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Brave new world?

How can those who are young keep their way pure?
By living according to your word.
Psalm 119:9

We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.
Franklin D. Roosevelt

When we are out of sympathy with the young, then I think our work in this world is over.
George MacDonald

Four dramatic upward-soaring graphs show the trend of global changes in population, energy consumption, information distribution and human mobility. All show levels that dwarf anything that has been known before. All are indicators of a planet under severe strain. Suddenly it seems as if new crises appear even while the old ones linger on.

At the same time, while in our society we face the implications of the rising proportion of people of pension age, globally – and in so many of the countries where our sisters and brothers face persecution – nearly half the population are young, and the proportion is due to rise.

Then another graph shows a clear upward trend. It charts the violations of religious freedom worldwide: they are massive, widespread, and, in the last five years, growing.

So this is the landscape in which we seek to obey our calling from God. As a mission committed to supporting the Persecuted Church worldwide we must be responsive to their expressed needs and be relevant and effective in all we do.

That’s why the advances made through your amazing support for the Year of the Word need to be anchored in a strategic investment to ensure that the same Word is received and applied in all its transforming power. That’s why, after seeking the Lord for His guidance, Open Doors is responding to this new world order in designating 2007 as the Year of Youth.

Increasingly, leaders of the underground church recognise that they need to face up to a world which is challenging traditional models of both family and church. Already there are indications of a major haemorrhage from their churches of young people between the ages of 15-25 because the church is not sufficiently equipped to disciple and train them in the face of massive changes in society.

So the Year of Youth will focus prayerful action on this important area of work, supplying Bibles and discipleship resources designed to help young believers stand strong in the storms of life, identifying and training effective youth workers, ensuring the church is equipped to meet the challenge.

“Living according to your Word.” That is our commitment and our aim – for ourselves and the emerging generation of the Persecuted Church. With God every crisis really is an opportunity. What a brave new world it will be if we resource a youth generation filled with a passion to serve the risen Christ.

Eddie Lyle
CEO Open Doors UK & Ireland