I can’t leave the subject of passing the baton without thinking about the time I preached this on a Sunday night nearly 20 years ago when I was on church staff. It was a large church, but the Sunday night service had dwindled to about 100 people, mostly older. So I took the opportunity to talk about passing the baton. I even had a baton in my hand to make the point. I reminded them that their generation was dying off. That they needed to be serious about training the generation behind them to follow Jesus. For example:

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. (Titus 2.3 – 5, NIV, emphasis mine)

I will never forget that a few days later, one of the older guys (probably about the age I am now!) came by my office. The conversation went like this:

• “That was a really good sermon Sunday night! You should think about preaching that to some younger people.”
• “Younger people? I was talking to you!!”

Paul took seriously his responsibility to train up the next generation, writing to Timothy:

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction… For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4.1, 2, 6, 7, NIV)