Charles Dickens, in Tale of Two Cities, states that it was "worst of times, and the best of times." Never has this statement been more true than today. Our youth and children live in the most technologically advanced and materialistically prosperous time in all of history. Yet, daily our youth face a world saturated with school and gang violence. Many endure the painful agony of divorce and the breakdown of the traditional family and its values. Movies, magazines, and a secular music industry which promotes drugs, alcohol, sex, rebellion, violence, and alternate lifestyles screams for their attention. "Kids killing kids. Where will it end?" asked one bewildered national news reporter after a drive-by shooting. Yet, in the middle of this battlefield, stands the church with its raised Gospel message of hope, peace, and love through salvation and deliverance through Jesus Christ. We have the message, but we must be willing to put forth the means to reach and win our youth. Anything done for the cause of Christ requires effort and sacrifice. With that conviction in mind, the General CE Department the will promote for the next two years the youth ministry theme-----YOUTH INVESTMENT: PRAYER, TIME, MONEY.

It is a sincere conviction that in spite of our good intentions and powerful message, we will lose this generation of youth and children if we are not willing to roll up our sleeves and sacrificially do what must be done to get that great message to them. Every Christian within the body of Christ must see any and all form of youth/children’s ministry as investment with spiritual and eternal consequences and rewards. This type of investment must first take the form of PRAYER. Entire churches must now begin to build networks of prayer warriors to bathe and saturate our youth in prayer. Sunday School classes, Women Ministry groups, and Brotherhood Fellowships all should have prayer lists with the names of our youth listed in which Christians pray as groups and as individuals for every name on the list. Royal Ranger workers and Missionette workers must pray. Wednesday prayer meetings should be times of prayer and supplication for our youth. Every service in every church should contain a special "outspoken request" for our youth. Jesus said that the "violent take the kingdom by force." James said that the "effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Are we willing to "violently" pray for our youth and refuse to allow Satan and his army to win? This type of PRAYER and intercession costs something. It costs energy, effort and a sacrifice of time. Yet, relentless, determined PRAYER has always won mighty battles. It will win this battle.

TIME is the second element of successful YOUTH INVESTMENT. Adult Christians must be willing to give the TIME needed to successfully work with youth. Successful activities and programs require extensive planning, preparation, and TIME. These require people who are willing to sacrifice and "deny themselves" of doing what they would rather be doing in order to invest TIME with and for our youth. Attending seminars and workshops that prepare us to work with youth/children requires time. Selfishness is a sin, and a practice of withholding our time and not being involved with youth/children, in and out of our church, will result in the lost of our youth. Are we willing to invest TIME? If so, God will act.

MONEY is the third element of victorious YOUTH INVESTMENT. Reaching youth and children requires resources. How much is the value of one young person’s soul? That is the real question we must ask ourselves. God financially has blessed American Christians as in no other time in history! Are we willing to withhold finances from our local and District youth ministries when God has blessed us with so much? "For to whom much is given, much is required." Thank God for all the sacrificial giving of the past. Yet as individual Christians and local churches, we all must sacrificially give in order to provide all the needed resources to win, disciple, and send forth our youth. Local church youth facilities and ministries as well as our District Youth Camp facilities require huge amounts of finances to meet the challenge that lies ahead. Extensive renovations, added facilities, new programs, equipment, and outreaches cost money. Many have been blessed with savings, valuable stock investments, and even 40l-K’s which could, in part, be used for the YOUTH INVESTMENT of MONEY. Yes, the writer is saying that you should use some of these resources to meet the financial needs of local and District ministries as they reach out to youth/children. Yes, this sounds radical and extremist. But are our youth and children worth it? If we fail to act radically and not provide for the financial aspect of YOUTH INVESTMENT, we will lose them. YOUTH INVESTMENT will cost us ALL. Yet the rewards are eternal and far-reaching. Together let’s win and keep them. "For of these are the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:14b.

Rev. Danny K. Jones, General Christian Education Director, CHC

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