There is a great deal of research by groups such as Barna and the International Bible Society showing that most believers will accept Christ before age 30. In fact, the largest number of converts will follow Jesus before age 18. Barna indicates that unbelieving adults ages 19 and older have just a 6% probability of becoming Christians. That tells me we need to make a significant investment in the next generation and the families they are connected to. Children’s ministry, student ministry, college ministry, and young adult ministry need to be integral parts of our ministry strategy.
From big to small, all of our churches need a heart for young people. It can be challenging. Students will always be in a different generation than the whole church. They will think and act differently. They will often speak in a language that, while sounding like English, uses words in ways we struggle to understand. Their choices in media and style don’t align with our sensibilities. Young people can seem like aliens in our midst. But no matter how strange they may seem to us, we need to heed Jesus’ words, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14 ESV).
Knowing the statistics and God’s heart on the matter isn’t enough. It is important for us to move beyond beliefs to action. However, that can be difficult. How do we invest in the next generation? And how do we make that happen if we don’t have any students in our congregation? Those can be hard questions to answer. Let’s consider a few things that might help as we move forward.
• Pray for the students in your congregation and community. Prayer should always be where we start, but it is easy to forget. If we have only a handful of children and students in our church, we can forget to pray for them and for those outside the church. I would suggest that the smaller number might be a greater reminder to pray for them. Pray that God will give those in your church the courage to be a light in your community and that those outside your church will be impacted by the gospel message. Keep young people on your hearts and before the Father through prayer.
• Seek where God is working in your community. I have shared before that Henry Blackaby’s philosophy was “Find where God is working and join Him.” If you are seeking ways to invest in the young people of your community, look for where God is moving and join Him there. Your community may be all about youth sports. Find a way to be out and supportive of that effort. If your community loves hunting and fishing, see if some of your men could provide mentoring relationships to help young men learn to hunt or fish. Big brother programs and other community efforts can be great ways to connect as well. If your town is all about Friday night football, find out how your church can get involved in loving on the students and families. Maybe you can provide a meal for the players or band members. The sky is the limit, and God is already working in your community.
• Make sure that your congregation is a welcoming place for students and their families. I understand that teenagers can be challenging, but our worship gatherings should be places that exude hospitality. We don’t have to be the coolest place around. We just need to make sure that the teenagers, men, women, and children who enter are welcomed and loved on. We want to be places of authentic love.
• Look to your church budget. How is the church investing financially in young people within the church and the community? It has been said that we can know where someone’s heart is by their checkbook. The same can be said about our churches. What we spend our money on is what is most important to us. You may not have the finances to hire a youth pastor, but there are many ways to invest in young people with the dollars you have.
• Learn how to share your faith. We know there is power in the gospel. People in our churches should be able to communicate that clearly to people of any age. However, we can’t share what we don’t know. Take time to learn how to speak the truth of God’s Word to those around you. You don’t have to be a vocational pastor or missionary to be a light in your world. You simply need to take time to prepare to share the greatest gift God offers.
If we are not careful, we can slip into complacency. It is easy to feel comfortable. We attend our comfortable churches and hear our comfortable sermons. Somehow, that makes us think everything is all right. Yet God calls us to be intentional people living on mission for Him. The next generation needs Jesus, and we have been called to carry Him to them. That will require prayer, thought, and direction. Take time to consider how you and your congregation are investing in the young people in your community. They need Jesus, and we must answer the call.
How do you and your people reach out to students in your community? How is your congregation stepping outside the church building? Let us know. You can email us at info@studentministrymatters.com or join the conversation at facebook.com/groups/StudentMinistryMattersCommunity.
