“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:16

Paul was writing to the church at Ephesus and to us today about the urgency of reaching the lost. To win the battle for lost souls we must seize every opportunity. We must understand where the battlefield is the hottest and direct our troops accordingly. Specifically, I want to write to you about the war that is being fought for our young people.

I believe the war for the souls of the youth is the hottest part of the battlefield. Unfortunately, soldiers of the Cross do not seem to understand this. A common saying in the church today is, “Children are the church of tomorrow.” Tomorrow is one of the most dangerous words in the English language. Yes, Satan would love to lull you to sleep with the false security of tomorrow. One of the wisest men in History, King Solomon wrote: “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” This scripture is as true today as it was the day the Holy Ghost inspired Solomon to write it. Tomorrow simply does not come for many people. That does not only apply to the silver-haired, amen corner. Anyone can die, anytime, anywhere. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24. Nearly a third of all victims of violent crime are 12 to 19 years old. Go to any high school graduation and listen to the memorials given to students who were killed in fatal car accidents. Children are not the church of tomorrow, they are the church of today!

We have a tremendous responsibility to “redeem the time.” Paul used the Greek word exagorazo for redeeming. It means to buy up, to rescue from loss, to improve opportunity. That is exactly what we need to do, quit losing time and improve our opportunity to reach the young people today. Do not assume that a kid is still going to be in church after you have ignored him for 20 years. If we exclude teenagers and children from our services they will perceive that they are not welcome in church. Be sure that the world will welcome your young people. I am sad to report that 30% of teen females and 31% of teen males (ages 15 to 17) have had sexual intercourse. Not only does the world welcome the youth, it beckons them. Among high school seniors, 70% said they had used alcohol and 34% said they had smoked marijuana in the past year. Please understand this; the church is at war with Satan for the souls of the young people!

Consider this, 65% of Christians accept Jesus before their 18th birthday! 1 If Satan can keep a kid away from God until he turns 18, there’s a good chance that person will end up in Hell. That is why the enemy is fighting so hard to keep our children out of church. Just watch the commercials on television and see how many companies are targeting children, tweens, and teens. Madison avenue recognizes what the church does not, we need young people. For years Hollywood has made millions of dollars from people who are not old enough to vote. Entire music industries revolve around the whims of teen-aged girls. Everyone seems to be tugging at the hearts of the youth. Everyone except the church, by and large, we have dropped the rope. The staggering numbers show how hard the Devil is fighting to steal, kill and destroy our children. Only 4% of teens today identify themselves as evangelical Christians.2 We cannot afford to gamble with the souls of our children we must recognize the urgency of winning this war today!

It is time to ask ourselves some tough questions. How hard are we fighting to win the youth for the Lord? The solution to our problem is actually a simple one, we find it in God’s Holy Word. Proverbs 22: 6 tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” The major battles are not fought and won inside the church. You have to win at home. Parents have to live what they profess under the shadow of the steeple in front of their kids in the home. Moms and Dads must set a Godly example. Do the little things like asking God’s blessing upon your meals, and eat your meals together as a family. Every Christian family should have some form of daily devotions together. That old saying, “The family that prays together stays together”, is true. Pray together, discuss the scriptures, count your blessings, as a family. If you do not live what you say you believe, your children probably won’t either. If you hide your faith in a closet, your kids cannot learn from your example.

Furthermore, I strongly encourage every Christian parent to get your child into a Christian school or home school them. Public schools are about as wicked as any tavern. In fact the three ‘r’s they teach are rebellion, riotous living, and religion of man. The social aspect of public schools promotes premarital sex, alternative lifestyles, and the use of alcohol and drugs. Worldly kids teach Christian kids to rebel against their parents’ authority. Most frightening of all, kids are being taught that God is not real, and the Bible is just a fairy tale. So how is the church dealing with this youth issue? Churches tend to go to two extremes with young people. As was already eluded to, many churches do nothing for young people. They offer no Bible classes for their age group, they don’t allow them to sing specials, and they are given no duties or responsibilities. They are to be seen and not heard. Then there are churches on the other end of the spectrum. They do all kinds of things and attach the word ‘Christian’ onto all kinds of ungodly activities. Let’s have a ‘Christian’ rock concert, let’s have a ‘Christian’ dance team, or how about a ‘Christian’ night club. This is nothing new. Jesus talked about people sewing new cloth onto old garments in Mark 2:21. Do you know what He said? He said it would not work. He said the ripped garment would be made worse. You can’t put a band-aid on someone who is bleeding to death. Young people don’t need a patch-kit or a can of fix-a-flat. They need to be born again. They need a brand new life just like you and I. We need to live a Holy, sanctified life, and that is what we need to teach our children.

In conclusion, the church needs to involve the young people. Give them a part in your church services. Show young people how to love and worship God. Give them a Christian example at home and lay a good foundation. Make sure that the activities you get them involved in are pleasing to God, and most importantly show them the love of God.

1. “Evangelism Is Most Effective Among Kids,” the Barna Group, Ltd., Ventura,California. 11 October 2004.
2. The Barna Group Ltd., 6 April 2005 “Teenagers.”