Look at these statistics from the Barna Research group and similar studies conducted during the past twenty years with consistent findings.
- Nearly half of all Americans who accept Jesus Christ as their savior do so before reaching the age of 13 (43%).
- Two out of three born again Christians (64%) made that commitment to Christ before their 18th birthday.
- Less than one out of every four born again Christians (23%) embraced Christ after their twenty-first birthday.
- By the time a child turns 9 years of age, their basic moral foundation has already been formed.
- By age 13, a person has already formed the majority of their beliefs about the nature of God, the reality of an afterlife, and the reliability of the Bible.
- In essence, what you believe by the time you are 13, is most likely what you will die believing.
- There is a 10-year window of opportunity between the ages of 4 and 14 that a person is most open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- According to a 2005 survey, only 13% of churches list “ministry to children” in their top three church priorities.
- Children and teenagers make up half of the world’s population, yet as little as 10% of mission efforts are currently directed toward them.
Throughout scripture, God puts a PREMIUM on children along with an unmistakable RESPONSIBILITY on His people to pass His works and wonders on to the next generation.