Window 4-14

mario

by Mario Vega

Unlike other “windows” that refer to a geographical area of mission need, window 4-14 refers to an age segment of the world’s population. I’m talking about people who are between 4 and 14 years of age.

Children and youth should be one of the largest focuses of the gospel message. We keep on repeating that they are the future of the church, but the truth is that they must be the church’s present. Otherwise, the church has no futture.

50% of the world’s population is below the age of 25 and the third part of them have never heard about Jesus. And many of them live in our western countries!

The fact is that most Christians believed in Jesus before they were 18 years old. This fact should redirect our efforts toward the window 4-14. Often the church has seen children as a ministry it has to endure. In reality, children are special to God and critical to the church’s survial.

Comments?

Mario

Korean translation: http://cafe.naver.com/ncdcell/1207

Portuguese translation: http://www.joelcomiskeygroup.com/portuguese/marioaug11.html

Translation into Spanish:

La ventana 4-14

A diferencia de otras ‘ventanas’ que se refieren a un espacio geográfico para las misiones, la ventana 4-14 se refiere a un segmento de edad de la población mundial. Estoy hablando de las personas que se encuentran entre los 4 y los 14 años de edad.

Los niños y jóvenes deberan ser uno de los grandes destinatarios del mensaje de salvación. Nos pasamos siempre repitiendo que ellos son el futuro de la iglesia cuando la verdad es que si ellos no son el presente de la iglesia ésta no tendrá futuro.

El 50% de la población mundial se encuentra por debajo de los 25 años de edad y la tercera parte de ellos nunca han escuchado sobre Jesús. ¡Y muchos de ellos en nuestros pases occidentales! Como niños, no se les ha brindado la atención debida. Porque, después de todo, solo son niños.

Frecuentemente, los niños han sido un mal necesario que las iglesias han tenido que sobrellevar. Pero basta reconocer el hecho que la mayor parte de cristianos creyeron en Jesús antes de cumplir los 18 años de edad para reorientar los esfuerzos hacia la ventana 4-14. Un segmento accesible, sensible, manejable y rico en posibilidades.

1 thought on “Window 4-14

  • I fully agree with your “4-14” window. Together with our pastor, we planted a church in 2003 with only about 5 families but with about 20 children in the 4-14 window. Today, our church has grown to more than 70 adults, but we have a monthly evangelistic Youth Gathering of up to 170 young people, and this is organized and set up largely by our Youth Group – the ones who were in the 4-14 window when we started. And they are reaching the succeeding 4-14’s. We now have a full time Youth Pastor because of this. I did not foresee this then. I saw the children as part of the church because their parents were there. But they turned out to be a real force for reaching out to others. “(T)hey must be the church’s present. Otherwise, the church has no future.” Very true. God bless you.

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