The Barna group conducted a survey to study the trend of Christian youths abandoning their faith. George Barna said: “A majority of twenty-something – 61% of today’s young adults-had been churched at one point during their teen years, but they are now spiritually disengaged (that is, not actively attending church, reading the Bible, or praying).”
My heart breaks when I saw the trend at which the Christian youths abandon their faith in Jesus Christ. God is not pleased with the level of unfaithfulness and hypocrisy in the midst of the Christian youths.
When the Lord called me to be one of His special messengers to the world, the first message He asked me to preach to the world was centered to the youth. The Lord said: “Reveal the secret of the devil to the youths. Devil had a strategy to pull the Christian youths to hell. Since the largest population of the world is in this category, then his target is to distract them from Christ.”
“Devil will do such through the forms of scientific and non-scientific means. The target of devil is to have youths as the highest population in hell. Go and preach to the Christian youths to stop embracing worldliness. I love the youths and I don’t want them to perish. Worldly style of doing things should not be imitated in the Christian practices”.
I was shocked when the Lord spoke this message to me and I asked Him: “Hope the listeners of this message won’t say that I have come to judge the youths?” The Lord responded: “No, you are not judging the youths, refer whoever accused you to read the book of Amos chapter 3 and verse 7.”
I stood up and opened the Bible to know what was written in the Book – “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing; unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”
I started preaching this secret 16 years ago and I won’t stop. Scriptures made it known that Jesus is not happy with this situation. The book of Mark chapter 9 verse 42 says: “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he was thrown into the sea.”
It is important to identify the factors that influence Christian youths to abandon their faith in Christ.
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The Role of Parents
Proverbs chapter 29 verse 17 says: “Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul.” ‘Parents are not robot manufacturers’.
You have the obligation to train your children in the way of the Lord. Pushing them into the car for Sunday church service is not enough to make your children fear God. Always find time on a daily basis to pray and study the bible together.
When your children ask questions, please always give full answers with references to the scriptures. It will be difficult for Christian youths to abandon faith in Christ, if there is a parental care that shows Christianity as a relationship (and not as a religion) with God.
Many Christian youths are biased about the power of Jesus, because their parents (who work round the clock) had no time to answer the questions that troubles their hearts.
Some parents thought that should be the sole responsibility of the church Pastor. Show your children the path of the Lord; they will not depart from it. The Bible says: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
The vital way to reduce the skyrocketed figures of Christian youths abandoning their faith is that parents must be a faithful role model in Jesus Christ.
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The Role of the Church for Christian Youths
The church is not the mega building, but the people gathering in it. How would you expect the faith of Christian youths to be stronger in a church filled with eye-service, ‘church politics’, love of money than the soul of the giver and indiscipline?
It is no more news that majority of our ‘Pastors’ in this generation are ‘economical’ with their preaching. The style of preaching in the 19th century is different from what we hear in the pulpit now. Some Pastors are scared of losing members (to other ‘Christian denominations’) if the undiluted word of God is preached in the pulpit.
With respect to my findings, seven out of ten churches are simply entertainments gathering. The order of services is filled with claps, jokes, and little of God’s word. I won’t be surprised if Christian youths from such churches abandon their faith when they get to high school or college!
To stop this unfaithful trend in the midst of our teens and youths, the church must go back to the first love. “…Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp-stand from its place–unless you repent…” (Revelation 2:1-7)
Let’s do it just like the early church. “…Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need…with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Act 2:42-47)
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The Role of Technology
Science has been a great distraction to Christian faith. The theory of evolution, New Age movement, Atheism and the invention of the internet are good instruments of distraction. It is dangerous for any Christian youths to share believes that originate from science.
The only source of faith is the Bible. Modern technology is not bad if it is used appropriately in accordance to God’s will.
Some Christian youths abandon their faith in Christ, because their heart had been carried away from computer games, social websites, television cable networks and surfing the internet for information not beneficial to their spiritual growth in Christ.
Nevertheless, Christian youths will be responsible for their decision before the Lord. The bible is available for everyone to study both online and offline. If there is any part of the scriptures you don’t understand, the Holy Spirit can help you.
John chapter 14 verse 26 says: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”
God will never accept any excuse from the unfaithful youths, because the power of choice of every Christian youth is the main cause that sustains their faith in Christ.
Thus, Christians must tightly hold on to the faith they have in Jesus Christ in the midst of trouble or confusion. Jesus says in John chapter 16 verses 33: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Read your bible daily and live a lifestyle that is strictly controlled by God. Thus, devil’s devices against your faith in Jesus Christ will be destroyed. Jesus loves you!!
