According to Jonathan Edwards, preacher and scribe of the first Great Awakening, “The revival has been chiefly amongst the youth.”
Youth-Led Church Revival Is on the Rise
This is exactly what I’m seeing across America today in powerful pockets of transformation. Teenagers are leading the way, and adults are noticing. Some are even coming along for the church revival ride! I’m also seeing more lead pastors attending our Gospel Advancing youth leader training events.
I remember asking one lead pastor (a seminary-trained, 30-year veteran preacher) why he was attending an event designed for youth leaders. His answer? He has been watching his youth leader apply the philosophy of ministry he learned through Dare 2 Share and has been deeply impacted by the results. He said he’s seeing in the teens at his own church what he wants to see in the adults. That’s why he decided to attend this youth leader training event as a student!
Wow! What humility! He came to the “kiddie” table to learn! This brand of humility and teachability can make this movement echo in the sanctuary as well as the youth room!
Youth leaders: Regardless of whether or not it catches on churchwide, let’s set the pace for our churches. May our youth ministries be a microcosm of what the entire church should look like. Let’s apply the seven values of a Gospel Advancing ministry in our youth rooms and pray that it spills over to the church sanctuary!
Wouldn’t it be just like God to bring widespread church revival through an army of twitchy teenagers? After all, God loves to use “foolish things.”