The Next Great Awakening Depends on Reaching Them First

Faith Facts

• While Christianity has declined in Western nations, the global Church continues to experience growth in new regions around the world
• More than 3.42 billion people worldwide have not yet embraced the Christian faith
• Children represent the most receptive population for sharing the Gospel and ensuring the future vitality of Christianity

The landscape of global Christianity is shifting in profound ways. As traditional strongholds in Europe and North America see declining church attendance and fewer identifying as Christian, a remarkable transformation is taking place across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The Church is expanding in regions where believers face persecution and hardship, demonstrating the enduring power of the Gospel message.

Yet the reality remains sobering: billions of souls have never heard the saving message of Jesus Christ. Among those unreached masses, one group stands out as uniquely responsive to the love of Christ—children.

Young hearts remain open to spiritual truth in ways that adults, hardened by years of worldly influence and false ideologies, often are not. Children possess a natural capacity for faith, an eagerness to believe, and a hunger for moral guidance that makes them the most fertile ground for Gospel seeds. Scripture itself affirms this when Jesus declared that we must become like little children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The strategic importance of reaching children cannot be overstated. These young believers will shape the Church for generations to come. They will become the pastors, missionaries, worship leaders, and faithful witnesses who carry the torch of Christian faith into an increasingly secular world. When we invest in children’s spiritual formation, we are investing in the future of Christianity itself.

Parents bear the primary responsibility for raising children in the faith, but the broader church community must support this sacred duty. Sunday schools, vacation Bible schools, youth programs, and Christian education all play vital roles. In nations where religious freedom allows, Christian schools provide environments where faith and learning integrate naturally, protecting young minds from the secular indoctrination prevalent in government schools.

Missionary efforts focused on children yield exponential returns. A child who comes to faith often brings family members to Christ, creating ripples that transform entire communities. These young converts grow up with biblical worldviews intact, better equipped to resist the moral confusion of our age.

The decline of Christianity in the West serves as a cautionary tale. Generations that failed to pass on the faith to their children now watch church buildings close and Christian influence wane. We cannot afford to repeat these mistakes on a global scale. The harvest is plentiful, and the youngest among us are ready to receive.

American Christians, blessed with abundant resources, have both opportunity and obligation. Supporting international children’s ministries, sponsoring Christian education in developing nations, and training indigenous teachers to disciple young believers—these efforts represent kingdom investments with eternal dividends.

As Jesus welcomed the little children when His disciples tried to turn them away, so must we prioritize bringing young hearts to the Savior. The future of global Christianity depends not on elaborate strategies or institutional programs, but on simple obedience to Christ’s command: Let the little children come to Me.

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