I just discovered a website where its makers state their intention to propagate Christianity among the world’s young people.

http://www.4to14window.com/

The 4/14 Window is a global missions movement whose aim is to REACH, RESCUE, ROOT and RELEASE young people all over the world to grab hold of their inheritance in Christ and transform their world through His power. 

http://www.4to14window.com/about-the-414-window

All over the world, children and youth represent the demographic that is most receptive to spiritual and developmental input.  God is calling us to radically change the way we view young people and to respond to their strategic importance and rightful place in His Kingdom. The 4/14 Window Movement sees children and youth as more than a mission field to be reached.  They are also a powerful missions force affecting change in our world today. 

Timeline of the 4/14 Window Movement

1974 – Ralph Winter calls the global church to focus mission efforts on “unreached people groups” around the world.

1989 – Missiologist Dr. Luis Bush coined the term “10/40 Window” – the geographical region of the world where the most number of unreached people groups reside. 

1996 – Seminal article (link) by Dr. Dan Brewster admonishes the church to take children and youth seriously

2005 – Child, Church and Mission released by Compassion International and Dan Brewster

2008 – Dr. Bush challenged the church to reach the world’s largest “unreached people group,” who are hidden in every nation of the 10/40 Window.  They are the “4/14 Window”, young people (roughly 4 years old to 14 years old but spanning all the way into young adulthood).  

2009 – 4/14 Window Global Initiative launched.

2009 – Dr. Bambang Budijanto argues that the “New Kingdom Landscape” (link) requires a new focus on children and youth (Video)

2011 – 4/14 Global Summit in Singapore proves that the 4/14 “initiative” has become a movement with 100s of regional events spontaneously emerging all over the world.

2013 – Dr. Bambang Budijanto introduces the “Second Mountain” to climb in the race to activate the 4/14 window.  The first mountain was building awareness of the importance of the 4/14 among the church.  The Second mountain is appropriately releasing children and youth into ministry.

2015 – Dr. Bambang Budijanto calls Nurturers, young people roughly 14-22 years old, to take their rightful place in serving this next generation by making disciples among the 4/14.

Of course, if people want to teach their own children about their religion, that is their business. But trying to seduce and then brainwash other people’s children as this site implies should be done is insulting to the rights and dignity of non-Christian parents everywhere!

This website appears to be under construction, but it is clear this represents a desperate move by Christian extremists to try to recapture the interests of young people, who are moving away from dogmatic religions at an amazing rate as more and more evidence of their falsehoods and failures are spread around the internet for all to see. Back in the 1980s when I was a Christian, it was common to see “Christian rock” bands like Petra and Stryper used for propagating Christian beliefs. Clearly that effort failed!

We need to oppose this sort of thing and the best way to do that is by putting out ALL the facts about religions, not just allowing slanted propaganda to flourish. How about we show:

That Christians are prone to fighting among themselves rather than showing the love of Christ to each other.

That Christian writers are indeed willing to LIE OUTRIGHT to promote their extremist views, instead of just letting the facts speak for themselves.  Indeed, they do this many, many times!

That the entire history of Christianity illustrates that no matter how lofty a religion seems to be, it can corrupt itself from within if not kept in check by outside forces. Even within ONE generation!

That when faith and feelings are the standards for beliefs, anything goes, no matter how absurd or even evil!

That there are already more credible and less harmful alternatives that won’t take advantage of children’s natural open-mindedness and willingness to trust authority figures.

So let us get to work and teach the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about……EVERYTHING!