Jesus was moved with compassion as He saw the throngs of people wandering about aimlessly like sheep without a shepherd. They were burdened with problems, sicknesses, and life’s dilemmas. It inspired Him to say, “The harvest is so great, and the workers are so few…so pray to the one in charge of the harvesting, and ask him to recruit more workers for his harvest fields” (Matthew 9:37-38).
Ever since, multiplied thousands of Christian men and women have gone about the task of bringing in the lost. But the scripture proclaims there is still a harvest coming into the church in unprecedented numbers, a sovereign move of God, that will surpass anything we’ve ever seen.
Imagine if our individual church attendance’s were to double overnight. What would we do? How would we handle the increase? Now consider this–what would we do if the increase was made up primarily of kids and teenagers? Is that ridiculous or farfetched?
Kids Are One-Third of the World’s Population
The U.S. Census Bureau reveals that there is a population of over six billion people worldwide. Almost 40 percent of that number is made up of people under the age of nineteen. At this moment, one-third of the world’s population is under the age of fourteen! In some countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and many more, the population under nineteen reaches over 50 percent.
Kids under the age of fourteen make up more than 40 percent of the people in those countries. In a handful of nations such as the Marshal Islands, Mozambique, Nigeria, Swaziland, Tanzania and others, those age groups increase to a staggering 60 percent under nineteen, and over fifty percent under fourteen. Uganda holds the world record with kids are under the age of nineteen making up 62 percent of their population.
Fifty-one percent are under fourteen years of age.
So in the light of this great harvest coming, it is not at all unreasonable to expect a massive influx of children and teens to come into the church as well. What will we do with them? How will they be received? That’s a high maintenance, low income crowd, with very unique problems and needs all their own. No doubt when Jesus called for laborers for the harvest of souls, he knew there would need to be a very special group of laborers just for the children.
Kids Are Hungry for God
So here’s the new twist on the harvest we’ve been told is coming. Add it all up–one-third of the world’s population is under fourteen. Of all those who get saved, 32 percent are under the age of thirteen. A child’s heart is good ground. God designed children with a heart to naturally embrace the gospel. So where should a big part of our evangelistic efforts go? It seems reasonable to say to the young ones.
Yet, for the most part, a mere fraction of our dollars, time, and effort goes to reaching children. Ministry to kids is certainly not the only ministry in the church, but it is one of extreme importance. There has been a refreshing new emphasis on meeting the needs of kids in our churches in recent years. Yet, sadly, as a whole, children’s ministries worldwide are still crying out desperately for more laborers to work their fields. Pray to the one in charge of the harvest…..
Is it outlandish to think the great harvest will be largely made up of kids? Children are hungry for the gospel. They are like baby birds with their mouths gaping open and necks stretched to their limit towards the ones that will break the gospel down into little pieces and feed them the juicy Word of God.
Pray to the one in charge of the harvest…..
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