Teenagers need Jesus.
It’s not easy to be a teenager. In fact, some people say it’s more dangerous to be a teenager today than ever before. The problems confronting our kids are serious and overwhelming: alienation, hopelessness, suicide, drugs, violence, pornography, sexually transmitted disease.
Worldwide.
It’s not just difficult in the US. It’s difficult all over the world. And teenagers are a big part of the world. More that half of the population of planet is under the age of 27. In the developing world it’s younger.
Jesus is calling his Church to the young.
Teenagers are more open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ than they will be at any other point in their lives. Studies show that 80% of Christians make their commitment to Christ by the age of 21. To miss them when they’re open is tragic.
On the other side, the Church is in desperate need of its teenagers. Our Anglican denominations have been particularly poor at communicating our faith to our children. If we are to reach our culture, that has to change. We reach America with our kids, or not at all.
Our kids aren’t like us.
To reach its kids today, the Church must cross a cultural barrier, just like the barrier that separates peoples in different countries, speaking different languages. Today reaching teenagers is a missionary task and requires missionary tools.
To reach a culture, you reach the young.
In the U.S. and on the mission field, the key to reaching a culture is the young. This is what Jesus did. Many scholars believe that his twelve apostles were probably in their late teens when he called them.
Jesus is calling his kids to the world.
The job of the Church today is to raise up World Christians. Aware of the Great Commission, understanding that Jesus’ mandate is a global one