According to 2004 statistics from the Barna Group, nearly half of all Americans who profess faith in Christ (43%) do so before age 13. Additionally, two out of three people who claim to be born-again Christians (64%) made that commitment to Christ before their 18th birthday. One out of eight Christians (13%) became believers between the ages of 18 and 21, while less than one in four believers (23%) embraced Christ after turning 21.
Among Christians who accepted Christ before their teenage years, half were led to Him by their parents, and another one in five were guided by friends or relatives. Fewer responded to a minister's prompting (7%), and only one in eight cited a special event as the turning point in their journey. About half of those who referred to events identified a church service. Just 1% attributed their experience to media evangelism or other circumstances of conversion.
Among those who accepted Christ between the ages of 13 and 21, one in five attributed their decision to a friend who shared the Gospel with them, and a similar proportion credited their parents. Additionally, one-fifth recalled a specific event that triggered their commitment. Among those who decided for Christ as teenagers, 16% named a relative other than a parent as the primary influence. Only one in ten Christians who accepted Christ between the ages of 13 and 21 identified ministers as influencers.
Adults who accepted Christ as their Savior generally responded to different stimuli than younger individuals. The most common catalyst was a friend (19%), followed by experiences through mass media (14%), a live event (14%), or a relative (13%). Ministers led one out of every ten adult converts to Christ, while parents of adults were identified as the evangelistic influence in one in twelve cases (8%).[1]
In our meditations over the last few days, we have learned that sharing the Gospel of Christ is work in which all of God's people should be involved. As we consider sharing the message of Christ’s salvation, the most critical steps are: 1) Begin praying for the individuals on your heart, 2) Get training on what to say and which Scriptures to use, and 3) Ask God for His heart of concern for your friend, son, daughter, or relative. The chances are low that bringing them to church to listen to the pastor will lead them to Christ. Most adults come to Christ because a friend shares the Gospel with them. The most joyful aspect of a believer's life is leading another to Christ. The person you lead to Christ will be eternally grateful that you cared enough to pray and consider how to reach out to them. Over the next few days, we will think through how to present the Gospel and the questions you can use to bring up eternal life through Christ.
Father, please help us reach out to our loved ones and friends with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. Amen! Keith Thomas
For further instruction, a good YouTube video teaching would be 4. A Disciple’s Main Purpose.