Yes, the following is an extreme example of what may be the future for Christians in the United States. Will it ever be this bad in the United States? Only the Lord knows for sure, but Revelation doesn’t paint a pretty picture anywhere in the world. A growing number of pastors seem to believe we’ll end up here. I’m no prophet, but I’d rather those appointed to my care are ready for such a situation and it not happen than the reserve.
I want you to travel with me in your mind’s eye to a time in the possibly near future. We are merely outside observers, much like Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Before us are a small group of men and women. They look familiar, like we’ve seen them before. The marks of torture and imprisonment are upon them. We can hear the volume of the harsh words of their captors even before we see the strikes and physical beatings that this group of people are enduring.
Tuning in, we focus on the words. “Deny your Christ and this will all be over!” “Reject Jesus and you will be freed!” “Hold on to your fairy tale faith and you will die here!” These and far fouler words are shouted by the captors at this group of men and women. We now know these are Christians suffering persecution for their faith. The fact that we understand their words tells us that this isn’t happening in some far off country, but possibly right here in the United States of America. Thinking about it, and how things have changed over the last 50 or so years, it looks like the words preached from many a pulpit have been proven true. Persecution of Christians is now a reality.
Then we get a glimpse of one of the young men. His words strike us through the heart, “I will never reject my Savior!” It is the “I will never,” that catches our collective attention. We now know who he is. He is the troublemaker from our children’s ministry. The one we are always fighting with. The one who never sits still. The one who caused us headaches when he hit another kid. When he was asked to apologize he instead shouted, “I will never say I am sorry!”
As we look over each face, we start to recognize these are the boys and girls we work with, only they are grown up now. These are the ones we wonder about: are we making a difference in their lives? Are they getting it? Is our teaching sinking in? Now we see that it is. It just takes time. But in that time they will go from children unaware of what Scripture says to grown men and women unashamed of their faith.
Granted, this scene is just one possibility of the future. However, this is why we work in children’s and youth ministry: to raise up boys and girls to be men and women unashamed of their Savior and willing to stand for Him, whatever the cost. We may not see the results in our lifetime, but we will surely know them in Heaven. Every time you feel overwhelmed or underappreciated, remember this vision. We are called to a noble task in the holiest of endeavors. It could very well be this future we are preparing these boys and girls for. Yes, ministry to children and youth is hard. But the future they face may very well be harder. We are the ones who get the privilege of preparing them for it.