Day 27 - Passing the Baton
Today is the first day of our annual “Disciple Now†Weekend for the middle school and high school students at Ironbridge Church. More than eighty students will be participating in this spiritual, high-octane weekend of evangelism, discipleship, and revival in the lives of our teenagers. We can expect that students will be saved, and many others will get serious about their walk with Jesus.
As always, an exciting team of spiritual leaders from Liberty University will be here to challenge and disciple our students. Doug Ponder, a young man who spent several of his younger years as a member of Ironbridge with his family, has now grown up and has become a world-class communicator. Doug will be bringing a powerful message to our students throughout the weekend.
The hour is late, and the battle is raging for the hearts and minds of our young people. We’re living in a desperate hour. Recent surveys of “Christian†students—kids raised in Bible-believing churches—has revealed some ominous results. Only 9% of “born-again†teens believe in moral absolutes. I hope you’re sitting down, because recent trends indicate that 88% of Christian teens will leave the church by the age of 18 and 50% of those that leave will never return to an active involvement in the church in their lifetimes! Scary stuff, indeed. Now is the time for all believers to “pray & fast†for our young people. Not only are their lives at stake, but also the future of our church and the future of Christianity in America! The stakes couldn’t be higher.
Today’s Scripture Promise: “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.†(I Timothy 4:12—New American Standard)