If you’re like most church leaders then you have a desire to impact this generation for Jesus. But where do you start? How do you speak truth to this next generation? It begins with empathy. To kick off this year’s Orange Conference, Reggie Joyner shared this definition for empathy: the ability to press pause on your own thoughts and feelings long enough to explore someone else’s thoughts and feelings.

We need to know who we are speaking to and understand what it’s like to walk in their shoes. Jesus modeled this so perfectly. Paul and Timothy described this in Philippians 2:7, “Instead, he made himself nothing. He took on the very nature of a servant. He was made in human form.” What are we doing today to press pause on our own thoughts and feelings long enough to explore someone else’s thoughts and feelings? Do we step into the world of our students to really know them?

Imagine the impact we could have on this next generation if we started today to reimagine their thoughts and feelings. Let’s practice the art of pressing pause long enough to learn about those we are trying to reach.