that if California Southern Baptists are going to be effective in church planting, "you will need to learn how to reach people through personal evangelism."

He said when he began planting his church in Riverside he realized evangelism was "a process. It is not just an event, and is more than a one-time encounter."

De La Rosa saw that he didn't have enough contact with lost people. "I really needed some places to meet unchurched men," he explained, noting those really interested in reaching others for Christ should join groups outside the church related to interests or hobbies such as sports leagues, car clubs, book clubs or groups for moms. He also mentioned using Internet sites such as craigslist.com and meetup.com to find existing interest groups.

Using these tools, God opened doors and De La Rosa and his wife "have stepped out," he said. "It is amazing to see how many different people we've met. It is important to get to know the people on their own turf and get close to them."
Matt Spradlin, pastor of Copper Springs Church in Clovis, believes the key to reaching the next generation is through discipleship.

Spradlin said early in his career he thought the goal of the church was all about evangelism when it really is about discipleship.

"My focus shifted from building the church (through evangelism) to building the people (through discipleship). When our focus is on building the people of the church, then the people of the church build the church," Spradlin explained.

"We must develop leaders of spiritual maturity. Your flock can reach more people than you ever could," he said specifically to pastors.

Spradlin noted discipleship is a process with the goal of making fruit-bearing disciples.

"If we really want to reach the next generation we can't do it by addition, but must do it by multiplication."

Spradlin outlined nine steps that should be taken by an individual to reach the "fruit-bearing" stage, which include salvation, baptism, church membership, new believers' discipleship, fellowship, biblical stewardship, service, evangelism and missions.

"The goal of all of this is that the process would continually repeat itself - to make disciples of Jesus Christ who make disciples of Jesus Christ," Spradlin explained. "It doesn't matter the methodology you use to bring people to Christ - the important thing is that we bring people to be fruit-bearing disciples."