Ministry to Children and Youth is Vital

Every congregation needs a strong program for reaching the members' kids. Most Christians come to faith before age 21 so children's evangelism is critically important. Secondly, most new members do NOT come from outside but from inside the church.

A. Approximately 17 million people become church members each year through conversion.
1. About 7 million leave the church annually. (We must slow the exodus out the backdoor)
2. This is a net of 10 million new believers added annually

B. Some 53 million children are born into Christian families each year, three times the number won to Christ from outside the church.
1. About 21 million church members die annually.
2. This is a net gain of 32 million people if the children are converted.
3. When added to the 10 million new members it is a grand total of 42 million people added each year to the global church.

C. A rate of 115,000 people coming into the church each day, 365 days per year.
1. 27,400 people each day are new converts
2. 87,700 are babies born each day to believers

II. Thoughts and considerations

A. We must preach the gospel to our children as well as to outsiders
B. Most people who come to Christ do so as children or youth.
C. Most converts hear the gospel and respond to it through family and or friends.
D. Christianity is growing more rapidly than any other faith.
E. Christianity is growing faster than the population.
F. Helping members minister to their family and friends is critical to Christian growth.

Keep young families engaged in church and evangelize the kids