by: Jonathan Painter
Whether you know it or not, the youth departments of our independent fundamental Baptist churches are indeed our “secret weapon” in the constant fight against Satan and his world. This is why I believe our youth is Satan’s biggest target in the battle. The teen department is where you’ll find energy and fire. I believe if our youth departments would turn their vision, their passion, their desire, and their energy towards the things of God, our nation would see a revival like it has never seen.
I fear that our teenagers are sitting back and waiting for the older generation to start a revival and then they will follow suit; yet, it is natural for the youth of a society to set the trend for the period. Just as the youth of America ushered in the rock music movement, and hippy fashion movement, I believe our Christian young people hold the key to ushering in a Great Awakening of this nation again. Now believe me, I have not lost my mind, I do not believe we need to hold national conferences and put thirteen year old young men behind the pulpits to preach. No, we will leave the “national pulpit” to more experienced and seasoned men of God. However, I do believe that the thirteen year-old can load his pocket up with tracts and take a New Testament in his hand, and then go out and tell someone about Jesus Christ. I do believe that a thirteen year-old can determine in his heart that he is going to seek the Lord, be holy and pure and establish a walk with God. There is so much a young person can do to stir-up a revival in this nation, if our youth would simply DO IT!
A Walk With God – If the teenagers in our youth departments want to spark a revival in America once again, then it must start with a walk with God. I am afraid we feel that we will only spark a revival if we can have our say in the national spotlight. Who cares about the national spotlight when God has the grace to give us our say before His throne in our prayer closet? The youth of America could spark a revival in their walk with God, not just filling up a devotional book, but literally reading and studying God’s Word to get something out of it. We could spark a revival if our youth would actually spend more than two minutes of prayer a day. We could see a revival!
Righteous Living – I could have written the whole article on this subject alone, but I will only touch on the subject. America needs to see a group of young people who fear God, and live like it! We need young men and ladies who dress right, talk right and walk with an upright heart. America is used to seeing rebellion in her youth, and she only sees swearing, lewdness, and sloppiness in her youth. If she could see a group of young Christian Americans who live life like they love God, then we could see a revival in our cities, and in our states and in our nation!
Soul Winning – It is about time that our independent, fundamental, Baptist youth took the energy that teenagers have bottled inside of them and use it to go out and win souls to Jesus Christ. It is one thing for America to see young people who walk with God, and it’s another to see them live for God. However, when a teenager has enough guts to proclaim his Saviour’s grace, that will leave an impression, and we will see a revival once again!
Jonathan Painter
Youth Pastor
Lincoln Baptist Church
Lincoln, NE