Pittsburgh: Network Council: Church planting, youth, and mission initiatives report

Leaders of the Anglican Communion Network’s Children and Youth, Church Planting and Anglican Global Mission Partners initiatives reported on their work to the Annual Council meeting the evening of July 31.

All three ministry initiatives are geared toward helping Network affiliates encourage Christian discipleship, mission and growth both in their local congregations and around the world.

The Rev. Jack Gabig, who directs the Network’s Children and Youth initiative told delegates that a full 84 percent of those who become Christians do so before their 20th birthday. And of those, a full 80 percent make a decision for faith before they are 12.

Those numbers make even more alarming recent figures released by the National Survey for Youth and Religion. Among all youth, the survey reports that 56 percent have made some commitment to “live for God.” Among Episcopalians, the figure is 32 percent. While some 40 percent of American teens claim to pray once a day, only 13 percent of Episcopal teens claim to do so. the rest