True Conversion

A recent Southern Baptist poll shed light on a growing crisis in the modern evangelical church, namely that only around 14% of the kids converted through youth group ministries, such as Young Life or Inter Varsity go on to become Christians in adulthood and join churches.* The vast majority quickly wither away once their association with the youth ministry they were converted under ends.

Never though, does it seem to occur to most modern evangelicals, that perhaps our approach to fishing has become radically defective, because brothers and sisters, while we don't have definitive numbers, the numbers of young people converted in the early church and for instance the church at the time of the reformation who went on to become Christians in adulthood were surely much higher.

What I believe has happened is that sadly, the church has lost two vital components of the authentic gospel, two components that seem to have fallen entirely out of favor in our approach not only to youth group ministry but to ministry altogether. And these components are absolutely vital to real conversion.

• Alvin Reid of SBTS reported even grimmer stats: 'The North American Mission Board reports that 88% of churched youth drop out of church when they finish high school.' (!)