Engaging the Next Generation

Over the last six years I have made close to 40 trips to Africa visiting over 15 different African nations.  Although the scenery and the people groups vary from place to place there is one constant that I see everywhere in Africa.  There are children, youth and young adults in large numbers in every location where I visit.

Africa is a young continent.  No, I’m not talking about the age of the buildings, roads or infrastructure in Africa.  I’m talking about the age of the people.  In most places in Africa the average life expectancy is less than 50 years of age due to disease, war and violence.   Some of the latest studies reveal that 44% of Africans are 15 years of age and younger.  When you bump the age up to 18 years old the number jumps to over 50% of the population. 

The faces of the children and youth in Africa tell a powerful tale.  The faces of children are filled with joy and enthusiasm as they play and help around the house.  They gather around me like I am the pied piper whenever I walk the streets of an African village.  The faces of the youth often tell a much different story.  The youth of Africa are growing up at a time when unemployment is as high as 80% in many countries.  Education is not always affordable and even if they go to school there is no guarantee of a job.  As I drive around Africa I often see youth and young adults sitting around in the middle of the day without much to do.  They are the fuel for the often violent political uprisings that you hear about on the continent. 

I see this burgeoning young population as an amazing opportunity for our vision of seeing the Gospel transform lives, communities, and institutions across Africa by the power of God’s Spirit come to fruition in our lifetime.  If we can engage the children, youth and young adults of Africa in lifechanging ways with the Gospel of Jesus Christ Africa will be changed.  If we don't we are missing one of the greatest opportunities of our lifetime!  They are the leaders of the future for the continent of Africa and now is the time for us to intentionally minister to them. 

That is why we are setting two very critical goals for the next decade:

• Find and disciple five thousand (5,000) 15 – 35 year old next generation leaders
• Equip children’s ministry trainers for every African national church partner

We are working right now to develop strategic partnerships with ministries in Africa who will help us to come alongside the indigenous African church to leverage this forward.  Right now God is opening up more opportunities than we can follow-up on in these two areas.

Please join us in praying that God would guide us in the development of these strategic ministry partnerships and that He would raise up a new group of ReachGlobal and ReachAfrica missionaries who would be committed to multiply ministries among the children, youth, and young adults of Africa!