The Overlooked Harvest...

In the deep crevices of society, young adults live. They are not looked at by society of people who have much value. Rather they are viewed as dependent  wild, reckless, immature, lacking wisdom, irresponsible. They gather together to find comfort or purpose amongst themselves. Some of these misfits find their purpose in things that society praises, while most are looked down upon as rebellious clowns who suck the life out of our society. The athletes are praised, the academic achiever honored, the musician patted on the back. Yet they are still a reclusive group, given very little tools to succeed and condemned when they don’t.

I see this group of misfits and I love them. I love their wild and reckless hearts, love the risks they take because they lack wisdom, I love that they still are dependent on us to love them and guide them and direct them. There is a freedom they possess that we, as a society, have lost. They are still at a place where they don’t have to conform, where they can do anything without the responsibilities of our society weighing down on them. They are a powerful bunch, these young people, who have in their hearts the desperate desire to make a difference in the world to be someone of value. Their hearts need only to be captivated by the love of Jesus; not the law of religion, not the condemnation of the followers of Christ, not the cheap knock offs of the gospel. Their minds need only to be challenged by the truth of the Bible; not the crumbs that are given, not the gimmicks that are preached, not the satellite message that lacks intimacy; Their wills need only to be trained by servants of the most high God; not leaders who are glorified, not manipulators who control, not religion that condemns.

Imagine the power this youth culture could obtain. Contemplate the reason the Lord made this age, this youthful mindset, where nothing is impossible and being invincible is the norm. It is not childish or foolish! It is planned by the Creator of our souls. He knew this age brought about destruction and foolishness and boldness and wildness. There is a purpose. Still these young adults, ages 13-25 are overlooked, forgotten in the church.

On the news the other day, there was a wanted headline for 4 young men, who had held a woman at gunpoint. They tried to kidnap her, but she resisted and the 4 young men high jacked her car. They are wanted for grand theft auto, attempted kidnapping and attempted murder. The ages of the young men… 13, 13, 14 & 17. When I read the ages and saw their pictures my heart broke! I was flabbergasted at the thought of a 13 year old boy holding a woman at gunpoint! 13 years old! It made me think about what these young people are capable of. Yes, destruction is what these boys brought, but let me change your perspective. Imagine if the truth and love of Jesus Christ drove theses young men… the destruction in their being would not go away, however, the focus of what was to be destroyed would. Instead of bringing destruction to other people, they would bring destruction to the kingdom of darkness…. Instead of holding a woman at gunpoint, they would hold the enemy with the weapons of God and bring freedom to a woman, through the power of Jesus’ love.

God created the wild and reckless behavior in the youth to benefit His kingdom! King David was one of those young men. His lack of restraint and wild faith turned a nation upside down. He killed a bear and a lion with his own hands, not very much wisdom, if you ask me. I would have flipped out on my teenage son, even if he did kill it! Yet, David trusted God with a reckless abandon that determined the rest of his life. He walked out to a battlefield and with nothing but a little faith and a lot of risk, killed a giant and started a fire that drove the Israelites to defeat the Philistines. Not even the king or his older brother, who were older and wiser dared to do such a feat. It was not until David became a man that he sinned against God.  There is also Daniel; taken into captivity by the Babylonians. He was a young man without blemish, good—looking, gifted in wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick in understanding. (Daniel 1:4) He, in his youth had wisdom, but still took a great risk by opposing the king’s provisions and requesting that they only eat vegetables and water, as to not defile himself or that of his friends with the king’s delicacies. In the end, his risk proved to be fruitful and he and his friends were more full and fit than the older men who were eating meat and drinking wine. As a result, the Lord blessed Daniel and his friends knowledge and skill in literature and wisdom and understanding in visions and dreams.

The Lord used their wild and reckless nature to glorify him!

So why then, can’t we do the same with our youth? Why then can’t we empower our young people in their culture to DO what they are already DOING, but changing the focus and the purpose of their lives?

There are many studies that show that the youth are leaving the church in a mass exodus. They are looking for purpose, they are looking for love, and they are looking for a cause. WE HAVE THE TRUE PURPOSE RIGHT HERE IN OUR HANDS, WE KNOW THE TRUE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST AND THERE IS NO GREATER CAUSE THAN SAVING LOST SOULS FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION.

The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.

 Matthew 9:37

The churches in American have before them, fields and fields that go on for miles and miles of a ripe harvest of youth, who are starving for love and purpose. The churches have dozens of programs, lots of resources, congregations full of spiritual fat believers who either sit in a pew or seek after their own title or power of position. The churches cater to the saved but do not seek after the lost. The focus, the visions, the meetings, the money, the power is not toward the youth, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN PROVEN AND TESTED THAT THAT AGE GROUP IS THE MOST UN-REACHED AND THE AGE GROUP THAT IS LEAVING BY THE DROVES. The “Youth Groups” are there, in most cases, as an obligatory place to appease the adults who attend the church. In most churches, the “Youth Ministry” is given one of the smallest budgets and is required to do much of their own fundraising. I have not met many people who are youth ministers who are called to be youth ministers, but rather a place that is a stepping stone to climb up the corporate church ladder to a higher position in the church. There has not been much adjustment in the church, since I was a youth. It pretty much looks the same, spiritually. Sure the postmodern/emerging church has changed the colors, turned the lights down, added some coffee and candles, but it is the same!

In most cases more focus, resources and money is given to the Children’s Church dept. then to the youth. When, in fact, elementary aged kids HAVE to come to church with their parents. Even the youth that HAVE to come to church have learned to easily disengage while sitting in a seat being sold the cheap knock off of the truth.

WAKE UP CHURCH!!! Where is the harvest? Do you know what happens to a harvest that is NOT reaped? Have you seen what happens to the crop? The fruit falls to the ground, rots and becomes part of this world. How many youth are longing to be harvested, but just falls to the ground, rots and becomes a part of this world?

WAKE UP CHURCH! Where is the harvest? Do you know what happens to a harvest that IS reaped? It gets put into a basket with other fruit, bright and full of life and become nourishment to the world.

What is your church doing to reap the harvest that is plentiful?