There are about 400,000 middle school and high school students in Oklahoma. If you were to place these teens in a single-file line, shoulder to shoulder, it would stretch from Oklahoma City to Tulsa!

Brian Baldwin, Oklahoma Baptists youth missions and evangelism ministry partner, leads a breakout session during 2023 YEC.

Now, widen your perspective to a global scale, where a staggering 1 billion teenagers would create a line that circumnavigates our planet over 11 times. That’s a lot of teenagers! It’s the biggest generation of youth in the history of the world.

Gen Z is our nation’s first post-Christian generation, which means most do not know Jesus. That means they are increasingly moving toward judgment in Hell, instead of experiencing grace through Christ in Heaven.

Alan Quigley, Oklahoma Baptists associate executive director for church resources, also led a breakout session at the 2023 YEC. All breakout sessions help students share the Gospel.

Yet, in the face of this potential tragedy, there is hope. Jude 23 challenges us to “snatch others from the fire and save them.” Who will rescue this generation from the flames? Who will courageously risk everything to REACH them? Who will boldly share the Gospel with them?

It’s my firm belief that the most impactful messenger to REACH a teenager is another teenager. When they are armed with the tools to engage their friends in Gospel conversations, the potential for spiritual transformation knows no bounds.

And students are receptive to the teaching.

Throughout history, God has chosen teenagers to lead spiritual awakenings. They come to Christ quicker and can spread the Gospel farther than the average adult. Couple this with their colossal impact on social media, and the potential for widespread influence becomes evident. With today’s technology, there are certain 15-year-olds who can make posts online that could touch more hearts with the Good News than the late Billy Graham could in 15 sold-out stadium events.

This is why I’m so excited about the Youth Evangelism Conference (YEC). It could usher in a revival! Because of weather, YEC has been moved to March 22-23. Teenagers from all around the state will be gathering at Falls Creek to be inspired, equipped and unleashed to REACH friends and strangers alike with the hope of Jesus Christ.

YEC also offers great worship services at Falls Creek.

This event isn’t about rock concerts, entertainment, and goofing off with friends with an occasional Bible study. It is a focused two-day event filled with the Holy Spirit, worship, prayer, evangelism training and team building. There will be three general sessions, around 20 different breakouts to choose from, a youth leader training session and a strategic planning time where each group will develop a custom blueprint for how they will bring the Gospel message back to their communities.

The theme of YEC is “REACH,” because we’re talking about reaching a generation endangered.  Judges 2:10 says “After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, ANOTHER GENERATION GREW UP WHO KNEW NEITHER THE LORD NOR WHAT HE HAD DONE…” We cannot sit idly by and watch this generation slip away. It’s time to rise up and bring hope, light and the salvation of Jesus to those who need it most. Now is the time to REACH and equip a generation endangered!

It’s not too late for your group to come. To get all the information and to register, visit our website at oklahomabaptists.org/yec. Reach out to us. Pray with us. Let’s do this, together!