Ministry's 5-Year Effort Aims to Draw Current Teen Generation to God
by Allie Martin
October 23, 2006
(AgapePress) - - The founder of a worldwide Christian youth ministry is encouraging pastors and church leaders to increase efforts to reach young people for Christ. Statistics show that between 69 percent and 94 percent of teenagers abandon their faith when they leave high school. Ron Luce, founder of Teen Mania Ministries, says that is what has prompted his ministry to formulate a five-year plan to reach young people and, as he puts it, "turn this generation around."
According to Luce, at the present rate of evangelism, "no matter what good we might have done in 20 years and all the other youth ministries and youth pastors in America, we're about to lose a generation because the enemy's been working harder." He calls that a "daunting reality."
"So we're redoubling our efforts and encouraging other churches to do the same these next five years -- to go for it," he says.
Luce says young people must have a solid understanding of scripture and deep convictions to survive spiritually in today's secular society. He is concerned about evangelical churches losing an entire generation of young people.
"I'm meeting with the board of the National Association of Evangelicals," he shares. "They represent 54 different denomination, and they are encouraging all of their churches [45,000 churches] to ... go after kids right now, before it's too late."
His ministry is going all-out to see that the effort is a success. "We're selling the farm for these next five years in order to capture the heart of this generation before they get into their twenties -- [because] pretty much none of them will come to Christ after that without a real move of God," he says. "And so that's where our focus is right now and for the next five years."
Luce plans to hold additional conferences for teens, pastors, and youth leaders during that five-year period.
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
