In recent months , there has been much focus on children and youth in God’s kingdom. In July, our senior pastor preached on “Raising the next generation.” In August, we celebrated our denomination’s 50th anniversary where Dr Ravi Zacharias spoke on “Reaching the next generation.” Just this month, I had the privilege of attending the 3rd 4/14 Window Global Summit.
Why this emphasis on children and youth, particularly those aged between 4 and 14? As I was challenged to realise at the summit, the 4/14 window is not an unreached group; it’s just what and who is reaching them. Our young people are flooded by pop culture, entertainment, worldly values (or the lack of), all of which are accelerated by ultra-speed broadband internet, and viral social media platforms. If the church is not reaching our children, the world is! Some statistics:
- 1/3 of the world’s population is children; that’s 2.3 billion children!
- It is estimated that only 3% of worldwide church budgets on average are allocated for children and outreach to children; and yet
- 27% of the church population is children; and
- 80% of all people who come to Christ do so before they turn 18.
How should we as the church respond? I believe we generally fall into 3 groups.
One, we might be adults and/or parents of children and youths. We can’t possibly be challenging the whole church to be involved in children and youth ministry. Instead, we can take up the primary role of setting healthy and godly models of family and community. I’m increasingly convinced that youth ministry cannot be done in isolation from the church community. The way of the world has been to isolate and create sub-cultures where youth is celebrated, elevated, capitalised, and dare I say, even worshipped.
We as a church should be faithful in growing our young people not just to become mature Christian teenagers, but mature Christian adults. If 80% accept Christ before 18, our responsibility isn’t just to evangelise the 4/14ers; in fact, it means that we need even more effort and perseverance in reaching those above 18, young adults and adults who resist the gospel even more. We need to once again fan into flame the passion for lost souls, and reignite the call to personal evangelism.
Two, we might be those serving in children or youth ministry. We need to be committed, inspired, and affirmed in our critical role of teaching and discipling our children and youth in those foundational, tumultuous transition years. May our lives be like Paul, urging the Corinthians to follow him, just as he followed Christ’s example (1 Cor. 11.1).
Lastly, you might be a 4/14er yourself. Some call it Gen Z, those born towards the end of the 90s into the new millennium. Focusing on the 4/14 window is not primarily within the church, but rather a call to missions, a call to reach the next generation for Christ. Do not revel or be fixated in your youth, but rather, set an example for the believers in speech, life, love, faith and purity (1 Tim. 4.12). Be a world-changer, a history-maker, a planet-shaker! Catch the wave of what God is doing in the world, and make a difference in your generation, like David, who served God’s purpose in his own generation (Acts 13.36).
