Discussion Guide | August 30th, 2026

September 1st, 2026

Elijah to Elisha: God of the Next Generation | Dr. Julie Geddes Discussion Guide

Summary

This sermon, delivered on Promotion Sunday, focuses on the biblical call to invest in the next generation using the story of Elijah and Elisha as the primary framework. Dr. Julie Geddes draws from 1 Kings 19 and 2 Kings 2 to highlight how Elijah passionately pursued God, received a divine appointment to mentor Elisha, gave the gift of His presence over eight to ten years, and actively promoted Elisha's gifting. The result was that Elisha performed double the miracles of his mentor, illustrating that our greatest kingdom contribution may not be what we do ourselves, but who we pour into. The sermon also weaves in encouraging statistics about Generation Z and Generation Alpha, showing that spiritual hunger is alive and growing in younger generations. Pastor Julie shares a personal testimony about how a college friend named Suzette invested time and presence in her, ultimately leading to her salvation and call to ministry. Four practical keys are presented for investing in the next generation: passionately pursue God, pray for divine appointments, plant seeds with your presence, and promote the gifting you see in others.

Intro Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before You today grateful for the generations You have placed in our lives. As we open Your Word and discuss what it means to invest in those who come after us, we ask that You would quiet our hearts and open our ears. Holy Spirit, speak to each person in this group. Show us who You are calling us to pour into, and give us the courage and sensitivity to say yes. May this time together draw us closer to You and to one another. In Jesus name, Amen.

Ice Breaker

Who is one person outside of your parents who invested in you when you were younger, and what is one thing you remember about them?

Main Study

Key Verses

Psalm 145:4
Psalm 78:4-8
1 Kings 19:11-13
1 Kings 19:16
2 Kings 2:7-8
2 Kings 2:9-14

Questions

Pastor Julie describes Elijah as someone who passionately pursued God long before He ever met Elisha. How does your own personal pursuit of God affect your ability to pour into others?
God spoke to Elijah not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-13). What practices help you slow down enough to hear that still, small voice in your own life?
Elijah threw his cloak over Elisha as a symbolic invitation to follow him. Has there been a moment in your life when someone extended a similar invitation to you, whether formal or informal? What did that mean to you?
Elisha burned his plow and sacrificed his oxen before following Elijah, symbolizing a complete break from his former life. Is there anything in your current season that God might be asking you to release so you can step into something new?
Pastor Julie shared that Elisha served Elijah for eight to ten years without performing a single miracle. How do you personally handle seasons of waiting or serving faithfully without visible results?
Statistics shared in the sermon indicate that the majority of people come to faith before the age of 18, and that 77% of US teens say they want to learn more about Jesus. How does that change the way you think about your role in the lives of young people around you?
Pastor Julie quoted Andy Stanley: 'Your greatest contribution to the Kingdom of God may not be something that you do, but someone you raise.' Do you agree with that statement? Why or why not?
Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah's Spirit, and He ultimately performed exactly double the miracles. What does it look like practically for you to believe and pray that the next generation will go further than your own generation has gone?

Life Application

This week, set aside time to pray specifically and ask God to show you who your Elisha is. It may be a child, a teenager, a younger coworker, or someone newer in their faith. Once a name or face comes to mind, take one concrete step toward them. That might mean sending a text, inviting them to coffee, sharing a story from your own life about how God moved, or simply showing up and being present. Carry your seed packet or another tangible reminder as a prompt throughout the week, and journal any impressions or divine appointments that come your way.

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Closing

Key Takeaways

Passionately pursuing God yourself is the foundation for effectively investing in the next generation. You cannot give what you do not have.
God orchestrates divine appointments, and praying for sensitivity to the Holy Spirit positions you to recognize and respond to them when they come.
The gift of your presence and time is one of the most powerful seeds you can plant in another person's life. Elijah gave Elisha eight to ten years of daily life together, and that investment produced double the fruit.
Promoting the gifting you see in others, calling out what God has placed inside them, is a key part of mentorship and reflects the heart of God for the next generation.
Your greatest kingdom contribution may not be something you accomplish directly, but someone you faithfully invest in who then goes on to do even more for God.

Ending Prayer

Lord, thank You for this time together and for the reminder that You are a God of generations. You introduced Yourself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and You are still writing that same kind of multigenerational story today. We ask that You would make each of us sensitive to the divine appointments You have already prepared for us. Give us eyes to see the hunger in the hearts of those around us, especially the young. Help us to be faithful with the gift of our time and presence, to speak life over the gifts we see in others, and to trust You in the seasons of waiting. May the seeds we plant take root and produce fruit that we may not even see this side of heaven. We say yes to Your call, and we trust You to do far more through us than we could ask or imagine. In Jesus name, Amen.

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