Are Millennials The New Evangelists?
Sharing the gospel with the lost is an imperative command from Jesus Christ, but for many, the Great Commission has become the great omission, but not for millennials.
Doing it unto Christ
Today, millennials share their faith in Christ more than any other age group in the church. For some reason, the millennials are the most passionate about sharing their faith, and it’s a denomination-wide phenomena. They share Christ more than any other generation in the church today. They are also more involved with the poor, widows and widowers, the homeless, home-bound, nursing home residents, and the oppressed.
They tend to read Jesus’ commands and do them. When Jesus was speaking to the disciples about serving others (Matt 25:35-36), He said that by caring for the naked (the poor), the sick, prisoners, and strangers, they were doing it unto Him (Matt 25:40). And that’s what millennials are doing. Some criticize their work as trying to change the world through social causes and not trying to convert hearts through the Word of God, but at least they are serving. That’s our experience in the local nursing home and in the prison ministry. Whatever is driving these millennials (probably the Spirit of God), they are making an impact on reaching the lost for Christ.
Of Necessity
After Jesus death and resurrection, and just prior to His ascension into heaven, He told the disciples to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:18-20). This was an imperative command, not something He hoped they do. Paul knew He was under compulsion from God as he wrote, “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor 9:16)! When Jeremiah thought about not speaking for God anymore, he said, “if I say, ‘I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot” (Jer 20:9). The disciples refused to be silent about Christ, telling the Jewish leaders, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).
The Millennial Fire
In the last few years, millennials have surpassed all other people in the church as far as sharing their faith is concerned. In 2010, 56% of millennials shared Christ, but in just 3 years (2013), that number had jumped to 65%! [1] Even more, 2/3rds of them have shared Christ within the last year compared to only 52% of all other age groups in Christianity. For some reason, Baby Boomers have been moving in just the opposite direction; sharing Christ from over 65% (in 2007) of the time to only 49% (in 2013). [1] Not only is education important to millennials, so are relationships, and relationships are what keeps millennials involved in serving. Thom Rainer believes getting and keeping millennials “involved in a service, activity, or ministry is through relationships.” [2] Too frequently I hear that “This younger generation doesn’t get it,” but we don’t give them enough credit. We often make sweeping generalizations about the younger generations, but every generation has seemed to do that. At least the millennials are involved in serving, and they are more passionate about sharing Christ than others are.
The Word of God
Using the Word of God is essential because therein lies the power (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18). God says through Jeremiah, “Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces” (Jer 23:29), and His Word says to all, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food” (Isaiah 55:1-2). Jesus Himself, Who is the Living Water, says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37b-38), but we must first speak about the Living Waters. Paul asks, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news” (Rom 10:14-15)
Conclusion
I can understand why Christ “said to his disciples, ’The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’” (Matt 9:37-38). Today it seems fewer and fewer are witnessing for Christ, but evangelism is still important to many of the millennials today. If only we have a person of God who’ll share the Word of God and then comes the Spirit of God, can He create the children of God.
The cross is foolish to the world, “but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18), so like Paul, may we say, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16). The Apostle Peter adds that all believers should “honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet 3:15). Not one person I know of was ever argued or debated into heaven.
Sharing the gospel with the lost is an imperative command from Jesus Christ, but for many, the Great Commission has become the great omission, but not for millennials.
Doing it unto Christ
Today, millennials share their faith in Christ more than any other age group in the church. For some reason, the millennials are the most passionate about sharing their faith, and it’s a denomination-wide phenomena. They share Christ more than any other generation in the church today. They are also more involved with the poor, widows and widowers, the homeless, home-bound, nursing home residents, and the oppressed.
They tend to read Jesus’ commands and do them. When Jesus was speaking to the disciples about serving others (Matt 25:35-36), He said that by caring for the naked (the poor), the sick, prisoners, and strangers, they were doing it unto Him (Matt 25:40). And that’s what millennials are doing. Some criticize their work as trying to change the world through social causes and not trying to convert hearts through the Word of God, but at least they are serving. That’s our experience in the local nursing home and in the prison ministry. Whatever is driving these millennials (probably the Spirit of God), they are making an impact on reaching the lost for Christ.
Of Necessity
After Jesus death and resurrection, and just prior to His ascension into heaven, He told the disciples to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:18-20). This was an imperative command, not something He hoped they do. Paul knew He was under compulsion from God as he wrote, “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor 9:16)! When Jeremiah thought about not speaking for God anymore, he said, “if I say, ‘I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot” (Jer 20:9). The disciples refused to be silent about Christ, telling the Jewish leaders, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).
The Millennial Fire
In the last few years, millennials have surpassed all other people in the church as far as sharing their faith is concerned. In 2010, 56% of millennials shared Christ, but in just 3 years (2013), that number had jumped to 65%! [1] Even more, 2/3rds of them have shared Christ within the last year compared to only 52% of all other age groups in Christianity. For some reason, Baby Boomers have been moving in just the opposite direction; sharing Christ from over 65% (in 2007) of the time to only 49% (in 2013). [1] Not only is education important to millennials, so are relationships, and relationships are what keeps millennials involved in serving. Thom Rainer believes getting and keeping millennials “involved in a service, activity, or ministry is through relationships.” [2] Too frequently I hear that “This younger generation doesn’t get it,” but we don’t give them enough credit. We often make sweeping generalizations about the younger generations, but every generation has seemed to do that. At least the millennials are involved in serving, and they are more passionate about sharing Christ than others are.
The Word of God
Using the Word of God is essential because therein lies the power (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18). God says through Jeremiah, “Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces” (Jer 23:29), and His Word says to all, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food” (Isaiah 55:1-2). Jesus Himself, Who is the Living Water, says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37b-38), but we must first speak about the Living Waters. Paul asks, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news” (Rom 10:14-15)
Conclusion
I can understand why Christ “said to his disciples, ’The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’” (Matt 9:37-38). Today it seems fewer and fewer are witnessing for Christ, but evangelism is still important to many of the millennials today. If only we have a person of God who’ll share the Word of God and then comes the Spirit of God, can He create the children of God.
The cross is foolish to the world, “but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18), so like Paul, may we say, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16). The Apostle Peter adds that all believers should “honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet 3:15). Not one person I know of was ever argued or debated into heaven.
