Story number 2 for 5 Jun 2000

Next, violence in the youth culture has created a series of stereotypes in many American churches. However, Global Advance’s David Shibley says there is an interesting dichotomy involved here that can be encouraging. “Some of the finest Christians I have ever met are teenagers right now. It’s the most missions-savvy group of teenagers that this country has ever produced. They feel as though they are connected to the entire world and the entire world scene. I believe kids really feel an identity today with the suffering of the world and they want to go make a difference in Jesus’ name.” Shibley adds that there is an unusual strength being shown in the upcoming American Christian church. “God is raising up a radical core of kids and they are hundreds of thousands strong, perhaps millions strong in this nation. And I believe that there is a second ‘Jesus movement’ coming, much like the one we experienced some 30 years ago, except this is even more radical and it’s far more focused on world evangelization.”