What About The Next Generation?

Young People and The Church 75-80% have been lost – Only 1 in 4 retained

Birth Rates America – 1.8 per couple France – 1.4 Scandinavia Countries – 1.3 Japan 1.2 Italy – 0.9 Muslims in France – 6 per couple

Spiritual Birth Rates in the Church 2 children per family? Loosing 75% IT TAKES TWO FAMILIES TO GET 1 FAITHFUL CHILD INTO THE NEXT GENERATION. Results? – Fewer elders, deacons, preachers and members.

What has been the answer of some? To do more and better youth ministries. Have a “super Saturday!” – Fun and games and a jumpers. Schools, “outreach” programs. Youth ministers. According to Howard Barr the number of youth baptisms has declined since the seventies. (DIDN’T WORK!)

“The more involved in reaching the youth the less the evangelistic outcome.” - Barr

1 John 2:19 “They went out from us because they were not really of us. If they had been they would have remained with us, but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us.”

How can we make up for the losses? To make up for what we are loosing now we would have to reach 3 lost people for every 1 Christian just to break even. “We reach by average 1 lost person for every 43 Christians.” – Barr – We are just filling a bucket with a hole in it when it comes to our youth! – SO WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

Ephesians 6:1-4 How Do We Reach the Next Generation?

Why are they not coming back? 1) Biblical Illiteracy is at an all time high. 2) Everything is now more important than a marriage and family. So they are rock solid in their antagonism and rejection of the Gospel if they have gone that long away from the church.

Answer? PLUG THE LEAK in what we are doing in the HOME! The Answer lies in the HOME! IT’S MY JOB. It is not the church’s. It is the responsibility of the church to equip saints for the work of the ministry not to do it for them! Some families are on spiritual welfare!

I won’t go there if they don’t have… Young people’s this or that! Entertainment! Youth adventures! Gyms and “gathering places” Bands, drama groups, etc…

Ephesians 6:1-4 KJV 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Ephesians (Context) Chapters 1-3 Orthodoxy – Right Believing Doctrine of Salvation – How we come to know the Lord in the scheme of redemption. Chapters 4-6 Orthopraxy – Practice of what is believed Application – Sanctification – What we do. 4:1 – “Therefore, I the prisoner of the Lord implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.”

Ephesians 5:15ff Three Sets of threes: Three Contrast – Three Commands Three Context Telescopic

Ephesians 5:15ff Three Sets of threes: Three Contrast – V. 15 – Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. Contrast 1) Don’t walk as unwise, but walk as wise.

Ephesians 5:15ff Three Sets of threes: Three Contrast – V. 17 “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Contrast 1) Don’t walk as unwise, but walk as wise. 2) Don’t be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5:15ff Three Sets of threes: Three Contrast – “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.” Contrast 1) Don’t walk as unwise, but walk as wise. 2) Don’t be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is. 3) Don’t be filled with wine but be filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:15ff Three Sets of threes: Three Commands – V. 19 – “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.” Commands 1) Be a worshipful person.

Ephesians 5:15ff Three Sets of threes: Three Commands – V. 20 – “always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;” Commands 1) Be a worshipful person. 2) Be prayerfully thankful for all things.

Ephesians 5:15ff Three Sets of threes: Three Commands – V. 21 – “And be subject to one another in the fear of God.” Commands 1) Be a worshipful person. 2) Be prayerfully thankful for all things. 3) Submit to the authority God has placed in your life.

Ephesians 5:15ff Three Sets of threes: Three Contexts Contexts – 5:22-33 Wives and husbands – 6:1-4 Children and parents – 6:5-9 Servants and masters

1) Headship of the man in the house. 2) Headship of the parents over the children. 3) Headship of the master over the servant. Ephesians 5:21 5: :9 THREE RELATIONSHIPS

Ephesians 6:1-4 KJV 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1-4 KJV 2 Honor thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Ten Commandments One - Four Vertical Commands between God and Man. Five - Ten Horizontal Commands between man and man.

Fifth Command 1 st one with promise

Exodus 20:12 12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

How Important is this command?

Romans 1:24-30 Process of Degradation of a Culture Three Tiered process: – Romans 1:24-25 – Dishonored God – Romans 1:26-27 – Dishonored Bodies – Romans 1:28-30 – Dishonored others

Exodus 20:12 12 Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Deut. 5:16 Deuteronomy 5:16 KJV 16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. So that you will continue to exist and perpetuate the faith!

Ephesians 6:2-3 It is for the perpetuating of the community of believers into the next generation. It is the way to disciple the next generation! THAT IS THE FUNCTION OF THE HOME!

Ephesians 6:4 4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Theme of the Lesson: The Centrality of The Home The Evangelism and Discipling of the next generation!

Ephesians (Context) Chapters 1-3 Orthodoxy – Right Believing Doctrine of Salvation – How we come to know the Lord in the scheme of redemption. Chapters 4-6 Orthopraxy – Practice of what is believed Application – Sanctification – What we do. 4:1 – “Therefore, I the prisoner of the Lord implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.”

Teach Your Children To Behave Like Christians EVANGELISM Fathers it is our job to evangelize our children! DISCIPLESHIP Fathers it is our job to disciple our children!

Three Phases in the Development of our Children 1) Discipline It is our responsibility to tell our children, “Give me your attention.” Teach them to do what they are told, when they are told and with a respectful attitude. Positive Outcome? Perpetuate the community of Faith! Or else … Romans 1 could be the outcome.

Three Phases in the Development of our Children 2) Give me your mind That is when we teach them what to believe and why to believe it. Positive Outcome? Perpetuate the community of Faith! Or else…Romans 1 could be the outcome.

Three Phases in the Development of our Children 3) Give Me Your Hand. Give me your hand and walk with me so that I can teach you how to apply what it is that you have been taught. Positive Outcome? Perpetuate the community of Faith! Or else…Romans 1 could be the outcome.

If we do God’s things in God’s ways we will get God’s results. If we do this we are not only going to plug the leak but we will also fill the bucket.