As a ministry whose singular focus is “energizing a generation to evangelize their world” we have a handful of churches that see us as a strategic part of their mission/outreach giving. These churches understand that reaching teenagers is essential both on a local and global level. On a local level it’s vital because 85% of those who trust in Jesus do so by the age of 18. On a global level it is important because evangelizing teenagers can become evangelizing missionaries someday!
Here are at least 5 reasons your church should consider supporting the ministry of Dare 2 Share out of your outreach/missions budget:
1. Without enough young people catching the vision for global evangelism mission work will lose much-needed momentum. Perhaps the greatest mission work Hudson Taylor accomplished in the 19th Century was not in China reaching the lost through the China Inland Mission, but back home in England recruiting hundreds of young people to join him in his quest to reach China for Christ. Hudson Taylor knew that if his vision was to be truly and fully accomplished that he had to, not just reach the lost, but recruit teenagers and twenty-somethings to join him. Today missionary work is in danger of slowing down due to a lack of qualified young people “in the funnel” when it comes to missionary work. Dare 2 Share helps fill the funnel with teens who see the need to advance the gospel message both locally and globally.
2. Teenagers are looking for a cause to live for and, if need be, die for. In a world of good causes Jesus offers the ultimate cause. He gave his followers the mission-meets-mandate to “go and make disciples of all nations….” Young people are hungering to attempt the impossible accomplish the improbable. This is exactly what Dare 2 Share challenges tens of thousands of teenagers every year to do through our events, leadership training and evangelism resources.
3. Teenagers will be giving to your church’s mission budget someday. As teenagers grow into adults they will be the ones who are supporting the bulk of the mission’s budget at your church. The ones who are pre-disposed to spread the gospel as teenagers will be the ones who are pre-disposed to fund missions as adults. Dare 2 Share helps to “pre-dispose” them.
4. Teenagers can provide evangelistic stories to amp up your mission’s efforts. Churches that look at reaching teenagers in their own community with the gospel can tap into stories of teenagers reaching teenagers for Christ as fodder for their local and global efforts. Instead of just depending on visiting missionaries to tell all the cool stories once a quarter or so, you can unleash the young, campus missionaries in your midst to share stories of changed lives and energize your missions efforts on a more regular basis.
5. Jesus chose teenagers to reach the world. According to Matthew 17:24-27 all the disciples went into Capernaum but only Jesus and Peter paid the temple tax. When you cross reference this passage with Exodus 30:14 this tax was only for those twenty years old and older. All the disciples are there but only Peter and Jesus pay. If I’m reading that right then most of the disciples were teenagers when they began to follow Jesus. If Jesus commissioned these teenagers as part of the 1st Century church’s mission movement to go “to the uttermost parts of the earth” with the gospel then we can view them as an essential part of our missions strategy as well.
If you are in charge of your missions budget at your church or are on the committee you can make a gift here or send a donation to:
Dare 2 Share
PO Box 745323
Arvada, CO, 80006-5323
If you aren’t in charge or on a committee please forward this blog to your missions/outreach pastor and ask him/her to consider it.
If you need more information about Dare 2 Share email my assistant at staceydozer@dare2share.org
Viva LA Cause!
