GOD WANTS TO USE YOUNG PEOPLE

Why is Satan so nervous about young people? Because he knows that God has a powerful call on the youth. Because he knows that God's plan has always been to use young people at the forefront of His kingdom purpose.

Joseph got his dream at 17 years old that he would one day be the solution and savior of a whole generation.

David was only a teenager when he started composing the psalms. He was only 16 to 17 years old when he killed the lion and the bear. He was at most 19 when he destroyed Goliath and delivered Israel from the arrogant, uncircumcised Philistines.

Samuel was just a kid when God communed with him. He had such an openness toward the Lord that God gave him revelations of things to come two to three generations into the future.

When Israel was in the final stage of backsliding, who did God send to wake them up? Jeremiah—a person so young he felt unqualified!

"Do not say, 'I am a youth,' for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak." (Jer. 1:7)

Timothy was just a young adult between 19 and 24 years old. Yet, he became the senior pastor of the 60,000-member church in Ephesus. All throughout the Bible, God used young people mightily in the forefront of His kingdom: Esther, Solomon, Josiah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-Nego, Mary, Jesus, John, etc.

Even when the ladies went to the tomb on Resurrection Sunday and couldn't find Jesus, guess who did they see?

And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. (Mark 16:5)

Imagine this, even when God sent an angel, it was one who looked like a youth!

Your people shall be volunteer In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth. (Ps. 110:3)

The Amplified Bible makes it even clearer: "To You will spring forth Your young men who are as the dew." When God moves in power, His pattern is to raise up young people in such great multitudes that they cover the earth like the dew. God loves to anoint youth with His Holy Spirit and send them out to do mighty exploits. We see this trend throughout much of Church history:

... I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. (1 John 2:14)

What this verse means is that we need to disciple the next generation of youth today. We have the responsibility of getting the young men and women strong in the Holy Spirit, grounded in the Word, and victorious in their spiritual warfare against Satan's kingdom.

WHAT DOES MTV KNOW THAT WE DON'T

While today's youth are stressed out and pressured by a heavy schedule of activities, their lifestyle priorities are still pretty simple: friends, music, family, TV and school ... and in that order of importance!

Survey shows that three out of four teens spend at least two hours each day interacting with friends—roaming the malls, sitting in a fast-food joint, etc. But what most people don't realize is that media exposure plays a very key role in a youth's daily life. A typical teenager spends two hours a day viewing TV and another two hours listening to music. And out of that time, the typical teenager spends 25 minutes a day watching MTV.

Whether you like it or not, Viacom's MTV Network is one of the greatest forces influencing young people today. MTV reaches out to one billion youth, shaping their values, beliefs and actions. No matter where you go in the world, MTV is there—usually ahead of the Church, working 24 hours a day to capture the hearts and minds of their young audience.

Instead of just criticizing the negative influences of MTV, why don't we learn what MTV knows about young people that most church leaders and denominations don't?

1. Youth are open and flexible. Young people are always willing to try new things and new ideas. Funky hairdos, extreme sports, body piercing, tattooing; you name it, many youth will give any new trend a shot! This is not necessarily bad. If young people are that open to new things, that means they must also be open to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2. Youth are impressionable. It is a scientifically, biologically proven fact that the puberty, adolescent, teenage years are the most moldable period of a person's life. This is especially true from the age of 10 to 19. The youth are not set in their ways. They are very moldable.

That is why MTV gets the best advertising rates. Advertisers know they can influence the buying patterns of teenagers and young adults. For the same reason, pornographers, drug and cigarette pushers aim at 10 to 14-year-olds, trying to get them hooked during this formative season of their lives.

Because youth are impressionable, whoever captures their minds and imaginations will eventually dominate the next generation. What this all means for the Church is very powerful; young people make the very best disciples because they are very pliable, teachable and moldable. Once they are turned on for Jesus, they will become the best soulwinners and revivalists for the Lord. (A survey has shown that 59 percent of teenagers believe they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs with other people, which is almost double the proportion of adults who feel that way!)

In Numbers 14, when the three million Israelites came to the point of crossing over to the Promised Land, they panicked and murmured against Moses and Aaron. God had to raise up another generation to go into the Promised Land because He knew that the present lot of ex-slaves was too set in their ways. They were no longer teachable or moldable. Amazingly, guess what was the cut off point?

And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. Say to them, 'As I live,' says the LORD, 'just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:

The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised.'" (Num. 14:26-31)

With the exception of Joshua and Caleb, those 20 years and above were disallowed from entering into the Promised Land. Why is that so? Because God knew they were too set in a lifestyle of unbelief and disobedience.

Adults can be tough nuts to crack. Their life views are already formed, their relational network is pretty much in place, and their belief systems are usually determined. Trying to influence and motivate a lukewarm adult to live out their faith for God in their daily lives is a difficult task—even on a good day! They are too set in their worldview and belief systems.

Youth are a whole different lot. Their minds are open and their hearts are soft. They are desperately seeking help and hope. They are on a spiritual journey seeking after truth, meaning, purpose, God, etc. They can be more easily changed.

3. Youth are idealistic. MTV feeds the idealism of the young—that they can be somebody great, that they can have a cause to fight for. Yet, in most churches, youth ministries are causeless and clueless. But the way I see it, what an incredible opportunity it is for us all. It is time to let this generation know that the greatest cause for anyone is the cause of King Jesus and His kingdom.

According to a 1993 survey done by the National Center for Education Statistics (US Department of Education):

When you compare this to older adults, they are generally not so excited about life or optimistic about the future. Neither are they so trusting of other people. In fact, 75 percent of adults see themselves as "a follower," not "a leader."

It is all the more very important to reach out to the teenagers and young adults while their idealism is high. A transition period takes place between the ages of 18 to 24. During this period of time, they experience some of the freedom they have desired for so long. Then something happens: their idealism and hope start to fade. They learn that family and marriage are not as secure and stable as they are supposed to be. Learning is no longer just for fun, education is serious and very stressful. Jobs are not really enjoyable and less lucrative than expected. Sexual relationships are treacherous emotional minefields. The cost of living is a real personal challenge. Crime is out of control and impossible to prevent. Politics and government are a major disappointment. Church leadership and practices seem to be out of touch with reality. Dreams are often just pies in the sky and "happiness" is an ever-elusive goal.

Their worldview, relationships, values, beliefs and lifestyles take a nosedive for the worse. They start becoming more and more pessimistic about life. If we don't reach out to the youth with the truth of Jesus Christ and the gospel, by the time they enter adulthood at 25, they would have become very negative, cynical, skeptical and self-centered. You will have to spend years correcting those distorted worldview, relationships, values, beliefs and lifestyles. And any builder will tell you that new construction is always easier than reconstruction!

4. Youth have the capacity for faith. Youth have the inbuilt capacity to believe whatever they're told. That is why no matter how smart they are in their studies or how seemingly mature they are about life, it is still mandatory to put in place movie ratings, health warnings on cigarette packs, laws against child labor, child abduction, and sex with minors. Why? Because youth can be naive and believe easily whatever that is presented to them.

Having a capacity for faith is not necessarily a bad thing. Jesus says,

"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." (Mark 10:15)

When God wanted to bring the Messiah into the world, He sent an angel to a teenager by the name of Mary. This was a huge miracle because Mary was a virgin. However, her response was one full of faith: "Let it be to me according to your word." Yet, when the angel went to Zacharias to announce to him the birth of John the Baptist, which was a miracle on a smaller scale, what was Zacharias' reaction? Unbelief! He exclaimed, "How can I be sure of this? Impossible!"

Just think about it, Jesus gathered a group of disciples from within the 13/30 Window (He Himself being 30 at the time) and told them, "Go out and take the whole world for the kingdom!" Frankly speaking, usually only a group of young people would have accepted this kind of challenge.

5. Youth are the treasure. What does MTV really see in youth culture? One MTV executive once commented, "That's where the money is!" Unfortunately, the Church world has yet to even recognize the value of young people. In most churches, youth work is relegated to nothing more than second class ministries.

The body of Christ needs to see what MTV sees, but even beyond that. Youth don't simply have the treasure, they are the treasure! With their openness, flexibility, daringness to dream, and capacity for faith, they are a powerful force that can change our world for the cause of Jesus Christ. However, if we at City Harvest Church are not careful, we will neglect this treasure and before we know it, we will be another tired, aging church in the city. We need to reach out effectively to young people in every generation.

WHY MTV?

As far as most teenagers are concerned, MTV is just cool entertainment. Kids of every type watch MTV—irrespective of their race, whether they are male, female, liberal, conservative, rich or poor.

What is interesting is the result of a research done by Church statistician George Barna which shows that while MTV has worldly values, it is not the cause of everything bad in youth today. The number of youth who don't watch MTV abuse drugs as much as those who watch MTV. The number of youth who don't watch MTV commit premarital sex as much as those who watch MTV. In fact, born again Christian youth watch MTV as much as those who are non-Christian. Also, youth who regularly attend church watch MTV as much as those who don't attend church.

Of course, it is undeniable that MTV does have a negative effect on the minds and behaviors of young people. However, its influence is possible only because of the already present vacuum in the lives of the youth—a vacuum that is not filled by family, church and school.

The average teenager spends 17 minutes a day having a meaningful conversation with his or her mother, and a mere 8 1/2 minutes with his or her father. (With stepparents, the time spent is even lesser than that). Compare that to two hours of TV viewing, two hours of music listening, and 25 minutes of watching MTV.

Why is that so? Parents are too busy with their careers and social activities to be concerned with their children. Family time for the typical teenager can be described this way: short, inconsistent and unpredictable. When it comes to morals, values, beliefs and lifestyles, what is offered to teens is usually a lecture followed by a threat, not a loving discussion.

Among teenagers who attend churches regularly, 4 out of 10 (43 percent) say that the churches do a good job in expressing the need to be more caring and concerned for others. But,

What is even more telling is that the majority of teens feel that their churches are not excellent in its pastoral ministry. The point is: youth, like all progressive people today, expect excellence—even from the Church!

Today's youngsters are already stressed out by the busyness of school, sports, extracurricular activities, friendship issues, etc. To ask them to invest their time, reputation, energy and spiritual focus in the kingdom of God, you must then know that they expect one thing from you: excellence in your spiritual ministry to them.

This is how the average teenager thinks of the Church:

1. The Church is inflexible. Pastors don't try to explain, persuade, convince, inspire and win the youth over to the truth. Rather, the truth is delivered to them in a heavy-handed manner.

2. The Church has no room for them. In most churches, there are established ministries to children, adults, married couples, and the business community. But when it comes to young people, most churches don't really know how to meaningfully engage them.

3. The Church doesn't understand them. We minister to them from the standpoint of assuming we know what they need, and never really bother to find out if that is necessarily so.

When family, church and school don't take the responsibility to develop young people's values, something has to fill that gap ... and that's where MTV comes in. What do youth really want?

First of all, a loving, caring, listening family that balances freedom with structure, trust with rules.

Secondly, a church that makes God real, makes faith fun, provides them with a chance to find truths that are comprehensible and relevant; a church that doesn't strangle them with a list of "do's and don'ts."