Critics cited known digital threats like sexual predators and cyberbullying when urging Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to cancel his plans for Instagram Youth, a child-focused version of the popular photo- and video-sharing app. Executives classified Instagram Youth as an “H1 priority” in March.

Public resistance began following Zuckerberg’s statements during misinformation hearings on Capitol Hill. Nonprofits and child safety advocates gathered more than 180,000 signatures on three petitions, which they sent to Facebook ahead of its annual stakeholders meeting.

(Photo courtesy of bruce mars/Unsplash)

Josh Golin, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood’s executive director, said in a statement:

“Teens and even adults on Instagram struggle with the never-ending focus on appearance, the relentless fear of missing out, promotion of influencer culture, and the pressure to collect likes. Instagram for young children is among the greediest, most tone-deaf, and wrong-headed ideas ever to emerge from Silicon Valley.”

It’s an ongoing battle for the Next Generation’s decisions and mental health.

“A lot of social media is marketing, whether it’s self-marketing or business marketing. There’s a lot of psychology behind marketing, and different tactics [used] to influence behavior,” says Hannah Harrison, Child Sponsorship and Social Media Coordinator for Set Free Ministries.

“Romans 12:2 says, ‘Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.’ Kids are wrestling with this constantly, at a much earlier age now, because [of] social media and the easier access.”

Using Scripture and an approach outlined by Dr. Neil Anderson, Set Free Ministries helps young people and families fix their minds on Christ.

“When you look at social media, a lot of it is about comparison, and Scripture has much to say about this,” Set Free Ministries Executive Director Dean Vander Mey says.

“It’s important that we know who our enemy is, but it’s also super important to know who God says you are.”

Without teaching identity, adults leave kids at risk. “I’m afraid that the Church has failed at this, our Christian homes have failed at this, and so our children don’t know who they are. Society is telling them who they are based upon their feelings,” Vander Mey says.

“Josh McDowell did a seminar in 2018. He said we have two divisions in our society. The younger generation, 30 and under, believes that truth comes from within, based on feelings and emotions. The other group, the older group, believes that truth comes from God and is to be walked in. This new generation does not believe that, so they’re [basing] everything on how they think and feel.”

By introducing God-centered truth, Set Free helps people identify and correct misperceptions. Learn more here.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Gaelle Marcel/Unsplash.

TWR’s Jon Fugler is a member of the Alliance for the Unreached. Instead of criticism, he describes the feedback as a catalyst for change. “Methods are going to change over time, over seasons. The key is [to] enter this with the right heart to be used by God, how He wants us to be used, instead of saying, ‘No, you are wrong. Now, this is the right way to do it,’” Fugler says.

“The younger generation is challenging us to think a little bit more creatively and contextually, and that’s good. I think the younger generation set the bar higher for us.”

Fugler invites believers young and old into a new approach to an existing mission. Under a new banner, the Alliance for the Unreached is making the Gospel accessible to all.

Seeing the third

Roughly three billion people, or a third of the world’s population, lack access to the Gospel in a language they understand. It’s not just about Bible translation; some communities have no Christian presence. Physical location isolates others, while government oppression stops outreach in many countries.

(Photo courtesy Alliance for the Unreached)

“The heart should break for those who have no hope of eternity because they don’t know about Jesus. That’s an injustice,” Fugler notes.

“Let’s get specific about that. Let’s make that real for the next generation instead of talking in generalities.”

Members of the Alliance for the Unreached do whatever it takes to reach these unreached communities. TWR, for example, uses media to make Christ known to the nations. Other groups do so through Bible translation, church planting, teaching, community development, and more.

Learn more here. Then, ask the Lord how He wants you to respond now that you know.

“Have the courage to find out who these individuals are around the world who don’t know Jesus. They have names; they have families; they live somewhere,” Fugler says.

Joshua Project organizes data according to people group and language on its website. You can also read stories about the unreached here. “These days, there’s no excuse not to find out who these people are. Spend 10 to 15 minutes a day online seeking to know more,” Fugler says.

“Ask God to break your heart for those who have no access [or] little access to the Gospel, and then have the courage to say, ‘Lord, what do you want me to do about it?’”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of mostafa meraji via Unsplash.

“A lot of young people have a hard time discerning between the messenger and the message,” Hutchcraft observes. “So, when someone [they] respect [and] follow – when they fall it can really do a lot of spiritual damage.”

More about Ron Hutchcraft Ministries here.

Harris, Sampson reject Christianity

First, Joshua Harris, author of “I Kissed Dating Goodbye”, and Hillsong singer/song writer Marty Sampson denied their faith on Instagram within weeks of each other. Then, Skillet lead singer John Cooper posted this reaction on Facebook, and Franklin Graham – president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse – voiced his concerns on Fox News.

(Stock photo via Pixabay)

Harris and Sampson’s statements may have doubled the doubt in young believers’ hearts. “I’ve worked with young people my entire life – believers [and] unbelievers. It’s [a] spiritually skeptical generation and the enemy knows that,” Hutchcraft says.

As previously noted by Barna Research and covered in MNN articles here, here, and here, members of the next generation increasingly question Christianity and the Bible. Nearly half of Christian Millennials frown upon faith-sharing. Generation Z has the least believers of any generation in U.S. history.

“A lot of times, young people are the most vulnerable to the collapse of a hero,” Hutchcraft continues, adding that disappointment triggered by fallen leaders can sometimes shake a believer’s faith.

“If you want to disillusion the older generation, bring down someone like a pastor or big radio personality. But, if you want to disillusion the younger generation, have it be one of these ‘heroes’ – especially ones that they follow on social media, on Instagram.”

While faith denials may be challenging for youth ministry, they can also provide Gospel opportunities.

How to respond to faith denials

As ministry founder Ron Hutchcraft describes here, the answer to disappointment and disillusionment is simple. It’s captured best in this historic hymn.

“If we are going to… help these young people that are really disillusioned, we’ve got to constantly direct worship, loyalty, and trust away from messengers and to the Man who is the message, to the Man hung on the cross,” Doug Hutchcraft adds.

“Stick to Jesus. Anyone who loved me enough to die for me will never do me wrong.”

Visit Ron Hutchcraft Ministries here for resources to help you reach others for Christ and disciple young believers in their faith.

Header image obtained via Wikimedia Commons.

Sometimes older traditions and methods can leave younger generations feeling disconnected from the Church. This is the big, nation-wide challenge facing the registered Church in China.

Erik Burklin of China Partner says youth ministry in China looks quite different from the United States. It includes individuals from 20 to 40-years of age. When China Partner initially broached the topic with partners within the registered Church, they were expecting a much different demographic.

“But that’s really kind of what they look at as young people. Anybody under 40 is, to them, the younger generation,” Burklin says.

Bridging the gap

The reason youth is a much older demographic in this case is because of the current Church make-up.

(Photo courtesy of China Partner)

“The majority of the people who attend are very old. I’m talking anywhere between 65 and 80, and mostly women. So there’s a huge discrepancy between those who are actually attending church and those people who they would like to reach.”

So now, as 2017 approaches, China Partner is supporting the registered Church as they think strategically about how to reach this next generation of Christians.

Gauging the problem

To start the process, they’ve talked with younger people to find out why the Church is currently uninteresting to them. The truth is, things are run the same way they have been for years. As we’ve seen in other countries, especially the United States, worship styles have changed in the last couple of decades with newer generations of Christian artists. Bible studies and life groups have adjusted to new learning styles.

It’s not keeping up with the culture in a way that jeopardizes the Gospel message, but it’s considering how different generations connect, relate, learn, and function. 

(Photo courtesy of China Partner)

China Partner has one group of people in mind who have a lot to say about this gap, and how to fix it.
“We have sensed a lot of open doors there, especially in the Bible schools and seminaries. [The] younger, emerging Christian leaders are now being equipped, many of them in their 20s. They’re the ones who understand the need of how to reach the next generation. They understand the need of doing church differently than what we grew up with.”

In addition to bridging the gap between old and young Christians, the Church will also be salt and light to younger generations who do not yet know Jesus.

Bible demand: an indicator of Gospel interest

Another variable in ministry is growth. China has long been known as the fastest growing Church in the world. But Burklin explains this may be old data. Church growth, at least for the registered Church, appears to have plateaued. This is just another reason why it is so important to reach out to the next group of Christians.

Even so, there is a huge demand for Bibles. China Partner works with Amity Printing Company in China. Burklin says it is now known as the largest Bible printing press in the world.

(Photo courtesy of China Partner)

“It was just phenomenal to witness again how quickly these Bibles come off the presses. In fact, they have a counter in the lobby and I measured it and it’s roughly a Bible per second that they’re printing.”

In addition, this press has morphed from a national resource to an international outreach. Burklin says 40 percent of Bibles printed here are sent overseas.

“Overall, what’s exciting is Bibles are readily available. I think there’s still much more that needs to be done in that area so everyone can have a Bible, but the good news is you can once again own a Bible legally. You don’t have to hide it, you don’t have to make sure nobody takes it away from you.”

This is a huge shift from the recent past in communist China. With these things in mind, China Partner looks ahead to what’s next.

Would you please pray for opportunities and guidance for this ministry?

Burklin says, “We always need God to keep us wise in how we operate in China, and what we do and how much we do in China. We don’t want to be in their way. We want to be sensitive to their needs and be available to them to what they need.”

If you would like to be a part of China Partner’s work to equip, serve, and partner with the Church in China, click here.

(Photo courtesy Global Advance)

International (MNN) — Celebration, commitment, and collaboration: three words Global Advance is using to describe 2015.

For a quarter-century, Global Advance has committed to raising up indigenous leaders with a heart for the Great Commission in both the church and marketplace.

“We’re continuing to learn and continuing to just be in awe of what God’s doing around the world,” says Jonathan Shibley with Global Advance. “Globalization has really ‘come on the scene’ and just created great opportunity for missions.”

Shibley says they’re gathering some of those leaders this fall in Dallas, Texas, to celebrate 25 years of ministry and collaborate for 25 more.

They’ll be looking for “ways that we can make pivots and improvements on how we bring leadership into the nations, and the needs and aspects from the different regions of the world,” he shares.

“[Leaders are] going to have a lot of opportunity to speak into that process.”

Global Advance: then and now

(Photo courtesy Global Advance)

Since its founding, Global Advance has helped train and encourage over a half-million pastors in 94 nations. While these “frontline shepherds” were the ministry’s initial focus, Shibley says the Lord has recently directed their attention to additional needs.

“[A few years ago] God sovereignly brought us the ministry of Alpha Relief, which was totally dedicated to serving persecuted Christians in some of the hardest areas of the world,” says Shibley.

“We’ve joined forces to try to bring rescue, aid, and support to families and leaders that are truly on the frontlines and are under, at times, great distress.”

Global Advance has two more ventures in addition to Alpha Relief and their Frontline Shepherds conferences for pastors: Marketplace Missions and the Esther Project.

Global Advance Marketplace Missions initiatives are a conduit for U.S. business leaders to invest their skills, knowledge, and experience into the lives of emerging marketplace leaders. Training Christian business men and women in developing nations increases economic and spiritual capital throughout the world.

Through conferences, church meetings, workshops, and small group gatherings, Esther Project teams of dedicated and godly believers teach women of all ages in leadership, business, ministry, and home life. Vision, strategy, and resources are instilled, empowering women to effectively impact their generation through their wisdom, influence, and prayer.

These leaders in North India are listening to a message on discipling new leaders.
(Photo, caption courtesy Global Advance via Facebook)

“Next Gen” projects are on the horizon, Shibley says.

“We want to continue [bringing] in a Next Generation focus,” he explains.

“There’s a lot of younger people that need spiritual fathers that can speak into their life and provide encouragement and leadership and direction from a biblical standpoint.”

No matter what changes come along, one constant remains.

“Pastors still are very discouraged, in developing countries, and they need a lot of training and support and vision to carry out the task of fulfilling the Great Commission,” says Shibley.

Will you keep them in your prayers?

Pray that the Lord will keep opening doors of opportunity for Global Advance.

Contact Global Advance here for more on how YOU can help.