3 Min Read
14 December 2023
The news headlines about young people in the Western church frequently speak of dissatisfaction, disappointment and decline. But that’s not the whole story. Youth workers on the ground are seeing young people meet with God in powerful ways. Read some of the incredible stories of individual young people being activated in prayer and mission and bringing their friends into relationship with Jesus:
In Birmingham recently, a 14-year-old boy arrived an hour early to the prayer event. He explained that he had a real heart to preach the gospel that evening because he and several others had invited friends who didn’t know Jesus to come with them. During the worship he was invited to preach the gospel, and in response over 20 young people gave their lives to Jesus.
A young person in Manchester attended a number of 24-7 Prayer Youth events and became so excited about praying and sharing the gospel with her friends that she began running a youth Alpha course in her school.
Out of the Alpha Course, she invited a friend to one of the 24-7 Prayer youth events in Manchester. At the event, her friend gave her life to Jesus for the first time – both of them were crying tears of joy at the end of the night.
On stage at Wildfires 2023, a festival in the UK, there was a talk on boldness and evangelism. In response, a young person was encouraged to share a sense that he had for the room. He suggested that everyone in the Wildfires youth tent got their phones out to invite a friend to church on the upcoming Sunday.
Lots of young people responded to it, and shouts began to ring out across the room as their friends said yes to coming to church. Following the festival, there were several follow up messages on social media from young people whose friends had been impacted by coming to church, with some giving their lives to Jesus following that call!
God is moving to draw young people to Jesus. We are seeing a growing hunger for truth, boldness in sharing, and passion for the presence of God in the youth of the UK.
Please continue to pray for all that God is doing amongst young people. Pray for them personally, and for youth leaders, parents, teachers, pastors, coaches and all who support them. We believe that God has incredible plans for the next generation – let’s continue to pray them in!
Want to hear more? Listen to Episode 3 of The 24-7 Prayer Podcast. It’s called “Youth: Help!”, and in it Josh Green, the Youth Director for 24-7 Prayer GB, speaks about his experience seeing God meet with young people and what Jesus is doing in the next generation of the church.
