We are in the midst of what I have been calling The Teen Decade (2013-2019). It is that time once in a century we live in 'the teen years'. This blog is a call to Christian teens. To be American. To be Christian. To be a Teenager.
Not just an American. Not just an American Christian. But, The American Christian Teenager. Real. Genuine. Powerful. A generation of young people who are rising up as authentic believers who want to see an awakening in our nation. And they want to lead it. They are unwilling to wait another generation for what God wants to bring now. Every generation has slowly moved further from Christianity. At some point, a generation must rise as one and turn their world back toward Christianity again. Has the world really seen a dedicated Christian? One person who was completely committed to God and Christianity. And if they have, what would be the impact of a whole generation of dedicated believers?
Given the condition of man and the evil at the beginning of time, God started over once. With extraordinary judgment. Then, given the condition of man 2,000 years ago, God started over again. With extraordinary grace. And now what does He do? Is He waiting for us to do something? Because every society has been removed further from the Way, whose responsibility is it to bring that society back?
I Believe In This Generation
That The American Christian Teenager will show us they are serious about Christianity. There is a movement of prayer happening in the young people of our nation. What I see all across our nation are Jocks, Alternatives, Geeks, Artists, Musicians, Middle School, High School, PK's, and Pagans all awakening to Christ. Why? Part of that reason is the increase of prayer that is happening in this generation. And prayer works. Turning the heart of God and the favor of Heaven toward the cries. Like nothing else.
See, in the New Testament (Matthew 6), the disciples never asked Jesus to teach them to heal. Or to teach them to evangelize. Or to teach them to worship. Prayer is the one thing the disciples asked Jesus to teach them. Why? Because it was the one thing that impacted them the most. It wasn't the miracles of the sick or diseased, and it wasn't the evangelism of the Gentiles, or even the way He worshipped. It was the way He prayed. And they wanted that above everything else they saw in His life.
That is the one thing they wanted from Him. And we are no different. Each of us should be asking the Lord, "Teach us to pray." Because by prayer we can see signs and wonder and miracles. By prayer we can see the greatest outreach the world has ever seen. And by prayer we can see worship that draws the nations to Christ as the one true God.
As this summer begins, I will see thousands of teens praying. Praying to God for their own lives, their friends, our nation, and the world. What I will see this summer will be inspiring. As young people are praying they will be bringing healing into the lives of theirs friends. As young people are praying for their friends, we will see dozens confess Christ as their Lord and Savior in schools this fall. As young people are praying and seek the Lord, we will see some of the most intense and genuine worship in our culture in the months to come.
The Future Of The Church
The future of the church will be determined by how we approach this Teen Decade. Spiritual formation and Spiritual leadership in the lives of teens is a necessity if we are going to raise this generation to awaken America and bring them before God. From what I have seen in the young people of this nation, if the future of the church is in the hands of these young people, the church is in good hands. Take the 4 years left in this Teen Decade and develop your prayer life. We will visit this in coming blogs. When the young people of this nation learn how to pray, we will see a transformation of their lives into becoming The. American. Christian. Teenager.
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