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The Urgency of Reaching the Next Generation

In the race to a childs heart...the first one there wins.George Barna

We are in a race.

How are we doing? Inside the churchStats show kids dropping out of church33% of pastors kids walk away from the faith

Katy erry. !arie "laire maga#ine she said$ I dont &elie'e in a hea'en or a hellor an old man sitting on a throne. I &elie'e in a higher power &igger than me&ecause that keeps me accounta&le.( She added$ I &elie'e in a lot of astrology.I &elie'e in aliens. I look up into the stars and I imagine) How self*important are

we to think that we are the only life*form?(

!iley "yrus. +aughter of singer and actor ,illy -ay "yrus. She was raised on a// acre farm outside of 0ash'ille. !iley grew up in a Southern ,aptist "hurch$made a profession of faith and was &apti#ed. In her early teenage years$ shewore a purity ring.

Her personal pilot said the young star had a sincere faith and moral con'ictions.He felt confident she would not trade her character for fame.

1t age 22$ !iley auditioned for a new +isney "hannel tele'ision series a&out a

schoolgirl with a secret dou&le life as a teen pop star. She recei'ed the leadposition and Hannah !ontana premiered in //4. 5he show 6uickly rankedamong the highest*rated series on ca&le. 5his propelled !iley to teen idol status.

5hrough her Hannah !ontana years$ she maintained a kid*friendly image for themost part. ,ut as she grew out of this role$ she 6uickly &egan to distance herselffrom the s6ueaky clean image with ris6ue performances$ drugs and &latantimmorality.

!iley has turned her &ack on the ,i&le truths she was taught as a child. She is'ery 'ocal a&out where she stands in matters of faith. Here are some of her

6uotes.7I am literally open to e'ery single thing that is consenting and doesn8t in'ol'e ananimal and e'eryone is of age. 9'erything that8s legal$ I8m down with. :o$ I8mdown with any adult;anyone o'er the age of 2< who is down to lo'e me. I don8trelate to &eing &oy or girl$ and I don8t ha'e to ha'e my partner relate to &oy orgirl.7

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7:ou are all stardust. :ou couldn8t &e here if stars hadn8t e=ploded$ &ecause theelements >car&on$ nitrogen$ o=ygen$ all the things that matter for e'olutionweren8t created at the &eginning of time. 5hey were created in stars. So forget@esus. Stars died so you can li'e.7

Autside the "hurch B 0ones70ones7 are people that self*identify as atheists or agnostics$ as well as thosewho say their religion is nothing in particular.7,oomers B 2C%3% !illennialsDen E * ?

5here used to &e this 'iew that there was a religious life cycle$ that when you gotolder and married and had kids you got more acti'e in organi#ed religion. ,ut

that doesnt seem to &e happening. In the past / years$ we really ha'ent seena lot of e'idence of that cycle continuing.

+a'id Hout$ rofessor at 0:F

5he Frgency of -eaching the 0e=t Deneration

How?

STAY FOCUSED

Keep an outward focus.

Guke 2)2/ B Son of man came to seek and sa'e that which was lostHis heart &eats for the lost families of your community

eter 3) B not willing that any should perish

,y Acto&er of this year the earths population will reach o'er &illion. 5hatmeans in the ne=t 2// years o'er &illion people will die and spend eternity

somewhere.(

-each out in the community

!eet families where they are and lo'e them to @esus.

s @esus went on from there$ he saw a man named !atthew sitting at the ta=collectors &ooth. Jollow me$( he told him$ and !atthew got up and followed him.2/ While @esus was ha'ing dinner at !atthews house$ many ta= collectors andsinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 22 When the harisees sawthis$ they asked his disciples$ Why does your teacher eat with ta= collectors andsinners?(

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2 An hearing this$ @esus said$ It is not the healthy who need a doctor$ &ut thesick. 23 ,ut go and learn what this means) I desire mercy$ not sacrifice.LaM Jor Iha'e not come to call the righteous$ &ut sinners.(!atthew )*23

Guke 2)*2/ >EacchaeusWhen @esus reached the spot$ he looked up and said to him$ Eacchaeus$ comedown immediately. I must stay at your house today.( 4 So he came down at onceand welcomed him gladly. 1ll the people saw this and &egan to mutter$ He has gone to &e the guest of asinner.(< ,ut Eacchaeus stood up and said to the Gord$ Gook$ GordN Here and now I gi'ehalf of my possessions to the poor$ and if I ha'e cheated any&ody out ofanything$ I will pay &ack four times the amount.( @esus said to him$ 5oday sal'ation has come to this house$ &ecause this man$too$ is a son of 1&raham. 2/ Jor the Son of !an came to seek and to sa'e the

lost.(

Guke )3C >friend of sinnersC 5he Son of !an came eating and drinking$ and you say$ Here is a glutton anda drunkard$ a friend of ta= collectors and sinners.

Guke 2C)2*C >para&le of &an6uet*things going well in life*reach people when they are down on luck*where spiritually sick families find help not a museum where perfect families areon display.(

STAY RELEVANT

*keep looking and e'aluating

*change what doesnt work

*not 2