We are seeing a crisis in the church today. 75% of teens are walking away from church and the faith. Why? Why are we losing so many of our teens? According to my friend and Reasons for Hope speaker, Dave Glander, it’s because we never truly had those teens to begin with.
In this week’s Creation Today Show, “Next Gen Apologetics,” we discuss how to effectively reach the next generation with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus 
Christ. Mr. Glander explains how the emphasis in church has sadly been on an emotional experience with Christ rather than a genuine salvific encounter with Him. Youth camps and retreats often facilitate a “cry fest” rather than a true discipleship environment that pushes kids to grow.
This is not what our kids need! Mr. Glander runs youth camps all summer, and he says that teens DO care and are starving for truth! So why are we withholding it from them? These kids are bombarded with worldviews that are anti-God, anti-Christianity, and anti-Bible. They desperately need to be discipled! And that’s exactly what Mr. Glander is all about.
In order to reach the 75% of kids who do walk away, we need to know what keeps the 25% around. According to Mr. Glander, things like quality family time, serving God together, and intentionally entrusting kids with responsibility from a young age have all played a role in developing children who cling to a strong faith throughout adulthood. These action steps are vital if we want to see the 75% come to genuinely know Christ personally.
You don’t want to miss this full conversation with Dave Glander. It is full of valuable information that will encourage and equip you to serve the next generation. Be sure to schedule some time into your week to enjoy this conversation, and don’t forget to invite your friends and family to check it out with you. You never know the types of conversations you may have afterwards.
