Young Preachers

2 Timothy 4:2 KJV
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove , rebuke , exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

2 Timothy 4:5 KJV
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions , do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Why is it we lack young preachers, one thing that i often hear is that preaching is not for everyone, yet people like Charles Spurgeon started on the street at 16 and many others such as Hudson Taylor started extremely young.

With a large number of youth leaving our church where are the young preachers for this generation? Where are the street evangelists?

I know as a street preacher myself i am always willing for more street preachers to come out on the street.

I think it is so many times that I hear preaching is not for everyone does that mean in other terms that I do not want my pulpit taken over by someone younger or is there other hidden motives in this statement.

Charles spurgeon was part of a Preaching Club that went round different churches in which he could be corrected!
Where are the Preaching Clubs of the Uk? I may have got my historic facts wrong so you can correct me? By why should we not learn the wisdom of preaching through are elders?

As a street preacher I always love hearing someone new preaching as they can pierce people, it also informs me on what doctrines people believe as it is sometimes hard to gauge in in our churches what people actually believe.

Sometimes I only really know what people believe when evangelizing or when some dodgy doctrine comes out? How many pastors know whether they go to church on Sunday and then go to see someone else such as a New Age person on another day, I was reading an interesting fact on the ecumenical movement that alot of people in american churches do this, they go to church on sunday but a completly different religion on another day! Do we know what people in our congregation believe?

Will there be a ream of young preachers to replace the older ones to continue going down the old paths of our fathers!

Deltadom, what a difficult thing it must be to suffer the rejection of men in darkness as you tell them of the light of mankind. I have witnessed how many treat pulbic declaration of Gods word and I know you receive more than your share of insults. God bless you.

As for the situation here in the U.S. There is no lack of preachers. Just a great deficiency of priests.

Well, before getting into young preachers, I think we would do better to look for young Christians. In Bible college we were taught that the 18-30 demographic is a "black hole" in the church. There can't be many young preachers when there aren't many young Christians to begin with. I've been involved in ministry since my early 20's. But I've not known too many Christians my age during this time. Most of the one's I knew were in Bible college with me. But in the church, almost entirely absent. And even now, though I go to a church with 3,000 people, I would be willing to be that there aren't even 300 18-30's in our congregation.

We must always consider other possibilities. Might some of the younger generation be attaching themselves to other forms of fellowship? One cannot deny two trends. There are those who are lost yet churched and are rebelling against the hypocrisy of what they feel their parents were tied to(True hypocrisy) or just following their true nature. Then there are those who are saved that have gravitated to small groups or home chuches because they feel the restrictions of many churches that do not promote the ministry and gifts of the individual believer.

As far as the number of preachers out there. Currently in the small city I live in there are two churches without pastors. Combined I believe they have received close to 700 plus resumes from preachers for hire. I know this because I have some family members in one and I am still a member of the other.

That is a good question. My generation may be attaching themselves to more and more house-church based fellowships. But, as being a 20 something for the past decade, I have to say if they are, then they are refusing to be salt and light in this world. Because I've known a LOT of folks my age, and most of them do not confess to being practicing Christians in any shape or form. Most folks I know my age or simply soaking up the world the best they can.

But when they start having kids, they generally return to the Church.

There are a number of dangers that seek the younger folks who become believers.

Undisciplined zeal for the gospel. This can do more to turn people away than anything. I hear this alot within the college crowd because younger people lean on their emotions for their God experience. They don't get taught or learn for themselves who God is but instead of led by their emotions.

Many times they lack discipleship and in turn learn to use the standard answers when confronted with issues.

You might see some at prayer meetings but in reality only a small number of them are really serious about their faith. THe rest are there for a 'radical' 'emotional' experience.

How often do you find a conference for young people where the emotions get teased through upbeat advertisements, speakers issue emotional challengers to them and they all prayer through the rush of adrenaline they just went through? I think of the few I attended and I really feel cheated. I have even emailed a few radio shows that cater to the younger generation with certain questions and the answers I received back were very shallow.

Lastly, how often does a person ever hear a younger person testify of God's working in their lives but they never really get specific. It is always God's Love is so great. We saw God do so many things but it relates more to the emotions and what they think was God then it actually was. I feel cheated of this myself, I became a believer at age 20 (now 41) and I see the younger generation getting cheated thinking they are doing something when in reality it is hollow.

sorry for the rant.

As Katz would say, "Something is rotten in Denmark."

Hi Deadn

I very much agree with what you have said. Christianity now for youngsters is an emotional rollercoaster. There seems to be very little depth to it all. Few young people spend a lot of time praying and studying their Bible seriously. Prayer and Bible study seem to be used as something that needs to be endured. The real emphasis is on social activity. Sin in young peoples lives is tolerated to a degree which is frightening. God, in my opinion, won't raise up young preachers (to preach with power) from a pool of people who have not yielded to His will.

In reply to Deltadom

I know what you mean, there is a great lack of young preachers in our day--a lot of it becasue there is a lack of young Christians in our day as the dear brother has pointed out.

Another thing is the stigma attatched to youth these days, most people within the youth age group act very immature, and the ones who are serious about God and are devoted to properly spreading the Gospel are pigeonholed with the rest of the peopel their age and none of the older take them seriously. The older may listen, give a condescending smile and comment on their zeal, but that's about it.

On a personal note, I am only 18, and have been surrendered to ministry since 16, after God doing a wonderful work on my heart for close to a year. I know the bad end of the stick on this and have felt it's sting a lot. As God got ahold of me about such things I looked around in the youth group and wondered what was the matter with them. I always made better friends with adults than people my own age and it's still the same way. The ignorance and apathy of my generation is one of the primary causes for such a lack of young preachers, and I pray that God would move over them in Sovereign Power and separate for Himself prophets in these last days.

-Mike W.

p.s. Young preachers who have been an inspiration to me: Charles Spurgeon, Jim Elliot, Andrew Gray, Leonard Ravenhill (started when he was 14) and A. W. Tozer (took first pastorate in early 20's)

The older may listen, give a condescending smile and comment on their zeal, but that's about it.

That was often the reception I received from older brethren when I was in my early 20's.

I always made better friends with adults than people my own age and it's still the same way.

That has been my experience as well. And you are sorta forced to, because in a lot of churches, especially small country ones like the one I went to for five years, most of the adults are 50 or older. Only when I switched to the church I am presently at did I find a younger Christians to fellowship with. But still, not many my age. Most are 35 and older now.

To KingJimmy

Most of the people I make friends with are in their mid to late forties. Youngest ones are some college students in their mid twenties. But like you said, in small country churches your forced to in a lot of ways. But it's a lot better too, we have older people with much more wisdom for us to learn from.

I think God set that up, it is very curiously Providential. Seems like the Almighty's Hand is moving amongst the young in that way, can revival be on the heels of that? Perhaps we will have a revival amongst younger preachers, who knows.

-Mike W.

Amen. I think it is definitely the sovereign hand of God at work to put those of us who are younger together with those who are older. And it is God's way of also dealing with those who will come back out of the world in their 30's, so that we can lead them during that time because like good soldiers, we will have fought the fight, run the race, and kept the faith.

davym, We have to be careful with this kind of thinking. You said, "God, in my opinion, won't raise up young preachers (to preach with power) from a pool of people who have not yielded to His will." This is exactly where he often raises up the most powerful of preachers. I can think of one who wrote most of the New Testament:) I would agree, though, on the fact that a lot of what churches give youth is an emotional roller-coaster. My experience has been an absolute lack in Bible teaching. Sure, we learned all the stories, but we weren't taught the Bible. There is nothing wrong with emotion. Being in the presence of a Holy God is emotional, just ask Isaiah. The problem is when we use the emotion to try to cause a spiritual change. That has terrible consequences.
To everyone, are we so sure that there are no young preachers out there? I'll admit I don't know a lot on the national or international stage. That, however doesn't mean that they are not currently being sharpened in a tiny country church or in the wings of a mega-churched just waiting for God's time. Could it also be that perhaps they are looked down upon becasue they don't look like our idea of a powerful preacher, or sound like our heros? Are we missing someone with a word from the Lord for our day because they look like they were born in our day and not our hero's day? Just a thought, are a couple in the reformed camp that I really enjoy. I lean more towards armenian (sp?) than reformed so they must be good if I'll listen:)

God, in my opinion, won't raise up young preachers (to preach with power) from a pool of people who have not yielded to His will

I think where sin has always abounded, grace has always much more abounded.

I'm no great preacher by any stretch of the imagination, but, personally speaking, my ministry has always been effectual and powerful. I've not done much preaching, but in the preaching I have done I've seen people saved, restored, filled with the Spirit, set free from bondage, and further equipped to do the work of the Lord. No earth shaking revivals or mass salvations.

But the word of the Lord has gone forth, and it has done what God has always intended for it to do.

Dealtadom,

I would say if you look in the right places you will find a slew of young preachers of the Gospel of Christ. I am 22 years old started preaching about 17 or 18 years old and though I am taking a small break from ministry I am still active in ministering. I know what your concern is and I understand it but is God not faithful to raise up a voice in this desert? I would also point out that it was the past generation that spawned the one coming and "Ye reap what Ye sow" Our world is constantly changing and avenues and packaging of ministry are constantly changing with it. Just because there aren't 16 or 17 year old proclaiming the Gospel out in the streets doesn't mean this generation is any more wicked but that they have found a different way to share the same glorious truth, I know many young brothers and sisters in Christ on Youtube proclaiming the Gospel of Christ Jesus.

I would say Yes this generation is wicked indeed but so have many other generations. Are young Christians immature? Yes but that is kind of the idea, we mature by experience and growth, you can't expect maturity to happen over night. I know many many Christians that have the Zeal and wisedom and maturity to go with it. Perhaps the problem you face is a lack of connection with the coming generation, and if that is the case Be a mentor and befriend one of us young guns knowing that we will have flaws and immaturity it will strengthen your patience and you may see that God is faithful in raising up young voices just as well as He did in the past generation.

The Young Preacher, like Neil has stated, are hidden away in the marinading process, Remember Jesus didn't start ministry until He was 30 years old, those 30 years were His time of preparation for ministry.

There are a number of dangers that seek the younger folks who become believers.

Undisciplined zeal for the gospel. This can do more to turn people away than anything. I hear this alot within the college crowd because younger people lean on their emotions for their God experience. They don't get taught or learn for themselves who God is but instead of led by their emotions.

Many times they lack discipleship and in turn learn to use the standard answers when confronted with issues.

You might see some at prayer meetings but in reality only a small number of them are really serious about their faith.
THe rest are there for a 'radical' 'emotional' experience.

How often do you find a conference for young people where the emotions get teased through upbeat advertisements, speakers issue emotional challengers to them and they all prayer through the rush of adrenaline they just went through? I think of the few I attended and I really feel cheated. I have even emailed a few radio shows that cater to the younger generation with certain questions and the answers I received back were very shallow.

Lastly, how often does a person ever hear a younger person testify of God's working in their lives but they never really get specific. It is always God's Love is so great. We saw God do so many things but it relates more to the emotions and what they think was God then it actually was. I feel cheated of this myself, I became a believer at age 20 (now 41) and I see the younger generation getting cheated thinking they are doing something when in reality it is hollow.

sorry for the rant.

thank you for your rant! There is alot that you are saying that is true ! As most of our deceptive material is aimed at people in the youth segment because they know that it will affect the next generation of the church!

Screwtape Letters (http://members.fortunecity.com/phantom1/books2/c._s._lewis_-_the_screwtape_letters.htm)

While they are young we find them always shooting off at a tangent. Even if we contrive to keep them ignorant of explicit religion, the incalculable winds of fantasy and music and poetry—the mere face of a girl, the song of a bird, or the sight of a horizon—are always blowing our whole structure away. They will not apply themselves steadily to worldly advancement, prudent connections, and the policy of safety first. So inveterate is their appetite for Heaven that our best method, at this stage, of attaching them to earth is to make them believe that earth can be turned into Heaven at some future date by politics or eugenics or "science" or psychology, or what not. Real worldliness is a work of time—assisted, of course, by pride, for we teach them to describe the creeping death as good sense or Maturity or Experience. Experience, in the peculiar sense we teach them to give it, is, by the bye, a most useful word. A great human philosopher nearly let our secret out when he said that where Virtue is concerned "Experience is the mother of illusion"; but thanks to a change in Fashion, and also, of course, to the Historical Point of View, we have largely rendered his book innocuous.

How valuable time is to us may be gauged by the fact that the Enemy allows us so little of it. The majority of the human race dies in infancy; of the survivors, a good many die in youth. It is obvious that to Him human birth is important chiefly as the qualification for human death, and death solely as the gate to that other kind of life. We are allowed to work only on a selected minority of the race, for what humans call a "normal life" is the exception. Apparently He wants some—but only a very few—of the human animals with which He is peopling Heaven to have had the experience of resisting us through an earthly life of sixty or seventy years. Well, there is our opportunity. The smaller it is, the better we must use it. Whatever you do, keep your patient as safe as you possibly can,

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Undisciplined zeal for the gospel. This can do more to turn people away than anything. I hear this alot within the college crowd because younger people lean on their emotions for their God experience. They don't get taught or learn for themselves who God is but instead of led by their emotions.

Many times they lack discipleship and in turn learn to use the standard answers when confronted with issues.

I would think this is true but emotion directed in the right way is powerful! If someone has zeal for Gods word we would say that is good. The thing is if you are never placed in any type of leadership or say other position of responsibility

Titus 2
Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded . 7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed , having no evil thing to say of you. 9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again ; 10 Not purloining , but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly , righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 15 These things speak , and exhort , and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee

1 John 2:14 KJV
I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

I am so thankful for our young preachers earlier in this post and our wise elders also! The interesting thing is that this group gets targeted most by people who want to decieve them by streams of emotion, is it not the Mormans who train there children up and send them to do missionary work at a young age!

It is not that because i have read most people like Hudson Taylor and others and most of them were preaching at an extremely young age, are we scared to risk young preachers ?
They also need older mentors to guide them as you can only learn through mistakes!

Undisciplined Zeal is dangerous but disciplined zeal is powerful if it is used to say study! This is also a criticism as why do we all not have a zeal for our saviour whether we are young or old! Should not someone at 80 have the same passion for the gospel at 16!

I am one person that wanted to know everything about Jesus I almost lived in the christian bookshop and gods word! Should we not have the same passion for God!

It is interesting that for the young people high emotional charged conferences as God does not need all the glitz and the jazz of modernity or post- modernity! With all the Lights, which hides Gods true light

I think it was Art Katz who said that you can find revival in your bedroom on your knees as much as in any highly charged conference, that is not lacking our need for conferences!

I ask the question, why are the youth running to these highly emotional places? Can we pray about it?

“In answer to your inquiry, I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.” - William Booth

Oh to see more young preachers like Charles Spurgeon? To me it is they are not given a chance with these big mega churches they become vast mazes in which you are merely a number on a seat and these are mostly the types of churches this generation tends to populate, because of our tv culture its affect on people where the person up the front or celebrity mentality an almost god like personality is raised up rather than God himself and because it is no different from simply watching different media such as TV.
We have a generation that does not think or ask questions? or the wrong questions?

There is also the aspect I guess aswell is that people have to be trained and simply someone who stands up the front must be more educated than the people in the pew, this is not any disrepect to authority as I agree we need authority as it is god who places elders and pastors in our churches.

It is more the elder or the pastor to realize that he has someone who is worthy to take him over, I hate to bring the issue of pride up but it can be a factor when preaching.
If you have someone who has always preached is it that they are so proud of there position in the church that they will not let any young blood enter the pulpit.

Should our churches be nesting grounds for young preachers in which they can be nurtured in there faith!

I am one who agrees with authority and realize this dilemma is both of one of pulpit and person. Both could be guilty of pride!

Do our churches give glory to the preacher or do they give glory to god as god can use any instrument he chooses

Sorry that you have put up with the Ramblings of a Mad man! I am noone who needs Jesus, please correct me if I have said anything out of line

The young saints are having problems because the old saints have departed from the faith. There is too much mixture in the lives of the old "saints" (hypocrisy), too much legalism (no love) and too much man pleasing (following men).

Instead of shifting the blame to the young, look to yourselves. If the young have no compass, it is because they have never seen one in you. The young merely reflect the old. They are a mirror of you.

God isn't concerned with age only the willingness to serve and obey.