The Day I Resigned as a Youth Leader

I was alarmed to hear that while over half of American adults consider themselves "Christian," only 6% have a predominantly Biblical worldview...

The Day I Resigned as a Youth Leader Dear Friends,   This week, I listened to an interview between my friend Tim Mahoney, Director of the Historic Faith Society, and Dr. George Barna, Director of Research and Professor at Arizona Christian University. I was alarmed to hear that while over half of American adults consider themselves "Christian," only 6% have a predominantly Biblical worldview.   Dr. Barna explains in the interview that this tragedy did not develop overnight. The primary reason for this significant decline in a Biblical worldview began when the church gave their influence of the next generation over to the media!   While listening to the interview, I recalled the chilling memory of my own experience as a youth leader in a non-denominational church over 30 years ago. Over the course of a few years, I had taught both the junior high and high school kids. The classes were not large—maybe only 15–20 kids, but I was passionate and eager to teach them.   The more we met, the more we began to speak about world missions, Christian persecution, Christ's second coming, and our roles and callings as Christians to win the lost. We wrote letters to Christians who were imprisoned for their faith (in Russia during the Communist era), and we took opportunities to volunteer at outreach events. Of course, we also had times of fun, games, and weekend outings, but my primary goal was to help the students develop a Biblical worldview.   I did not realize it at the time, but some of the parents and the senior Pastor were becoming frustrated by my activities. I discovered their frustration one day when I offered to help one of my high school students whose family was facing some difficulties join a summer mission trip. I even offered to help her raise the needed funding.   While she was excited by the idea, the senior Pastor pulled me aside and asked me what I thought I was doing. When I shared why I thought this was a good idea, he vehemently disagreed, explaining that this was, in fact, a very BAD idea. When I tried to plead my case a bit more, he finally said, "Look, your job is to keep these kids out of trouble until they grow up, get married, pay their tithe, and serve in the church."   I was devasted, to say the least. The next week, I resigned my duties serving as a youth leader. When I was asked to reconsider, I said that there is no way I can NOT teach these kids about missions, persecution, and our role as "Worldview Christians." I would be doing them a grave disservice!   I said that there is no way I can NOT teach these kids about missions, persecution, and our role as "Worldview Christians." I would be doing them a grave disservice! I realize that what I experienced is extreme. Fortunately, not many pastors would agree with the Pastor I was serving under. But as a church, have we not been guilty of the same? Have we let the media form the opinions of the next generation? Have we not taken our children seriously and helped them develop a true Christian worldview? Dr. Barna, who is probably the most well-respected Christian researcher and statistician in America, says in his most recent report, "The beliefs and behaviors of younger Americans…threaten to reshape the nation's religious parameters beyond recognition. In fact, this radical spiritual revolution has created a generation seeking a reimagined world without God, the Bible, or churches." "The beliefs and behaviors of younger Americans…threaten to reshape the nation's religious parameters beyond recognition. In fact, this radical spiritual revolution has created a generation seeking a reimagined world without God, the Bible, or churches."  –Dr. George Barna If the problem starts with us not developing a Biblical worldview in our children, then the answer naturally must clearly focus on the next generation. Certainly, the media has learned this lesson. Even the founders of Communism believed that if they could influence a single generation (even a child up to the age of seven), they could change the world.   After resigning from my position as a youth leader, I focused my ministry efforts on adults. Perhaps the sting of my Pastor's words poisoned me far more than I originally wanted to admit. Sadly, for decades I had little interest in reaching kids. When I was asked to teach a Sunday School class, I declined. When I made films for various ministries, they usually contained difficult messages of persecution that were "not intended for children."   (There is, however, one exception: a film God laid on my heart to make called Stephen's Test of Faith. I will contact the distributor this week to see if we can offer it for our friends to watch. I truly believe the film helps promote a Biblical worldview for young Christians).   While I confess that I was part of the problem due to my departure as a youth leader, I am now more committed than ever to reach the next generation and help instill a Biblical worldview in them. I have received countless testimonies of children, even as young as 5, being encouraged by our animation of The Pilgrim's Progress. I am now more committed than ever to reach the next generation and help instill a Biblical worldview in them. We continue to invest in the Torchlighters: Heroes of the Faith series that highlights heroes of the faith from around the world. You can watch all of them for free on our www.Torchlighters.com website.   And most importantly, our iBIBLE project will present the Bible in a way that engages the next generation. iBIBLE focuses on the Biblical narrative and only uses the Bible for its scripts. This will help our children and grandchildren have a firm foundation of God's plan to restore creation and redeem mankind. For God so loved the WORLD!   Two weeks ago, I wrote in my Sunday email that I believed children are the doorway to the unreached. Today, I add that children are the key to the church's future worldview! Thank you for standing with RevelationMedia.   I wish you and your children (and grandchildren!) a very blessed Sunday. Steve Cleary CEO/Founder RevelationMedia WATCH THE FIRST SIX EPISODES OF iBIBLE WATCH THE TORCHLIGHTERS WATCH THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS  Copyright © 2021 RevelationMedia, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. 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