General Jody’s MARCHING ORDERS

And He said to them, “How is it that you had to look for Me? Did you not see and know that it is necessary [as a duty] for Me to be in My Father’s house and [occupied] about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49 AMP

Jesus at the age of 12, when He stayed behind in Jerusalem, already had a drive and a destiny. He knew that it was His duty, His necessity, His driving force in His life to carry out the business, the plan, the will of His Father. At the age of12, what drives our young people? Is it God’s purpose or peer pressure? Is it to make wise choices or the foolish things of the world?

As parents and family, we have a God given responsibility to prepare our children to make the right choices. In Western society, we have constantly pushed back the age to which children are held accountable for their actions and choices while they are living in a world that forces them to make choices younger and younger. Our 8-9 yr olds are now being faced with choices that we never encountered until we were much older, yet at the same time, we have done little to prepare them for these choices. As parents, we have to talk to our children and understand the world they are growing up in. We have to actively participate in their lives.

We as a family and as a body of believers must come together to support our children, encourage other parents, and work together to prepare our children (which is much easier than to repair them as youth and young adults). It is our responsibility to help them “grow in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.”

I ran across this post today and wanted to share it here. These statistics are staggering. Enjoy.

Fifteen percent

 

Published by Evan Doyle on March 9, 2008 in Uncategorized.

“Among young outsiders, 84 percent say they personally know at least one committed Christian. Yet just 15 percent thought the lifestyles of those Christ followers were significantly different from the norm.” (Page 48, unChristian, Baker Bookhouse, Grand Rapids, MI)

The first time I read that statistic it hit me hard. It’s really something to think about. According to Barna Research, approximately 120 million Americans are true born-again Christians. Think about that fifteen percent. That means that out of the 120 million Christians in America, just 18 million of those live like a Christian.

Let’s visualize that number. Say that everyone living east of the Mississippi River was Christian. Based on 2005 population estimates, the only region within that area that would be living for Christ would be the New York City Metropolitan Area. All I have to say is wow. That’s pathetic. Puny. Miniscule in proportion.

According to Barna Research, statistically speaking, Christians live very similar lives to non-Christians. Just as many view pornography. Just as many are adulterous. Just as many get drunk. Just as many use illegal drugs. Just as many get divorced. For all intents and purposes, as far as scientists are concerned, the modern Christian lifestyle is identical to the secular one. We’ve got a problem.

We can’t just ignore this. We may not like it, but it’s simple truth. Our job: to raise a generation of Christian children who don’t have that problem. To make them part of that fifteen percent. To be in the world, not of it. To reverse the problems Christianity has. To remind the world that Christians are true, loving, real, transparent people. You, as a children’s minister, have the task of fixing it. It won’t be easy, but one child at a time, we can change that with God’s help. That’s not the way I see it. That’s the way we all need to see it.

It is always awesome to see God move in the lives of people. This weekend, several people of all ages, children and adults, responded to the drawing of the Holy Spirit and received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It was awesome to hear the testimonies of the youth who were baptized. God is raising up a generation of children and youth who are chasing after Him with their whole heart.

Based on July 07 estimates, there are over 6.6 billion people on the planet. Of that population, approximately 30%, or 1.98 billion, are 14 or younger. In other words, there are more children alive today than the total world population in 1930. We have an opportunity to see more people reached by the gospel than any generation in history! That is exciting to me!

Wrong believing does hold you back. If you believe wrong, you will make decisions based on incorrect information. Here are some wrong beliefs that keep people from reaching out to the next generation:

1) Children’s Ministry is not “real” ministry. According to the Barna Research Group, 43% of people who claim to be born again believers made that decision before the age of 13 with 64% making that decision before the age of 18.

2)Kids don’t have real problems. Children today have more choices than ever before, they are experimenting with sex, alcohol, and drugs at increasingly younger ages. 40% of children will live with their mother and her “live in” at some time by the age of 16, research indicates. These are real issues.

3)They are too young to understand or be used by God. The devil doesn’t wait for them to get “old enough” to use. He starts trying to take them out from the womb (50 Mill+ abortions since Roe V Wade). He is hitting them with everything he has in an attempt to neutralize them and get them into fear, doubt, and hopelessness as soon as possible. The liberal social agenda mirrors that of Stalin who said “Give us the children and we can take the nation within one generation.” Just look at the TV programs and music aimed at our children and youth. The truth is that God made each and every child with a purpose and a destiny for His Kingdom.

So how do we turn the tide and change the thinking? Turn to the word of God and look at His instructions in Deut 6:7-9. What happens in your home has greater impact than what happens at Church. What we, as parents, teach our kids matters to God. We must start by leading by example and being the men and women that God is calling us to be. We must show them by doing ministry together with them and training them in the things of God. They will do what you do. Are you doing what you expect from them?