Millennial Generation Prayer Guide
According to George Barna, 70% of our youth are leaving church after high school and 80% will be disengaged by the time they are age 29. According to the New York Times, only 4% of teens will be “Bible believing Christians” as adults. That would be a sharp decline compared with 35% of the current generation of baby boomers, and before that, 65% of the World War II generation. (New York Times).
Why are we losing the Millennial Generation?
The book of 1 John answers this question.
- “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” 1 John 1:6-7 (NKJV).
- “He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” 1 John 2:4 (NKJV).
- “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us” 1 John 2:19 (NKJV).
- “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (NKJV).
We never had the Millennial Generation
The church did not lose an entire generation of kids, because we never had them. According to the book of 1 John, the ones who fall away never had salvation. I believe the number one reason our kids are leaving the church is because of the “sinner’s prayer”. We have herded this generation into our vacation bible schools, present the gospel message in a large group, then tell the kids to “repeat this prayer after me”. This is not the scriptural way to lead someone to Christ. Where is the repentance and sorrow for their sins? Do they understand that they are sinners? The “sinner’s prayer” is not in the Bible. We have baptized a generation of lost children because of our unbiblical methods of evangelism. We then wonder why they are leaving our churches.
My Testimony
I know that this sounds very harsh, but I was one of those VBS casualties who had said a “sinner’s prayer”. At the age of 16, I realized that I was not saved after hearing my Sunday School teacher read a very unpopular Jack Chick tract on evolution. Immediately, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart to tell me that I was lost and going to hell. I was shocked. I argued and said, “How could this be, I said the sinner’s prayer in Vacation Bible School?” At the end of a very uncomfortable church service, I walked the aisle with the preacher’s daughter, who was also saved. When I looked up from my crouched position, the entire youth group was at the altar sobbing over their sins. All of us had said a “sinner’s prayer” in VBS, but now we were truly sorrowful over our sins and soundly saved. This is one of two revival experiences that I have seen in my lifetime. All because of a Chick Tract. Yes, they are offensive, but so is the gospel message.
Please download our free prayer guide which includes prayers based from the scriptures on how to pray for our youth in America: Prayer Guide “Leaving”
Prayer In Every City 
Wow. Have never thought of it this way. I immediately thought of Jesus’ parable of the soils. Many children and adults make decisions for Christ during a spiritual high or emotion.
I always try to discuss with my children (my own and Sunday school) that they sin and that’s why we need a Savior.
Thank you!
We should always be careful in leading someone to Christ, especially children. They can give the right “Sunday School” answer, but do they understand their own sin.
I refer to the sin list often. Most on there shocked my children and husband, haha!
I too was a product of a forced VBS prayer. In second grade, all the kids who were not saved were asked to stay behind in a classroom, where an adult sat side by side with a child, there job was to lead us to Christ. How item updating! I knew I wasn’t saved. In middle school I tried to get saved, so I walked the aisle, prayed, and was baptized. It didn’t work, where was this “change” that was suppose to come about? A year later, I gave it another try. By this point, I gave up. Everyone thought I was saved, I tried to make myself believe I was saved because I went through the motions, and checked off the list. The problem, I was not convicted of my sin, I was not sorrowful, I did not truly understand I was in desperate need of a savior. At 15, the Lord woke me up from my sleep. I thought, if I read my Bible, I could go back to sleep. The Lord told me, I was not saved and He did not know me, and that if I were to die I would be going to Hell. How could this be? Everyone thought I was saved, I was a good person. What would people think if I walked to aisle again for a third time. For three hours, I read my Bible on the floor of my room, and struggled with Satan trying to convince me not to do this. The Lord led me to scripture after scripture about repentance and salvation. At 3am, crying with a broken heart, I prayed and asked the Lord to forgive me of my sins and gave my life to Him. Within an instant, the weight of my sins was lifted and was immediately filled with peace and the Holy Spirit. Although, I was a good person, that was not enough. I was still lost up until that night in June. I went the next Sunday, and proudly walked to aisle to share the good news. The church family was happy for me, no casted judgement like I thought they were going too. 18 years later, I am forever grateful for Christ for dying on the cross for my sins, and that the Lord thought enough of me to wake me up in the middle of the night to give one more chance to follow Him. I too believe that the church has falsely converted children in VBS, I almost was one of them.